Review Summary: Following the success of 'The Way Of The Fist', FFDP should have done a LOT more with this album.
Lets not beat around the bush, Five Finger Death Punch are one of the most unique metal bands to emerge this year. Their unique approach to melodic riffs and vocals with hardcoresque savage riffs and breakdowns are a breah of fresh air. It is no surprise they won 'best new band' at the 2009 Metal Hammers Golden Gods awards!
When 'The Way Of The Fist' was released in 2008 I thought, '*** me, at last a new band that rocks....and they don't fringes and tendancies to piss on female fans who don't want to give that 'little' bit extra'. The only thing that sucked about that album was the production.It was awful. The levels were everywhere, the guitars sounded like they had been played through toasters and the drums were weaker than Paula Radcliffe. Despite this, songs like 'Ashes, The Bleeding and White Knuckle' did get your head banging and you throat muscles singing till you were hoarse!
When I caught wind of a new album I was very excited and as soon as I got the chance I plugged my headphones in and indulged myself. There was only really one word I could use. 'Meh'. The guitar tone stills sounds crap, the drums are just about audible in the heavy bits and there isn't really a song that has the balls to grab you and say '*** You, go and punch someone!' I read a few reviews saying that the replacement of Darrell Roberts with Jason Hook was the turning point for this bands success.Bollocks. Roberts lead intro to 'The Bleeding' is what hooked me on the band and is better than any solo section on the new album. The solos that once fitted around the riffs perfectly are now 'shred' obsessed and pointless.
However, this albums biggest flaw by miles, by lightyears is how boring it is! The songs seem to fuse at the ends and it really just becomes one repetitive riff after another. There is one acoustic break in the middle which sounds like a Bullet For My Valentine B side sadly. I probably appears that I am slating this band but I am not! I think they are going to be huge but I just can't help feeling that they could have done so much more!
