Five Finger Death Punch “Wrong side of Heaven” Tour, Rave/Eagles Ballroom, Milwaukee WI

 

Making their first headlining appearance at the Rave/ Eagles Ballroom, you knew tonight would be special. Along with Escape the Fate, Miss May I, and Gemini Syndrome this was a night for Metal Heads.

The venue was sold out on this rainy day, as fans raced to the doors to get out of the rain. The room filled up quickly.

Having just released the album, The Wrong Side of Heaven and the Righteous Side of Hell (Volume 1) a few months ago, they are set to release (Volume 2) on fans.

5FFDP fans are a rabid fan group and with Milwaukee being missed on this year’s Mayhem festival, the crowd was ready as they would scream, “FIVE FINGER……..DEATH PUNCH” in a call n response.

As the lights dimmed and the song 100 Ways to hate (remix) blared through the speakers, the anticipation grew the roar for 5FDP.

Opening with Under and Over it, Burn it Down, and The Way of the Fist got the crowd right into it.

If you never been to a 5FFDP show, it’s like controlled chaos. With blaring white & color lights coming from the stage, a charismatic singer in Ivan Moody who goes from guttural lyrics & screams to very clean vocals lyrics. The band and the fans leave it all on the stage/floor. You will know you been to a 5FFDP show when it ends.

Several times Moody went to the sides of the stages to reach out to fans and whenever he spotted a young kid, he pointed to them or tossed a pick to them.

5FFDP music crosses several genres of Heavy Metal & hip hop. While this has been done before, no band has combined this in to a razor-sharp precession.

Guitarist, Jason Hook’s flying solos and heavy riffs along with pure joy to his playing makes him one of the best metal guitar players. Combined with Zoltan Bathory who, as Moody says, “open the sky” and plays with a heavy hand that remnants of old metal.

Drummer, Jeremy Spencer who has won many best drummer awards got to show off his skills during his well-known drum solos about half-way through the set.

Rounding out the band is Chris Keal who has now taken over the Fear the Beard phrase on bass, with his flying, almost Dred-like beard.

While the first half of the set was in-your-face, punch-in-the gut heavy, the second half was the soaring solos and heavy melodic songs like, Remember Everything, the new released song, Battle Born, Never Enough, and beautiful and emotionally done, Coming Down.

The night ended with Far From Home and the song that started it all - The Bleeding.

5FFDP’s new album, The Wrong Side of Heaven and the Righteous Side of Hell (Volume 2) comes out November 19th and my guess is that it will be # 1 when it’s released.

The tour will run until the end of October before heading overseas with Avenged Sevenfold to end the year.

Review and Photos by Peter Lizano

Jason Hook of Five Finger Death Punch by Peter Lizano

 

 

 

 

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