Five Finger Death Punch guitarist Zoltan Bathory has revealed that the band’s upcoming tenth studio album will feature a sonic shift that throws back to the heavier, more aggressive nature of their earliest records.
Speaking with Kevin Kellam of “93X“, Zoltan Bathory discussed the musical direction of the new material and the reception of their latest single, “Eye Of The Storm“, which arrived two weeks ago. The track serves as the first taste of the band’s landmark tenth LP, which is currently being tracked in Los Angeles and is slated for release later this year.
According to Zoltan Bathory, the new single was selected intentionally to provide a clear preview of the record’s overall direction, even if it pushes the stylistic limits of commercial radio formats.
“‘Eye Of The Storm‘ was in the first batch [of new songs that we wrote and recorded]. Ivan [Moody] is in the studio right now still recording. But from the first batch we had, this was the song kind of that we thought, ‘Okay, this gives you a pretty good picture of what’s coming.’ This is a song that can live on radio. It’s a little bit heavier, actually, than… So, it’s pushing the envelope a little bit for radio,” he said (as transcribed by Blabbermouth).
When it was noted that the track maintains a very heavy edge for a radio single, the guitarist defended the role of accessible metal acts in sustaining the broader rock music ecosystem.
“That’s kind of the weird thing that the metal community doesn’t understand. Like, look, guys, if you want your community to be healthy and big and grow, you’re gonna need bands like Disturbed, Five Finger Death Punch, bands like us, that kind of coast in between, that we have some songs that can live on radio. And there’s a limit to that. Again, people are commuting and listening to music. They don’t wanna crash. They go, ‘Oh, what the hell is going on? What is that?’ So from their perspective, it is a heavier song. So when you look at what’s the average on radio, it is a little bit heavier than that. But [it’s gotten a] huge reaction. Everybody’s playing it. That means that the audience is ready for that. Radio audience is accepting it. It’s doing really well. And it also gives the people a kind of a pretty good picture of what’s coming.”
Detailing the specific arrangements and production adjustments driving the new material, Zoltan Bathory explained how the band shifted the instrumental balance to achieve a rawer, more guitar-driven sound reminiscent of their first three full-length outputs.
“This album is a little bit of a reach back to the first three. The first three albums [were] a little bit more aggro… So, yeah, the balance changed a little bit. A little bit more guitars, a tiny bit less drums, less vocals. So we kind of shifted the balance, and that makes it sound a little bit gruffer as well. And we thought, ‘Okay, [‘Eye Of The Storm‘] is the perfect song that will sort of represent what is the new album.’ Of course, there is much, much heavier stuff on there. And then we always have a couple of lighter things, because the idea is you wanna give a full picture. If I just gave you 14 really heavy songs, to me, it’s boring. Maybe somebody loves that; I don’t know. To me, this is the same energy going through. I like the roller coasters. And so kind of look at an album like that. You need two, three, four songs that are lighter. You need about four, five mid-tempo — that’s what this is, that mid-range, that middle of the road, for us style-wise, and then you need your barn burners. That’s the one that, when you play that, it activates people’s dental plan in a mosh pit… So, that’s kind of the picture. And then this was sort of at that middle range of what’s coming.”
The guitarist also directly addressed long-standing criticisms from fans who claim that Five Finger Death Punch relies on a repetitive songwriting formula. Using an analogy centered around beverage connoisseurs, he argued that dedicated followers easily recognize the nuances and structural progressions that casual listeners overlook.
“[Bands like] Iron Maiden, AC/DC, us, all these bands are progressing. The songs are not the same. People say, ‘Oh, it’s the same thing.’ It isn’t. And the example I’m gonna make, if you’re a beer connoisseur. You’re drinking beer. You can tell the difference between every single sort of ale — you’re a connoisseur. Or a wine connoisseur — you can tell the difference between wine that was produced in Spain or France or America. You know, because you’re a connoisseur. So when you’re a person who’s into metal, especially when you have a specific band, for you AC/DC does not sound the same, because you’re a connoisseur of that band. You understand the difference. Or Iron Maiden, or pick all these bands. Somebody as an outsider or a casual listener, just like a casual beer drinker, will go, ‘Oh, it’s just beer.’ Or, ‘It’s just wine.’ They can’t really tell the difference. ‘Oh, it’s the same thing. It’s just wine.’ No, not really. So if you’re a fan of this band, then you definitely see the progression. If you’re a casual listener, then I would understand the same way that probably people would say, like, ‘Well, AC/DC, the same riff.’ No, it isn’t, but if you’re a casual listener, then for you it is. So there [is] always also a section of the album where we look at it like, okay, we can sacrifice, so to speak, two, three songs into something more progressive that I wouldn’t have done before. But you can’t do five of those because then now the album completely shifted. So there is this idea of balance. We cook it,” he explained.
Concluding his thoughts on the recording process, Zoltan emphasized that maintaining their signature identity while providing dynamic track sequencing remains essential to delivering a complete studio effort.
“There has to be four, five, six songs [on every album] that are core Five Finger Death Punch. That’s why the fans love us, that’s our sound. We have to deliver that, and that’s where we operate anyway. It’s not something that I go to the studio and say, ‘I have to do this.’ That’s what naturally comes out anyway. That’s how we sound. So that’s gonna be our regular sort of Death Punch sound. You have to have, like, five, six, seven songs like that… And then you put, like, three [or] four really heavy [songs] in there, and a couple of ballady stuff in there. And then you have a pretty good even surface of, ‘All right. All the facets of the bands are sort of showcased, and I gave you a record that is not just one tone.’ If I give you a record with 14 super-heavy songs — well, there are bands that do that, and good for them. I’m not a fan of that. I like variation… It’s like a live show, how you put together a live show. Even the songs on the album, what comes after what matters. Just like a live show — you’re not gonna open a show with a ballad,” he concluded.
To support the release, Five Finger Death Punch will embark on a massive world tour later this year. The North American leg, produced by Live Nation, is scheduled to kick off on Monday, July 20, at the Freedom Mortgage Pavilion in Camden, New Jersey, and will conclude on Friday, October 23, at Jiffy Lube Live in Bristow, Virginia. Joining the band for this run is platinum-certified outlaw country musician Cody Jinks, who is promoting his current album, In My Blood, along with the rock outfit Eva Under Fire.
The anniversary celebration will extend into early 2027 with a European leg featuring Lamb of God as special guests, supported by Scotland’s Bleed From Within.
