Metal Underground.com

Five Finger Death Punch released their debut album, "The Way Of The Fist," to the masses in July, which brought them touring all summer long with acts ranging from Slipknot to Dragonforce. Yes, the name comes from that Kill Bill moment that incorporates the blow with which "The Bride" actually killed her mentor. The genius in the name is just the beginning for this band, however. Five Finger Death Punch consists of guitarist Zoltan Bathory (formerly of U.P.O.), former Motograter vocalist Ivan Moody, former W.A.S.P. members in guitarist Darrell Roberts and drummer Jeremy Spencer, and former Anubis Rising/Deadsett bassist Matt Snell. These members blast-off into an animosity of fury with "The Way of the Fist."

While containing styles of hard rock roots, this band surprised me on the very first listen with actual metal music. The singer uses modern screaming and melodic tones effectively in every song. Their style reminds me of metalcore with more Korn and Limp Bizkit elements in particular pertaining to their scorching heavy bass guitar sound. The guitars throughout each song maintain a similar rhythm throughout that entices you with their "rise-up and kick ass" morale. The guitars really shine with great solos. The drums use a large amount of double-bass, which makes this band even more brutal-sounding. Don’t underestimate this band based on the single "The Bleeding," as it's the weakest link in this album.

The production value is crisp, clear, and over-the-top. Don’t take it the wrong way, this band is nothing but over the top but that’s their style, and I for one am not taking them for granted. If you are looking for disparity, progressiveness, uniqueness, and metal that makes you focus, this may not be to your liking. Five Finger Death Punch brings straight-ahead, in-your-face metal with hooks, catchy lyrics and riffs that will delight many metalheads. We can only await to see how this young singer and fellow members evolve and mature with their sophomore album, but until then, this album will continue to shine in its over-the-top music, name, and style.