Ivan Moody, vocalist for multi-platinum American metal outfit Five Finger Death Punch has spoken out against the band’s past music video for their track “Living The Dream“. The band’s guitarist Zoltan Bathory conceived the video for the track, which amid its October 2020 debut drew criticism for being perceived as anti-mask. Shortly after the video’s release, Bathory himself pushed back against the backlash the video drew, stating in part:
“The mask segments are about hypocrisy on the highest level. When the rules are made for you but those who made them are exempt. Pretty much the standard in all dictatorships and totalitarian regimes (I had the displeasure of growing up in one) hence the reference.”
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In the new issue of Metal Hammer, Moody revealed that the finished product created tension between him and Bathory:
“I showed up for two days and Zo told me to run across the grass, screaming and holding the American flag, so I was curious to see it. Then when he released it, I called him, like, ‘You implemented your own platform into Five Finger Death Punch, and now I’m gonna have to answer for it, because I’m the singer.’ And it ended up going down like a fart in church!”
He continued:
“There was the mask thing and the awkwardness of the whole thing. That’s what he visualized, but it’s not what I had in mind when I wrote it. For those who understood it, great. And for those who didn’t, I’m sorry, I didn’t agree with it either. I love Zoltan to death, that’s his opinion, but it won’t ever be done with my name on it again.”
The Hungarian-born Bathory also addressed the video in the same newly published interview with Metal Hammer, stating:
“Obviously, that video created a lot of dust, and I really don’t want to kick up another shitstorm about it. But it was about the blatant hypocrisy of what was happening. You can do this, but the population can’t! As a band, we sort of withdrew from politics and that was the last political commentary, but it flew over people’s heads and we were accused of the craziest shit.
It’s crazy, because music was a cultural weapon. And now punk music and rock music is the soundtrack to the establishment all of a sudden? But it’s like, ‘OK, we’ll just play music and create concerts.’ People are educated by clickbait headlines, but there’s so much else to talk about.”
Currently Five Finger Death Punch are focused on the August 19th release of their new studio album “AfterLife“. They’ll be out touring the U.S. on a headlining run with Megadeth, The HU & Fire From The Gods in support of that starting next month.
08/19 Portland, OR – RV Inn Style Resorts Amphitheater
08/20 Auburn, WA – White River Amphitheater
08/23 Mountain View, CA – Shoreline Amphitheater
08/24 Irvine, CA – FivePoint Amphitheater
08/26 Phoenix, AZ – Ak-Chin Pavilion
08/27 Albuquerque, NM – Isleta Amphitheater
08/30 Dallas, TX – Dos Equis Pavilion
09/01 Del Valle, TX – Germania Insurance Amphitheater
09/02 Houston, TX –The Cynthia Woods Mitchell Pavilion presented by Huntsman
09/06 Charlotte, NC – PNC Music Pavilion
09/07 Raleigh, NC – Coastal Credit Union Music Park at Walnut Creek
09/09 Virginia Beach, VA – Veterans United Home Loans Amphitheater at Virginia Beach
09/10 Bristow, VA – Jiffy Lube Live
09/12 Wantagh, NY – Northwell Health at Jones Beach Theater
09/14 Holmdel, NJ – PNC Bank Arts Center
09/15 Camden, NJ – Waterfront Music Pavilion
09/17 Bangor, ME – Maine Savings Amphitheater
09/18 Mansfield, MA – Xfinity Center
09/20 Syracuse, NY – St. Joseph’s Health Amphitheater at Lakeview
09/21 Pittsburgh, PA – The Pavilion at Star Lake (no Megadeth)
09/23 Scranton, PA – Pavilion at Montage Mountain
09/24 Hershey, PA – Hersheypark Stadium
09/27 Darien Center, NY – Darien Lake Amphitheater (no Megadeth)
09/28 Cincinnati, OH – Riverbend Music Center
09/30 Tinley Park, IL – Hollywood Casino Amphitheater
10/01 Noblesville, IN – Ruoff Music Center
10/04 Cleveland, OH – Blossom Music Center
10/05 Clarkston, MI – Pine Knob Music Theatre
10/07 Milwaukee, WI – American Family Insurance Amphitheater – Summerfest Grounds
10/08 St. Louis, MO – Hollywood Casino Amphitheater
10/10 Atlanta, GA – Ameris Bank Amphitheatre
10/12 Rogers, AR – Walmart AMP
10/14 Denver, CO – Ball Arena
10/15 Salt Lake City, UT – USANA Amphitheater
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