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Shredding guitars and growling vocals hit hard right from the start. From the opening cut in War Is the Answer, the second album from Five Finger Death Punch, I was taken hostage and loving every bit of it.
While the first track, “Dying Breed,” is pure metal power, thrash collides with post-grunge throughout the album. However, while “collision” implies chaos, these thirteen cuts are perfectly executed without a slip-up—tight bass lines with intricate guitar chords. The promoted single, “Hard to See,” with its varied vocals, a catchy chorus, and quick, precise guitar, is a prime example. Seether on speed. Snarling gives way to melodic vocals then returns again, accompanied by the speeding guitars. This is indicative of many of the songs—a variety of styles within a song. In fact, the fifth cut, “Crossing Over,” changes to a deliberate pace, reminding me of one of my favorite Saliva songs, both lyrically and musically.
The lyrics on the title track, “War Is the Answer,” remind us how love gone sour can bring out such excruciating anger (admit it, we’ve all been there), and this is accentuated by the harsh vocal style and fiery guitars. While outrage provides much of this CD’s raw power, the enraged lyrics of “Burn It Down” and “Falling in Hate” eventually succumb to the thoughtful and melancholy “Away From Home.”
It’s hard to pick a favorite cut on the album, as I enjoy the fusion of styles. 5FDP refer to themselves as “modern day metal,” but there’s so much more going on here. The melodic “Walk Away” brings out a softer but still heartfelt side of lead vocalist Ivan Moody, and it’s one of my favorites. Then again, the band’s unique version of the rock classic “Bad Company” takes passionate harmonic vocals and adds strong bass lines and rapid guitar solos.
Okay, so while I can’t pick a favorite, I can say that this pure passion and guitar playing at its finest. I also can say that War Is the Answer is one of the most skillful and compelling musical releases of 2009. This is one not to miss.
