FIVE FINGER DEATH PUNCH Bassist On Newfound Sobriety: 'I've Been Focusing On Getting Back To The Real Me'

Mindy Novotny of the Milwaukee, Wisconsin radio station 102.9 The Hog recently conducted an interview with FIVE FINGER DEATH PUNCH bassist Chris Kael. You can now listen to the chat using the SoundCloud widget below. A couple of excerpts follow (transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET).

On his newfound sobriety:

Kael: "I was kind of suffering silently as Ivan [Moody, vocals] was going through his stuff publicly. And I hit a point in February that I was, like, 'Either I do this or I'm not gonna make it through.' So by necessity, just to save my own life and save my own happiness, I hit rehab myself, and things are going great. I think I'm 104 days [sober] right now, and I'm thinking clear-headed. I remember how I felt 105 days ago, and I never wanna go back to that. It's definitely kind of seeped over into the vibe of the band as a whole, 'cause we're all getting along great. We've got this new record out, 'And Justice For None', that's crushing it right now. We were just looking at numbers and it's No. in so many countries all around the world. It's good to have gone through all that turmoil and be able to come through it positive and be where we're at today."

On maintaining his sobriety on the road:

Kael: "Honestly, it's harder off the road than it is on the road, because you're alone with no schedule trying to find things to do. So, just in my my own sobriety, I've been really on top of maintaining a schedule. I got real used to not really having a schedule and being able to do whatever I want, and that led to a place that I don't ever wanna be again. So I've been hitting meetings out here [on the road], riding the motorcycle every opportunity I get back in Vegas, doing the Muay Thai, lifting weights, hanging out with family and friends. I've just been focusing on getting back to the real me in my own personal life. I felt like the real me was getting eaten up by this Chris Kael character, and it's good to finally sit back and be, like, 'I don't have to prove myself anymore. I'm here doing what I'm supposed to be doing, and life is good.'… And to be able to have all of us in this band sober at this point, it's a much better working environment, a much better camaraderie amongst actual friends. We've been through a lot of stuff and have grown stronger because of all the struggles. Hopefully we'll never go back there again."

"And Justice For None", the seventh studio effort from FIVE FINGER DEATH PUNCH, debuted at No. 4 earlier this week on the Billboard 200 album chart with sales of 71,000 units. 60,000 of those were traditional album sales.

FIVE FINGER DEATH PUNCH's follow-up to 2015's "Got Your Six" was originally delivered to its label Prospect Park in December 2016, but a legal battle with the company delayed the LP's arrival for more than a year.

The band will kick off a co-headlining tour with BREAKING BENJAMIN on July 16 in Seattle.