FIVE FINGER DEATH PUNCH Guitarist Says Heavy Metal Bands And Fans 'Stick Together'

In a brand new interview with Out Of The Blue, FIVE FINGER DEATH PUNCH guitarist Zoltan Bathory was asked what he thinks his band's extraordinary commercial success says about FIVE FINGER's music and heavy metal in general.

"Well, we are here to stay. That's what that really means," he said. "I mean, look at this genre, you know. People who are into rock music, there are a couple of characteristics of rock and heavy metal music fans. One of them is loyalty.

"When you get into this, it's not just the flavor of the month. It's almost like you're committed, you know what I mean? This is something like this is a lifestyle thing. It's a lifelong thing.

"I don't know anybody — personally, I don't know anybody — who would say, 'Yeah, man, when I was younger, I used to listen to these crazy bands, but not anymore.' You know, "I used to listen to SLAYER, man but now I'm a big Eminem fan.' Which, I love Eminem, but my point is people who got into this style of music, people who got into the scene they don't really ever leave. It's more than that. It's not just the music. Because these bands are banding together [on the road] and more and more of these [package] tours [are taking place], everybody's grouping together. When the genre is not the most popular, that's when it's really tested and when you are being really tested, that's when brotherhood happens. That's what bonds people together: hardship and suffering. When you have to accomplish something together, those are the real bonding elements of everything in life. And when it comes to a musical genre, when it's hard, when it's not, you know, and hard rock is not the most popular thing in the world, the believers, the bands, look at us, HELLYEAH and VOLBEAT, we stick together and do this together and form friendships and brotherhoods. And that's the only way.

"Calm seas don't make great sailors. It's always the hardship, it's always the difficult times that forge these things. Look at the soldier— the reason that soldiers have such a connection [is] because they really depend on each other, their lives depends on each other. And so they forge brotherships and friendships that are lifelong and an almost unbreakable bond. And I know it's maybe a little bit an offshoot example, but that's kind of what happens, in my opinion, with rock music today — these bands are sticking together. And when anybody gets successful for anything, we are actually happy for each other, you know.

"I'm just happy that I'm part of this scene that I got addicted to this when I was a little kid and I'm proud to be a member of that heavy metal community, especially in times when we are sticking together and doing something great."

Each one of the first three FIVE FINGER albums has been certified gold in the U.S. for sales of 500,000 copies or more.

Despite releasing two CDs' worth of material last year, FIVE FINGER DEATH PUNCH is already looking toward its next studio project. Drummer Jeremy Spencer told Artisan News, "We're at the studio right now, and we're recording some new material. And after we finish the [fall North American co-headlining] tour with VOLBEAT, we're gonna go back in and try to finish up everything in the winter and then get something out late spring [or] early summer."

Spencer added that the band has demoed four songs so far, saying, "I'm liking what I'm hearing, but there's a long way to go… We'll judge the body of work when it's done."

FIVE FINGER DEATH PUNCH released "The Wrong Side Of Heaven And The Righteous Side Of Hell" in two parts last year, with the first arriving in July 2013 and the second following last November. The first half alone has sold more than 415,000 copies in the U.S.