FIVE FINGER DEATH PUNCH's IVAN MOODY On 'F8' Album: 'We Wanted To Make A Record That Wasn't Just Here Today And Gone Tomorrow'

FIVE FINGER DEATH PUNCH singer Ivan Moody has told the Saginaw, Michigan radio station Z93 that there are "many things" that have contributed to making the band's latest album, "F8", the group's strongest effort to date.

"It's like going through a transmutation, man," he explained (hear audio below). "You get to a point where you start realizing that what you've done is amazing and you're proud of it, but there's so much more to accomplish. So many projects get to a certain level and they become content, and that's all that they ever expected or wanted.

"We wanted to make a record that wasn't just here today and gone tomorrow," he continued. "We wanted something that would be timeless. We wanted a piece that people could really hold on to and that covered all the different colors of the rainbow, so to speak, of this band and the individuals in it.

"I'm trying not to be too formal, but at the same time, I wanna drop F-bombs, dude," he added. "This is fucking awesome. This album is just out of this world. Every song has a story. We went off the beaten path from what a lot of people would have thought we would have done, and it was just really fun for us, man. And I think at the end of the day, the monotony was gonna get a hold of us. So to have time and to go in there and really develop, again… I mean, it is — it's a phoenix for us, coming out of what I would call an artistical ash, so to speak.

"The last couple of albums, I'm proud of 'em, but, to me, they weren't everything they could have been. There were songs that really stuck out, but as a whole, I think that they were kind of slacking in certain places. So, it was our responsibility to go in there and say, 'How sincere are we? Do we love music or do we love the job?' And that's the difference. We love music. And wanted to make sure the world knew. So I think we did a fucking fantastic job on that."

Asked if he still feels that "F8" represents his best work to date, Moody said: "Oh, absolutely. Hands down. I mean, there's not even a question in my mind. I've told a few people this — there's always that media training answer where you're, like, 'Yeah, this is our best stuff to date.' Man, the reality of it is it is. It truly is. I can still listen to it, and I get goosebumps when certain tracks come on. I've showed it to friends. I was just actually talking to [M.] Shadows from AVENGED [SEVENFOLD], and he told me. He goes, 'Dude, this is hands down your most creative and best work to date.' And coming from a peer like that and somebody who I actually look up to in this industry, that speaks volumes of what I've done and what this band is doing. So, I couldn't be prouder, my man."

"F8" was released on February 28. The follow-up to 2018's "And Justice For None" caps a turbulent period for FIVE FINGER DEATH PUNCH in which Moody finally got sober after a near-fatal struggle with addiction, while co-founding drummer Jeremy Spencer bowed out of the band due to physical issues.

Much of "F8"'s lyrical content deals with Moody's battle with addiction, its aftermath and his recovery. The singer will celebrate two years of sobriety this month.

Spencer announced his departure from FIVE FINGER DEATH PUNCH in December 2018 after going through two back surgeries and sitting out a tour. His replacement is Charlie "The Engine" Engen, who makes his recording debut with the band on "F8".

FIVE FINGER DEATH PUNCH launches a spring North American tour on April 8 in Sunrise, Florida.