Five Finger Death Punch reclaim hits à la Taylor Swift
Five Finger Death Punch are taking back control after the surprise sale of their master recordings.
Five Finger Death Punch have joined the ranks of artists rerecording their back catalogue to regain control of their music. The metal band has released a new compilation titled 20 Years of Five Finger Death Punch – Best of Volume 1, which features 13 rerecorded tracks and three live songs. The move follows the unexpected sale of their original master recordings by former label Prospect Park, which sold the rights to the band’s first seven albums to Spirit Music Group without consulting the band.
Guitarist Zoltan Bathory revealed that the group had no knowledge of the sale beforehand. “We were not privy to the deal. It was completely behind curtains. That’s the annoying part of this,” he told the Los Angeles Times. “I wish they had a conversation because we could have done a deal together, or maybe we would have bought it. We didn’t even get an option. We found out from somebody else.”
Although Five Finger Death Punch retained 50% ownership of the masters, they did not have administrative rights, meaning they had no say in the sale. Inspired by Taylor Swift’s widely praised approach to reclaiming her catalogue with the “Taylor’s Version” albums, the band decided to rerecord their biggest hits. “When this happened, it came up immediately: ‘Well, this happened to Taylor and what did she do?’ She battle‑tested it. And she’s a big artist. ‘OK, that’s your move? Now this is our move.’”
The re-recordings are not identical replicas. Instead, they reflect how the band has evolved after years of touring. Tracks like “Under and Over It” have been reimagined with fresh energy, while the re-released version of “I Refuse” – now a duet with Maria Brink of In This Moment – recently reached number one on Billboard’s Mainstream Rock chart.
Despite the strained history between the band and label, Bathory apparently appears more amused than bitter, and the band is clearly focused on the future. Volume 2 of the best-of collection is already in progress, and the band is also working on a new album of original material.
Interestingly, the rerecording project has attracted attention from outside their usual fan base. “What’s kind of crazy is that I see Taylor Swift’s fans on our social media and bulletin board going, ‘Yeah!’ That’s the most bizarre thing,” said Bathory. “We are so far away from each other in style. But it seems like it hit a chord.”
Known for their passionate fanbase, Five Finger Death Punch believe their listeners will embrace the new recordings without hesitation. “They’re very engaged, and they know exactly why we did this. So I think, just to support the band, they will switch [their allegiance to the newer versions] anyway.”