Five Finger Death Punch Celebrate 20 Years with Best Of Volume 1 Album + Re-Record 'I Refuse' feat. Maria Brink

About face Knuckleheads! Las Vegas’ finest rockers Five Finger Death Punch are back and have recruited rock goddess and longtime friend Maria Brink (In This Moment) for a reimagined version of their 2018 single ‘I Refuse’. The restyling of this Rock Ballad comes as the band announces their brand new release Best Of Volume 1 which includes re-recorded versions of some of the bands biggest hits across their 20 year career as well as a few additional live tracks!

This emotional track from the band’s 2018 album And Justice For None… ‘I Refuse’ still has vocalist Ivan Moody booming over hammering piano chords although without his ever noticeable vocal grit behind him. The chorus hits with soothing harmonies from Moody seemingly ditching the intensity for a more smoother, less in your face vocal line. Even without this signature, it doesn’t take away from the heaviness of the lyrical matter. You still feel incredibly moved as the booming voice is backed by accompanying acoustics before transcending into a new level of beauty. 

This isn’t the first time Maria Brink has featured on a 5FDP release, having lent her voice on ‘Anywhere But Here’ from 2013s ‘The Wrong Side of Heaven and The Righteous Side of Hell Vol 1. Where her voice was more an accompaniment on the aforementioned, Brink takes control this time around. The phrase “Life's a Bitch and I’ve been shaken” has never sounded so hauntingly precious before. As not to replicate what has already been recorded before, Brink changes the tone to an alluring sunshine on a dark cloudy day. The acoustic breakdown still shows off guitarist Zoltan Bathory proficiency as one of modern Metals most enduring and electric guitarists, helping provide an atypical edge to this arena rocking ballad.

The accompanying lyric video further plays into the lyrical matter of this track, showing two souls walking through crowded wastelands of cities, cemeteries, battlefields and the literal presence of gods where the world sits almost still. Its hard to sometimes put into words what the isolation of struggles can do to the human mind, but what 5FDP create here both audibly and visually lends a voice to the voiceless to feel understood.

‘I Refuse’ isn’t the only classic 5FDP being reworked for the upcoming album. The likes of ‘Wrong Side of Heaven’, ‘Under And Over It’, ‘The Bleeding’ and even covers the band has taken on including their hit charting cover of The Offspring’s ‘Gone Away’ have all been re-recorded for the upcoming best of.

Whilst Brink appears to be the only named feature at this time, the band’s history working with the likes of Rob Halford (Judas Priest), Tech N9ne, Jamey Jasta (Hatebreed) and even the late DMX, its safe to say nothing can be ruled out!

On the reason behind the re-recordings, founding guitarist Zoltan Bathory says:

“We would have loved to have a shot at reclaiming our masters, or at least to be involved in the transaction but we found out after the fact. Surprised, but not surprised. These kinds of behind closed doors deals have become far too common in the music industry.

Labels buy, sell or trade artist’s work without their knowledge or consent, reducing them to soulless commodities. But life is a chess game so when this happened to Taylor Swift, she responded by re-recording her catalog.

After that respectably bold move, her fans switched to streaming the new version out of protest and loyalty. We have one of the most hardcore and loyal fan bases on the planet so I know our fans will do the same.”

You know what to do 5FDP fans!

Words by Cody-James Henderson @cody_j_henderson

Pre-order 20 Years Of Five Finger Death Punch Best Of Volume 1 here