FIVE FINGER DEATH PUNCH‘s founding guitarist Zoltan Bathory spoke to Audacy Music about the band’s decision to celebrate its 20th anniversary by releasing “Best Of – Volume 1”, a collection of re-recorded versions of FIVE FINGER DEATH PUNCH‘s most iconic chart-topping songs. This move comes in response to the recent sale of the band’s original master recordings by their former label, an action made without their knowledge or the opportunity to reclaim their own work.
Zoltan said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): “It’s pretty common in the music industry. Outside the music [industry], people don’t really know that this actually happens, but record labels do trade or sell masters many times without letting the artists know or having the chance even to participate. So this kind of happens. From a business perspective, from the record label’s side, it’s a move on the chess board. And this is our move now.”
Acknowledging the fact that FIVE FINGER DEATH PUNCH‘s move is similar to what pop superstar Taylor Swift did when she embarked on a huge project to re-record her own “Taylor’s Version” of her first six albums since around 2021 after the original master recordings were sold to talent manager Scooter Braun, Zoltan said: “Taylor Swift did what she did. It was a brilliant move. And many artists, when it happens to them, they feel helpless and they don’t really have an answer. And some artists go, like, ‘You made your move. Now we are gonna make ours.’ And it is what it is. Now, Taylor Swift has a rabid fanbase, a very hardcore fanbase, so when she put out the new songs, the fanbase just simply switched to the new streams. It just happens so that we have probably the craziest fanbase on the planet. I mean, these guys are with us since day one, literally, and they’re hardcore — I mean, it’s the most loyal fanbase — so probably the same thing is gonna happen. They’ll just switch.”
On the topic of whether FIVE FINGER DEATH PUNCH is planning to re-record its entire catalog or if he and his bandmates are focusing only on the biggest songs, Zoltan said: “We started with these 30 [tracks]. So, basically we looked at what’s the most popular 30 songs? And then we are, like, let’s get those, because those are the ones, obviously, that resonate with the fans the most. Let’s record those. And this is the 20th anniversary. So besides what happened with the masters, we were also already looking for something to do for the fans. So it was kind of, like, ‘Oh, here’s some lemon. Let’s make some lemonade.’ This happened anyway, so, well, it’s a perfect opportunity then — instead of getting pissed off or getting mad about, it’s, like, ‘You know what? Well, it is what it is. Then why don’t we turn it into a positive?’ And then this is our little move on the chess board. We are gonna re-record it. Fans are gonna be happy. This is the 30 most popular songs. Let’s reimagine them. Let’s record them with today’s sound and today’s voice. And we lived with these songs for years and years, so how would they sound today? And we just did that.”
Asked if there are any plans for FIVE FINGER DEATH PUNCH to put out a new album at some point soon as a follow-up to 2022’s “AfterLife”, Zoltan said: “Yeah, definitely. We’ll be doing this first, and then the new album.”
Regarding FIVE FINGER DEATH PUNCH‘s touring plans, Bathory said: “Right now we have a bunch of festivals, big festivals booked. And then we are always in conversations what the future… Bands this size usually have to plan a year ahead, sometimes more. So we are already talking about 2026, what’s happening. And there’s a very specific schedule when I can tell you something, when I cannot yet. So, yeah, we are talking about it. But we’re playing a bunch of huge festivals [this summer], like Inkcarceration [Music & Tattoo Festival in July] and similar.”
On “Best Of – Volume 1”, FIVE FINGER DEATH PUNCH emphasized its respect for the original recordings and the people they made them with but has also breathed new life into fan favorites like “The Bleeding”, “Bad Company” and “Wrong Side Of Heaven”.
The first offering from the 20th-anniversary edition is “I Refuse”, a fan favorite that was always meant to be a single. This reimagined, re-recorded version of “I Refuse”, now features guest vocals from Maria Brink of IN THIS MOMENT.
With over 12 billion streams, numerous No. 1 hits under their belt and multiple gold and platinum certifications, FIVE FINGER DEATH PUNCH has firmly cemented their place as one of the most successful rock acts of the 21st century. “20 Years Of Five Finger Death Punch (Best Of – Volume 1)”, released via Better Noise Music, is available now for pre-order. The collection includes 14 re-recorded hits — including smash singles like “Wrong Side Of Heaven”, “Jekyll And Hyde” and “Bad Company” — alongside three bonus live recordings: “Trouble”, “Welcome To The Circus” and “The Bleeding”.
“Best Of – Volume 1” will be available across all streaming platforms on July 18, 2025, and will also be released worldwide in physical CD and vinyl formats. Fans can choose from a variety of configurations, including a standard CD and a Walmart exclusive CD. The vinyl edition will be offered in several collectible versions, such as a standard vinyl, Walmart exclusive, Best Buy exclusive, a special FIVE FINGER DEATH PUNCH web store edition, an indie retail exclusive, and a limited edition through Revolver magazine. A special-edition merchandise collection to commemorate the band’s 20th anniversary is also available now in the band’s official webstore.
“Best Of – Volume 1” track listing
01. Under And Over It (2025 Version)
02. Wash It All Away (2025 Version)
03. Battle Born (2025 Version)
04. I Refuse (feat. Maria Brink of In This Moment) (2025 Version)
05. Jekyll And Hyde (2025 Version)
06. Wrong Side Of Heaven (2025 Version)
07. Lift Me Up (2025 Version)
08. Far From Home (2025 Version)
09. Bad Company (2025 Version)
10. House Of The Rising Sun (2025 Version)
11. Gone Away (2025 Version)
12. Remember Everything (2025 Version)
13. Coming Down (2025 Version)
14. The Bleeding (2025 Version)
15. Trouble (Live)
16. Welcome To The Circus (Live)
17. The Bleeding (Live)
FIVE FINGER DEATH PUNCH has held firmly to a top three position on the Billboard Hard Rock charts for the last five years and amassed a record-setting 11 billboard mainstream rock airplay #1s in a row, the longest run of leading consecutive entries in the history of Mainstream Rock Airplay. FIVE FINGER DEATH PUNCH has 28 top 10 hit singles and 16 Active Rock No. 1 singles to its name, and the band has released nine consecutive studio albums since 2007, seven of which were certified gold or platinum by the RIAA, as well as two chart-topping greatest-hits albums.
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