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Going Knuckle To Knuckle With The Crowd

It may be early in the day but already chants are erupting in front of the main stage, beckoning LA’s Five Finger Death Punch to make their Download debut. As the five piece take to the stage it is to a riotous reception, shouts of “death punch” spreading across the vast field with vigorous passion and as the thunderous riffs usher in the band’s opening track, its clear that the anticipation is not unfounded.

From the chugging rampant riffs of ‘Salvation’ complete with its pummelling beats to the thundering drums of ‘Way Of The Fist’, 5FDP are a relentless juggernaut that will not be stopped. Charging across the stage, Ivan Moody commands everyone’s attention, growling and snarling with a menace that ensures your eyes never leave him as he generates chant after chant from the crowd, at one stage declaring “we’re taking back control” only for a response of “with our knuckles” to erupt obediently from the enthralled masses. ‘The Bleeding’ allows the LA quintet a moment of respite as the crowd take control of things, singing the lyrics back passionately and with added enthusiasm before Moody informs everyone that now’s the time to rip things up, warning the “pussies” to get out of the way as they’re not responsible for them getting hurt, leading of course to a barrage of circle pits to spring up, chaotically and raucously bringing the curtain down on 5FDP’s first outing at Donington.

Having been forced to pull their entire European tour minus this one performance, 5FDP’s appearance at this years Download is all the more poignant, giving everyone a mere glimpse of what they’ll actually be missing over the coming months. Dominant, aggressive and with confidence aplenty, 5FDP leave all exhausted and yet willing to happily go knuckle to knuckle with them again in a heart beat.