The Way of the Fist
| The Way of the Fist | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | ||||
| Studio album by Five Finger Death Punch | ||||
| Released | July 31, 2007 | |||
| Recorded | 2006–2007 at Next Level Studios in Los Angeles, California and at Complex Studios in Los Angeles, California | |||
| Genre | Heavy metal, groove metal, alternative metal | |||
| Length |
38:50 49:16 (Re-release) | |||
| Label | Firm Music, Spinefarm | |||
| Producer | Zoltan Bathory, Jeremy Spencer | |||
| Five Finger Death Punch chronology | ||||
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| Singles from The Way of the Fist | ||||
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| Alternative covers | ||||
 "Iron Fist" Edition |
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Cover for the UK and Canadian edition of The Way of the Fist |
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| Professional ratings | |
|---|---|
| Review scores | |
| Source | Rating |
| About.com |    [1] |
| Kerrang! | |
The Way of the Fist is the debut studio album by American heavy metal band Five Finger Death Punch, released on July 31, 2007. The album sold 3,800 copies in its first week of release The Way of the Fist made its Billboard 200 debut on August 18, 2007 at No. 199 and peaked at No. 107. It has been certified gold for selling in excess of 500,000 copies as of April 1, 2010.[2]
Recording and release
The band entered Next Level Studios and Complex Studios in Los Angeles, California to record The Way of the Fist. The album was recorded with Stevo "Shotgun" Bruno (Mötley Crüe, Prong) and Mike Sarkisyan (Spineshank) and was mixed by former Machine Head and Soulfly guitarist Logan Mader.[3] Shortly after, they signed a deal with Firm Music, a branch of "The Firm".[4] It was released on July 31, 2007, selling 5,400 copies in its first week of release to debut at No. 199 on the Billboard 200 chart[5] and peaked at No. 107. The album sold an additional 1,400 copies in digital downloads its first week of release.[5]
Reissues
2008 Reissue
On May 13, 2008 The Way of the Fist was re-released.[6] The re-release contained three new bonus tracks, "Never Enough", "Stranger than Fiction", and an acoustic version of "The Bleeding". The three songs could also be obtained on the band's website by anyone who had purchased a copy of the original release of the album.[6]
"Iron Fist" Edition
On November 22, 2010 the album was reissued again as a deluxe box set entitled The Way Of The Fist: Iron Fist Edition.[2] This version features new artwork, a documentary DVD, The Legend of The Fist Vol. 1, music videos for "The Bleeding", "Never Enough" and "The Way of the Fist", a bonus CD with 11 B-sides and rarities, trading cards, and an exclusive poster and calendar.[2]
Track listing
| Standard Edition | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| No. | Title | Writer(s) | Length |
| 1. | "Ashes" | Bathory, Moody | 3:44 |
| 2. | "The Way of the Fist" | Bathory, Moody | 3:58 |
| 3. | "Salvation" | Bathory, Moody, Snell, Spencer | 3:20 |
| 4. | "The Bleeding" | Bathory, Moody | 4:28 |
| 5. | "A Place to Die" | Bathory, Moody | 3:40 |
| 6. | "The Devil's Own" | Bathory, Moody, Snell, Spencer | 4:12 |
| 7. | "White Knuckles" | Bathory, Moody, Snell, Spencer, Roberts | 4:10 |
| 8. | "Can't Heal You" | Bathory, Moody, Snell, Spencer | 3:03 |
| 9. | "Death Before Dishonor" | Bathory, Moody, Spencer | 3:54 |
| 10. | "Meet the Monster" | Bathory, Moody, Spencer | 4:22 |
| Total length: | 38:58 | ||
| Iron Fist Edition CD 1 / 2008 Re-issue Bonus Tracks | ||
|---|---|---|
| No. | Title | Length |
| 11. | "Never Enough" | 3:29 |
| 12. | "Stranger than Fiction" | 3:20 |
| 13. | "The Bleeding" (Acoustic) | 3:37 |
| Total length: | 49:26 | |
| Iron Fist Edition CD 2 | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| No. | Title | Writer(s) | Length |
| 1. | "A New Level" (Pantera Cover) | Pantera | 4:00 |
| 2. | "From Out of Nowhere" (Faith No More cover) | Mike Patton | 3:24 |
| 3. | "Succubus (Hate Me)" (Demo) | 3:09 | |
| 4. | "Salvation" (Live) | 3:45 | |
| 5. | "The Way of the Fist" (Live) | 4:32 | |
| 6. | "White Knuckles" (Live) | 6:16 | |
| 7. | "Salvation" (Instrumental) | 3:22 | |
| 8. | "The Bleeding" (Instrumental) | 4:30 | |
| 9. | "The Way of the Fist" (Instrumental) | 4:02 | |
| 10. | "The Devil's Own" (Instrumental) | 4:15 | |
| 11. | "Never Enough" (Instrumental) | 3:30 | |
| Total length: | 44:43 | ||
| UK edition | ||
|---|---|---|
| No. | Title | Length |
| 1. | "Ashes" | 3:44 |
| 2. | "The Way of the Fist" | 3:58 |
| 3. | "Salvation" | 3:20 |
| 4. | "The Bleeding" | 4:28 |
| 5. | "A Place to Die" | 3:40 |
| 6. | "The Devil's Own" | 4:12 |
| 7. | "White Knuckles" | 4:10 |
| 8. | "Never Enough" | 3:29 |
| 9. | "Stranger than Fiction" | 3:20 |
| 10. | "Can't Heal You" | 3:03 |
| 11. | "Death Before Dishonour" | 3:54 |
| 12. | "Meet the Monster" | 4:22 |
| 13. | "From Out of Nowhere" (Faith No More cover) | 3:23 |
| 14. | "The Devil's Own" (Live) | 4:56 |
| Total length: | 53:58 | |
Charts
| Chart (2007) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| Finnish Albums Chart[7] | 28 |
| US Billboard 200[8] | 107 |
| US Billboard Heat Seekers[8] | 1 |
Singles
Three singles were released from the album, "The Bleeding", "Never Enough", and "Stranger than Fiction".
| Year | Title | Peak chart positions | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| US Main. [9] | |||||
| 2007 | "The Bleeding" | 9 | |||
| 2008 | "Never Enough" | 9 | |||
| "Stranger than Fiction" | 16 | ||||
Personnel
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References
- ↑ Bowar, Chad. "Five Finger Death Punch The Way of the Fist Review". About.com.
- 1 2 3 "Five Finger Death Punch Debut Album To Be Reissued As 'Iron Fist Edition' Box Set". Blabbermouth.net. Retrieved 2010-09-28.
- ↑ "FIVE FINGER DEATH PUNCH Featuring Ex-W.A.S.P., MOTOGRATER Members: Debut CD Due In April". Blabbermouth.net. Retrieved July 26, 2007.
- ↑ "Five Finger Death Punch Signs With Firm Music". Blabbermouth.net. Roadrunner Records. Retrieved July 26, 2007.
- 1 2 "Five Finger Death Punch Guitarist: 'Our Fans Are Diehard!'". Blabbermouth.net. Roadrunner Records. Retrieved 2007-08-16.
- 1 2 "FIVE FINGER DEATH PUNCH Releases Free Track To Fans". Blabbermouth.net. Apr 8, 2008.
- ↑ Suomen virallinen lista
- 1 2 "Five Finger Death Punch – Charts & Awards – Billboard Albums". Allmusic.
- ↑ "Single Chart Positions".