Ivan Moody and company celebrate two decades of hard rock while looking ahead
with new album ‘Legacy’
Five Finger Death Punch brought their 20th Anniversary World Tour to FirstBank Amphitheater in Franklin, Tennessee, with Cody Jinks and Eva Under Fire joining the bill. The combination of hard rock, metal and outlaw country made for a lineup that crossed genre lines without losing sight of what brings people to a live show. For Five Finger Death Punch, the evening was another stop in a year marking two decades as a band, while the recent release of their tenth studio album, Legacy, gave fans something new to experience alongside the songs that built their following.
Eva Under Fire opened the evening with a sound that combines heavy guitars, melodic choruses and lyrics centered on personal struggles. Frontwoman Eva Marie has helped establish the group as a name to watch in modern hard rock, using a vocal approach that moves between melody and aggression. Songs such as “Awakening” and “Murder Scene” demonstrate the band’s ability to pair a direct message with a hook that stays with the listener. Opening a bill of this size gives a band an opportunity to reach people who may not have discovered its music yet, and Eva Under Fire had the chance to introduce its material to an audience that came together for a diverse night of music.
Cody Jinks followed with a style grounded in outlaw country and songwriting that often takes a more direct route than the polished production associated with mainstream country radio. His music has attracted listeners from both country and rock backgrounds, with songs that address personal choices, life on the road and the consequences that come with them. Tracks such as “Hippies and Cowboys,” “Loud and Heavy” and “Must Be the Whiskey” illustrate the sound that has helped him develop a loyal following. His place on the bill offered a change of pace from the opening act while maintaining the evening’s focus on music that connects with audiences through its lyrics and attitude. What also helped Jinks to win over metal fans was his rendition of AC/DC’s “It’s a Long Way to the Top (If You Wanna Rock n’ Roll).”
The pairing with Jinks and Eva Under Fire also underscored how touring packages can bring audiences together across genre lines. Jinks’ country songwriting offered a different perspective on the stories and struggles often found in rock music, while Eva Under Fire represented a newer generation of hard-rock performers working to expand their audience. Each act approached the evening from a different musical background, giving the bill a broader identity than a standard hard-rock lineup. For fans who arrived primarily for Five Finger Death Punch, the supporting acts provided an opportunity to discover artists working in different parts of the same wider musical landscape.
Five Finger Death Punch’s arrival brought the evening back to the heavier side of the lineup. Since forming in 2005, the band has built a catalog around guitar-driven songs, forceful vocals and choruses that encourage crowd participation. That formula has helped it move from clubs and smaller venues to amphitheaters and arenas, where its music is designed to reach the back of the crowd. The 20th anniversary tour gives the group a chance to recognize that journey while continuing to perform for the fans who have followed it through the years.
The band’s catalog provides plenty of material for a set that spans different periods of its career. “The Bleeding” remains an important early song, while “Bad Company,” “Wash It All Away” and “Wrong Side of Heaven” represent different sides of the group’s sound. “Jekyll and Hyde” brings a more aggressive edge, and “Sham Pain” reflects the band’s willingness to turn personal frustrations into material that connects with its audience. These songs have become familiar points of reference for longtime listeners and demonstrate how Five Finger Death Punch has maintained a recognizable identity while expanding its body of work.
Ivan Moody remains a central part of that connection. His delivery gives the band’s music its character, but his relationship with the crowd is also an important part of the live experience. During this stage of the band’s career, Moody has expressed admiration for the younger fans attending the shows and bringing new energy to the audience. For a group that has been around for two decades, seeing a younger generation discover its music is significant. It shows that the songs have continued to find listeners beyond those who first encountered the band in its early years. That generational connection also gives the anniversary tour a different perspective: the band’s history matters, but so does the audience that will carry its music forward.
The recent release of Legacy adds another chapter to that history. As the band’s tenth studio album, it represents a substantial body of work accumulated over 20 years. Reaching that milestone gives the group an opportunity to look back at the records that established its reputation while continuing to write and record new material. For a band with a large catalog, introducing another album presents a familiar challenge: finding room for fresh songs while meeting the expectations of fans who want to hear the tracks they know by heart. The new record gives Five Finger Death Punch a reason to keep the setlist moving forward rather than treating the anniversary as a trip through the past alone.
That balance between established songs and newer material has helped the band maintain its place in modern hard rock. Five Finger Death Punch has developed a sound that relies on the contrast between heavy riffs and accessible choruses, with Moody’s vocals tying those elements together. The approach works in a live setting because it gives the audience both the force of the music and moments to sing along. With Legacy now part of the band’s story, the anniversary tour represents more than a celebration of past achievements; it is also an opportunity to show where the band stands today.
Twenty years into its career, Five Finger Death Punch continues to look forward while recognizing the people who helped it reach this point. The anniversary tour, the arrival of Legacy and Moody’s appreciation for younger fans all point to a band whose story is still being written.