Five Finger Death Punch Knock Out Wembley Arena

by | Dec 25, 2017

 

Front Row Audience | Of Mice And Men at the SSE Arena, Wembley on 21 December 2017 (Simon Reed)

Metal is all about volume and intensity. Which is exactly what Of Mice And Men supply as they kick off a night of guttural vocals, guitar riffs of sledgehammer subtlety, soul-shaking drum fills, chest thumping, and sweaty, screaming, moshing fans at Wembley Arena.

Led by Aaron Pauley, who sings and assaults his bass with equal ferocity, the quartet from Orange County, California play a tight six-song set that balances the old and the brand new. The fittingly named Unbreakable, which opens the show, and guaranteed future live staple Warzone are both from the forthcoming Defy (out in January), while thunderous set closer The Depths harks back to 2011’s The Flood.

Of Mice And Men performing at the SSE Arena, Wembley on 21 December 2017 (Simon Reed)

Restoring Force from 2014 gets a good look-in with the raw You Make Me Sick and in-your-face Public Service Announcement (which has guitarists Phil Manansala and Alan Ashby headbanging in tandem on either side of the stage).

The cataclysmic Pain, from last year’s Cold World, rounds out a storming set that certainly delivers on the volume and intensity fronts.

Of Mice And Men performing at the SSE Arena, Wembley on 21 December 2017 (Simon Reed)

 

But metal is also about spectacle and a sense of community. First In Flames and then Five Finger Death Punch supply both, in excess.

The Swedish quartet have spared no expense in creating a stage every bit as audacious as their songs. Singer Anders Fridén, guitarists Björn Gelotte and Niclas Engelin, and touring bass player Bryce Paul are backed by a high wall of screens that run the length of the stage and double as a raised platform for the keyboards and drums.

In Flames performing at the SSE Arena, Wembley on 21 December 2017 (Simon Reed)

Behind drummer Joe Rickard is a second, even larger, screen showing the same striking imagery (stark black and white animations, panels from a bright graphic novel, moody Silent Hill-type visuals). Oh, and there’s also a giant version of band mascot Jester Head hanging from the ceiling, his red eyes permanently glowing.

It’s a setup that would dwarf a lesser band, but there’s very little that could distract from the gutsy Gothenburg group and their arsenal of scorched earth anthems. Their most recent offering, 2016’s Battles, is well represented, with songs like Save Me and Here Until Forever especially revealing the more melodic side of Fridén’s voice. Of course he gets the chance to unleash his abrasive growl on earlier tracks like Darker Times (off 2011’s Sounds Of A Playground Fading), Take This Life (from 2006’s Come Clarity), and the oldest inclusion, 2002’s ball-breaking Drifter.

In Flames performing at the SSE Arena, Wembley on 21 December 2017 (Simon Reed)

But irrespective of the song’s age, it’s played with the same never say die attitude. The two guitarists in particular perform with the energy of men in their 20s, perpetually swapping places on either side of a front man who, in turn, frequently checks in with the fans (or makes declarations like “All we know how to do is drink beer and play heavy metal”).

With the gargantuan rig lighting up the arena, Fridén goes beyond the standard “scream for me, London”, asking the crowd to “go analogue”, put down their phones, and “get in the circle pit to make new friends” instead. Even the obligatory thank you’s are substantial. “We’ve been doing this for a long time, and it’s really boring to rehearse,” he says during one interaction. “But we live for this sh*t, and it’s because of people like you that we can carry on doing it.”   

Five Finger Death Punch performing at the SSE Arena Wembley on 21 December 2017 (Simon Reed)

Five Finger Death Punch front man Ivan Moody is even more gregarious. He wishes someone happy birthday after spotting their sign. He urges the security staff and the audience (who he refers to as “family”) to treat each other with respect.

He apologises sincerely to his band mates and the amassed faithful for what he describes as a “breakdown”, alluding to a series of incidents earlier this year that raised doubts about his future in the band.

Five Finger Death Punch performing at the SSE Arena Wembley on 21 December 2017 (Simon Reed)

He puts on a Santa hat that’s hurled on stage and belts out a few ad-libbed lines of Jingle Bells. He tries (and laughs when he fails) to spark an impromptu singalong of Champagne Supernova.   

He even stops the encore to sign merch fans have lobbed up. And with a casual “You just became the most expensive show of the tour”, he brushes off the news that the band are about to break curfew. “Merry Christmas,” he adds cheerfully, before getting the audience to hold up their phones and leading them through an unhurried rendition of The Bleeding.

Five Finger Death Punch performing at the SSE Arena Wembley on 21 December 2017 (Simon Reed)

The resultant feeling of inclusion means each song, regardless of whether it’s the big, dumb rocker Burn MF or the trio of acoustic ballads (I Apologize, Wrong Side of Heaven, and Remember Everything) performed unplugged-style with lead guitarist Jason Hook, is greeted with unbridled excitement.

Hook, Moody, and the rest of the Las Vegas quintet seem pretty excited themselves, for that matter. Jeremy Spencer is a heavy hitter from the Dave Grohl school of drumming, rhythm guitarist Zoltan Bathory is as adept at whipping his long dreadlocks back and forth as laying down chunky riffs (i.e., very), and live-wire bassist Chris Kael is such an accomplished vocalist that he and Moody trade lines on sonic wrecking ball Got Your Six.

Five Finger Death Punch performing at the SSE Arena Wembley on 21 December 2017 (Simon Reed)

As the five musicians rip up songs like Lift Me Up and their brutal rendition of Bad Company, flames and fireballs light up the stage at regular intervals. Fog blasters go off in front of them. Lasers, matching the LEDs on one of Hook’s less flamboyant guitars, pierce the darkened arena.

And although there are no video screens, in their place is something just as spectacular: a colossal 3D skull and two titanic baseball bats (in cross bone formation). Short of creating a life-size replica of Stonehenge on stage, you couldn’t really get more metal than that.

Five Finger Death Punch performing at the SSE Arena Wembley on 21 December 2017 (Simon Reed)

Review of Five Finger Death Punch, In Flames, and Of Mice And Men @ Wembley Arena by Nils van der Linden on 21st December 2017. Photos by Simon Reed.

 

 

https://rockshotmagazine.com/205540/kobra-lotus-guitarist-jasio-kulakowski-prevails/

Matt Cameron of Pearl Jam @ BST Hyde Park 2022 (Simon Reed)

Matt Cameron Departs Pearl Jam After 27 Years Amidst Wave Of Drummer Changes In Rock

After nearly three decades behind the kit, Matt Cameron has announced his departure from Pearl Jam. The legendary drummer, 62, shared the news via social media on 7th July, marking the end of a 27‑year tenure that began in 1998. His departure comes in the wake of the band’s Dark Matter World Tour, which concluded earlier this year.

Sydney Rose @ BST Hyde Park 2025 (Kalpesh Patel)

Sydney Rose Shines In Mid-Afternoon Magic On The Rainbow Stage At BST Hyde Park 2025

While headliner Noah Kahan was preparing to command the Great Oak Stage later in the evening, over on the Rainbow Stage a quieter but equally stirring performance was unfolding under the soft mid-afternoon sun. Georgia-born singer-songwriter Sydney Rose brought her headline tour to a moving finale, wrapping her journey in heartfelt lyrics and gently fierce vocals that captivated a festival crowd seeking intimacy amid the day’s growing energy.

Gigi Perez @ BST Hyde Park 2025 (Kalpesh Patel)

Gigi Perez Captivates London With Raw Emotion And Rising-Star Power At BST Hyde Park 2025

At just 25 years old, Gigi Perez has already carved out a reputation as one of indie-pop’s most compelling new voices — and her late afternoon set on the Great Oak Stage at BST Hyde Park proved exactly why. Supporting headliner Noah Kahan and following a string of breakout moments this year, the Hackensack, New Jersey native delivered a deeply affecting performance filled with vulnerability, power, and soaring vocals

Paris Paloma @ BST Hyde Park 2025 (Kalpesh Patel)

Paris Paloma Brings Barefoot Magic To The Rainbow Stage At BST Hyde Park 2025

In a festival rich with soaring choruses and star power, it was Paris Paloma’s barefoot grace and gothic romanticism that carved out one of the day’s most mesmerising sets. Taking to The Rainbow Stage on a golden midsummer afternoon, the Derbyshire singer-songwriter captivated her growing legion of fans with an intimate, emotionally charged performance that felt part séance, part storybook.

FINNEAS @ BST Hyde Park 2025 (Kalpesh Patel)

FINNEAS Warms Up London With Heart And Humour Before Noah Kahan’s Headline Set At BST Hyde Park 2025

It’s not every day that a support slot feels like a moment of main event magic, but FINNEAS — the GRAMMY®-winning songwriter, producer, and solo artist — brought just that to the Great Oak Stage at BST Hyde Park on Friday. Performing ahead of headliner Noah Kahan and main support Gracie Abrams, the 27-year-old delivered a slick, emotionally charged set that balanced heartfelt sincerity with tongue-in-cheek charm.

Noah Kahan @ BST Hyde Park 2025 (Kalpesh Patel)

Northern Attitude In London: Noah Kahan, Gracie Abrams & Friends Light Up BST Hyde Park 2025

It was, as the name requires, the perfect summer's day for British Summer Time Hyde Park on Friday. The sun was...
The Raven Age @ London Stadium (Kalpesh Patel)

Heirs To The Throne? The Raven Age Blaze Their Own Trail Supporting Iron Maiden At The London Stadium

On a scorching June evening that would culminate with the almighty Iron Maiden setting London Stadium ablaze, the...
Olivia Rodrigo @ BST Hyde Park 2025 (Sophia Carey)

Olivia Rodrigo Proves That London Is Her Favourite City At BST Hyde Park 2025

British Summer Time is officially underway in Hyde Park, and the unbearable heatwave will continue to remind us all of...

Pin It on Pinterest

Share This

Share Thing