It’s been a strange week for Five Finger Death Punch. Last Friday, Ivan Moody left the stage after the band played only eight songs, first attributing it to the impending death of his mother (who is fine), then claiming the next night that he had a “mental incident” the previous night. The band pressed on with their current tour with Shinedown, Sixx A.M. and As Lions, even posting a snippet of a new song in a video update, ignoring the elephant in the room. Yesterday, however, with only eight shows left in their tour, Moody has exited the tour to get the help that he obviously needs.
That means that until next Saturday when the tour wraps up, Five Finger Death Punch fans will be getting a unique show. All That Remains frontman Phil Labonte will be filling in on vocals with the band, and last night’s Philadelphia show featured a variety of singers contributing. Along with Labonte, Sixx A.M.’s James Michael and As Lions’ Austin Dickinson also filled in. Five Finger Death Punch guitarist Zoltan Bathory commented on Moody’s departure:
“Ivan is our brother and we fully and wholeheartedly support him taking care of himself so he can get well as soon as possible. We discussed possibly canceling the remaining shows but the responses from the other bands on the tour were so overwhelmingly supportive that we decided to move forward and deliver the great night to the fans that they expect.”
Labonte also commented:
“I got their six and stepped up right away. I’m honored to be able to help Five Finger Death Punch to finish their tour and give Ivan a chance to take care of himself. I did the same for Killswitch Engage years ago. I was humbled to get the call and get a chance to play in front of such a great audience.”
Sixx A.M.’s Michael spoke about the substitution as well:
“All of our hearts are with Ivan right now hoping for a speedy recovery. Phil is an excellent frontman and vocalist who stepped forward in solidarity to Ivan without a moment of hesitation. Fans are in for some special treats and surprises. I’m really excited about the show tonight.”
Some fans might remember that this isn’t the first time Labonte has stepped up and helped out a band. After Killswitch Engage then-frontman Howard Jones left the band in 2010, he filled in for them as well. Hopefully, Moody is getting the help he needs, but he’s done some strange things onstage before. Check out some footage from last night’s Philly show below.
Here are the remaining dates on the tour:
12/02 Hershey, PA @ Giant Center
12/03 Huntington, WV @ Big Sandy Superstore Arena
12/05 Greenville, SC @ Bon Secours Wellness Arena
12/06 Charleston, SC @ N. Charleston Civic Center
12/08 Orlando, FL @ Amway Arena
12/09 Tampa, FL @ Amalie Arena
12/10 Duluth, GA @ Infinite Energy Center
