Afterlife

Five Finger Death Punch’s AfterLife stands as a bold statement of evolution and resilience. Released on 19 August 2022 via Better Noise, the band’s ninth studio album marks a turning point, as longtime lead guitarist Jason Hook departs and Andy James steps in. Despite the lineup shift, the album delivers the kind of high-octane, riff-driven metal that fans have come to expect, with fresh energy coursing through its tracks.

The title track “AfterLife” arrived in April 2022, setting the tone with its anthemic intensity. Accompanied by a lyric video and an extensive tour announcement featuring Megadeth and The Hu, the single ignited excitement among fans. The promotional rollout continued with “IOU”, offering another glimpse of the album’s unrelenting sound. Ivan Moody’s trademark vocals remain commanding, while Andy James seamlessly integrates his technical prowess into the band’s sonic DNA.

Commercially, AfterLife is a powerhouse. It debuted at number ten on the US Billboard 200 and claimed number one spots on the US Top Hard Rock Albums chart—making it the band’s record-breaking seventh chart-topper in this category. Beyond the States, it achieved top-10 placements in seven countries and reigned supreme in Finland and Switzerland. Singles like “Times Like These” and “Welcome to the Circus” further bolstered the album’s success, each topping the Mainstream Rock chart, while “Welcome to the Circus” found international acclaim, hitting number one on the Czech Republic Rock Songs chart.

With over 160,000 copies sold worldwide by the end of 2022, AfterLife captures a band at the peak of its commercial might. The music balances aggression with melody, delivering arena-ready tracks designed to energise audiences. It’s an album steeped in ambition, showing that Five Finger Death Punch remains an unshakable force in modern metal.