Album Review: Five Finger Death Punch - 'The Wrong Side of Heaven and The Righteous Side of Hell, Vol. 1'

Five Finger Death Punch are, put simply, the Nickelback of metal. Meaning that they're basically one of those bands that is cool to hate, and quite the opposite to admit that you like them. Listening to the band's latest offering, 'The Wrong Side of Heaven and The Righteous Side of Hell, Vol. 1,' it's pretty obvious why this is the case.

Everything about this album on the first impression is just really, really stupid. The album artwork is ridiculous, 'metal' track titles like 'Watch You Bleed,' 'Burn MF,' and 'I.M. Sin,' coupled with some ridiculous lyrics that could be written by any angry 14 year old boy (For example - “Say what you will, but just say it to my face. Better back the f**k up and shut the f**k up. I do what I want, and I never give up!”), topped off with a cover of an LL Cool J song titled, “Mama Said Knock You Out,' one wouldn't be blamed for assuming the worst of the album before even listening to it.

All of that said, strangely enough, the full-length is actually quite enjoyable. It doesn't push any boundaries, and you won't be hearing anything here that you haven't heard before, but while what they do isn't particularly fresh, it's actually quite well done. There are songs that are just complete head bangers from start to finish ('Burn MF', 'You'), there are some fairly decent riffs on some of the tracks (particularly on 'Dot Your Eyes', 'I.M. Sin'), and you'll also be exposed to some pretty catchy choruses ('Life Me Up,' 'Watch you Bleed'). You even hear the band try their hand at a couple of ballads on tracks 'Wrong Side of Heaven,' and 'M.I.N.E,'. Ffrankly, the group don't do a bad job at it.

The immaturity of the album, after a couple of listens, can actually draw you back in. Yes, as said before, everything about the album is “really, really stupid,” and while this is going to have it's detractors, it brings a crazy level of fun to the record that at least in some respects will make you want to look past the absurdity .

'The Wrong Side of Heaven and The Righteous Side of Hell, Volume 1,' is actually a pretty enjoyable record, and if fun is all you're looking for in it, chances are you'll really like this album. The levels of musical immaturity are strangely enough, one of the redeeming factors, and something that will keep many coming back to listen for more. Liking a Five Finger Death Punch record may never be cool, but it can sure as hell be heaps of fun.

1. Lift Me Up
2. Watch You Bleed
3. You
4. Wrong Side of Heaven
5. Burn MF
6. I.M. Sin
7. Anywhere But Here
8. Dot Your Eyes
9. M.I.N.E
10. Mama Said Knock You Out
11. Diary of a Dead Man