Five Finger Death Punch will be fulfilling the remainder of their European tour without frontman Ivan Moody. Moody has announced he will be checking himself back into rehab.
Two days, on June 12th, Moody arrived late to the band's gig in Tilburg, Netherlands and missed the first two songs. Tommy Vext of Bad Wolves filled in. When Moody arrived, he didn't seem pleased that the band started the performance without him and had an exchange of words with guitarist Jason Hook, who eventually threw his guitar down and left the stage. The band concluded the set without Hook, with Moody ending the show saying this would be his last performance with the band.
This wasn't the first time there has been dissension in the band. Moody previously threatened to quit the band while performing onstage in April, and was in no condition to perform that night. The following day, Moody released a message saying he had "a mental breakdown" and didn't actually quit the band. He ended up leaving the tour and checking into rehab while other musicians filled in on vocals. Moody returned to the stage one month later, then gave a strange interview implying he was leaving the band before walking that statement back, saying he was just going to take a break from the band to do a side project.
Well, after this past Tuesday's debacle, Moody and Five Finger's management decided it'd be best Moody check into rehab. Moody just released a statement saying:
"I am embarrassed and ashamed to admit that I have fallen off the wagon again. I was on shaky ground prior to our performance in Tilburg, and although a lot of the events of that show were out of my control, the shame of not delivering pushed me over the edge. It would not be fair to my bandmates or my fans to continue to perform in my current condition. One of the worst parts of addiction is the loneliness you feel, so having the support of my band and all the knuckleheads is what drives me. I am committed to getting better so I can get back out on stage as soon as possible."
His bandmate, Zoltan Bathory released a statement saying Moody has the full support of the band:
"As a band, we are committed to supporting Ivan's road to recovery. We are as baffled and saddened as anyone to watch our brother continue to struggle. Almost everyone in the world knows someone who struggles with addiction, and can relate to how the self-destruction of someone they care about is very difficult to watch. Five Finger Death Punch has every intention of playing the dates we're committed to and beyond. The band is bigger than any one member."
Tommy Vext, who is filling in on vocals, also offered a statement:
"It is a tremendous honor to share the stage with Five Finger Death Punch on these remaining dates. Today I am blessed with over eight years of sobriety, so I can certainly empathize with Ivan's struggles. Not only do I feel a responsibility to deliver for the fans of Five Finger Death Punch on these remaining dates, but also to deliver for Ivan so he can get back to work as soon as he is healthy."
It should be noted the timing of the statement coincided with the exact moment the band was set to take the stage at Austria's Nova Rock festival, their first gig since Moody stated he performed his last show with the band. While fans who attended that show in Tilburg have reached out on social media to the band, there was no messaging about refunds or a make-good show.
