Almost two weeks after telling a Denver crowd that he intended to quit music in order to spend more time with his children, Five Finger Death Punch vocalist Ivan Moody has had a change of heart in recent days.
The frontman made the surprise announcement onstage at Denver’s Ball Arena on October 14, while sitting next to to two of his children.
“The last 15 years of my life I have toured the world, I have seen every country, every city on this planet at least twice,” he said. “That's a fact. And through that time, as many of you parents know… I have missed a lot of time with my kiddos.
“So I made them a deal today, and I'm going to stick to it,” he continued. “After this year, I am going to make one more Five Finger Death Punch album and then I am retiring from heavy metal.”
But after mulling over his future, Moody took to the internet to tell fans the reasons behind his “impulsive” comments and why he's no longer quitting music.
"I really sat back the last few days and took it all in,” said the vocalist in a video post transcribed by Loudwire. “And I first off want to apologise. I do. I apologise. I apologise because music's all I've got, and I don't think, for one, my kids would respect me in the long run if I quit doing what got me here. I don't think my friends would talk to me. Obviously they didn't text me, not the ones I was hoping for.
"My bandmates deserve better. Zoltan [Bathory, guitarist] deserves my heart and has earned my respect time and time again. He may as well be my blood. You deserve the best, there is no question about that."
The vocalist concluded by saying he was "designed" by heavy metal and his soul would "fade" if he stopped making music.
"I can't quit. I can't. I'm not. To be quite honest with you, I think I'd die. Maybe not physically die, my but soul would fucking definitely fade, and I didn't come here for that. There is a fucking fire inside of me that will never go out. Music and heavy metal are all I've ever had, all I've ever known. I was designed by it. When all the rest of the world kept betting against me — underdog, day after day after day — I found solace and sanctuary in bands like Metallica and Pantera, Alice in Chains and Danzig. The list goes on and on.
"I ain't going anywhere. I'm not. Maybe I was a little bit impulsive. I hope you all will forgive me."
Five Finger Death Punch's latest album, AfterLife, is out now through Better Noise Music.
