Yesterday, a number of outlets, including Metal Addicts, published the story that singer Ivan Moody was leaving FIVE FINGER DEATH PUNCH.
In an interview with the Denver radio station 106.7 KBPI conducted on Thursday morning (April 20), Moody revealed that he was planning to launch a side project with members of COAL CHAMBER and GEMINI SYNDROME, but never stated that he was intending to abandon his main group. He said during the chat: “To be completely honest with you, DEATH PUNCH and I have kind of come to a crossroads, and we’re very proud of what we’ve done — I mean, years and years and years and years of work. But it’s time for us to kind of take our way and go do something else. So after this new year, my new band VILLAIN… I’m so excited, man. I’ve got Brian [Steele Medina] from GEMINI SYNDROME [on drums], I’ve got Stitch on bass. You’re not gonna believe this: I’ve got Meegs [Miguel Rascón] from COAL CHAMBER as our guitar player. It’s gonna be fun, man. It’s gonna be a good time.”
Now, Ivan Moody has issued an official statement, saying his words were taken out of context:
“Yesterday I made a statement that was taken out of context by the media — a media always looking to create headlines that will make people click them. The truth is, I want to start a side-project like Corey Taylor has with STONE SOUR or Maynard has with A PERFECT CIRCLE and I want to do it when FIVE FINGER DEATH PUNCH‘s deal with Prospect Park is over and we are out of this lawsuit.
“THIS DOES NOT MEAN I PLAN ON LEAVING FIVE FINGER DEATH PUNCH!
“The great thing about being a musician today is that you can explore your creativity in multiple ways without compromising your primary focus. I learned this watching people like Corey and Maynard and I think their fans are glad they’ve put more music out into the world. I hope my fans are, too.
“All that said, FIVE FINGER DEATH PUNCH fans can expect our next album via Prospect Park and we are geared up to tour all throughout 2017. We are about to leave for South America and Europe and we have other dates [to be announced].
“All of us in the band have worked incredibly hard over the last ten years to build this band and none of us are going to let that go just because our record company is trying to sabotage us. I am sorry if the media took my statement as a resignation, but I assure you it wasn’t.”
