Five Finger Death Punch Re-Record Catalog After Sale of Original Masters

Grammy-nominated metal band Five Finger Death Punch have started releasing re-recorded versions of their catalog following the sale of their original masters.

The details:

• Between 2007 and 2018 the Las Vegas-formed band recorded seven studio albums with the Prospect Park label, which was founded by entertainment industry exec Jeff Kwatinetz.

• Prospect recently sold its 50% stake in the records’ masters to Spirit Music without telling the group. (The two parties had a “frequently contentious” professional relationship, as reported by the LA Times.)

The response:

• Just as Taylor Swift re-recorded her Big Machine Records-era albums after Scooter Braun’s Ithaca Holdings sold the master rights to Shamrock in 2020 – rights which she recently bought back – FFDP have embarked on a similar process.

• Unlike Swift’s album-by-album approach, however, the band are presenting the re-recordings via greatest hits compilations to celebrate their 20th anniversary.

• The new songs are differentiated from the original versions by a “2025 VERSION” clarifier in their title.

What they said:

• In an Instagram statement the band said: “Like many artists, we found out that our original master recordings had been sold without our knowledge – and without the opportunity to reclaim them. Unfortunately, this is all too common in today’s music industry, especially with the rise of massive catalog acquisitions by investors who often have no connection to the art or the artists.”

• They add: “One of the most public examples of this happened to Taylor Swift. She chose to re-record her catalog – and thanks to a loyal, passionate fanbase, she succeeded. That path made sense to us, too. Our fans have always had our backs, and this re-recorded album is both a thank you and a reclamation.”