Ivan Moody exits Five Finger Death Punch tour

Five Finger Death Punch frontman Ivan Moody has quit the band’s ongoing European tour as he battles substance abuse issues.
The singer stunned fans in the Netherlands on Monday (12Jun17) when he threatened to walk away from the band while in the middle of the show in Tilburg.
His bandmates subsequently assured fans Moody was just displaying a little “rock ‘n’ roll” behaviour, but on Wednesday (14Jun17), the star issued a statement online, revealing he will be taking some time out of the group as he has suffered a setback in his sobriety.
“I am embarrassed and ashamed to admit that I have fallen off the wagon again,” he wrote, noting he was already “on shaky ground” prior to Monday’s outburst.
“It would not be fair to my band mates or my fans to continue to perform in my current condition,” he continued. “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.”
Guitarist Zoltan Bathory has since expressed his support for Moody, while insisting the show must go on, with Bad Wolves vocalist Tommy Vext, who performed two songs with the band at the troubled Tilburg show, recruited to fill in for the embattled frontman for the rest of their European dates.
“As a band, we are committed to supporting Ivan’s road to recovery,” he explained. “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.”