Chart-Topping Collaboration: Five Finger Death Punch and BABYMETAL
Five Finger Death Punch and BABYMETAL have seen great success with their collaborative single, “The End,” as it topped the Japanese iTunes Metal Chart. This achievement marked a significant milestone for the song, as it became the first with Japanese lyrics to reach the Top 5 on US Rock radio. Additionally, on the Japanese All-Genres Chart, it secured the 18th spot.
During a sold-out show at the Intuit Dome in Los Angeles on November 1st, Ivan Moody and Zoltan Bathory from Five Finger Death Punch joined forces with BABYMETAL for a memorable performance. The artists were honored with a plaque in recognition of their accomplishment in bridging different cultures through music.
Speaking candidly about the collaboration, Bathory expressed his excitement, stating, “This was such an amazing way to celebrate a collaboration that turned into a chart-topping moment for both of us. We’re working on our 10th studio album right now, and with the 20th-anniversary world tour coming up, we were already planning to go back to Japan … a place that’s always shown us so much love. … Maybe we’ll even share a stage with BABYMETAL.”
Su-Metal, the lead vocalist of BABYMETAL, shared her experience working on “The End” with Five Finger Death Punch, reminiscing about their previous encounters at a music festival in 2015. She revealed, “I sang Japanese lyrics inspired by the original lyrics of ‘The End,’ and spent a lot of time experimenting to find the voice that best fit such a deep, cool track. My favorite moment is the flow from ‘Negai o kakete’ into the break, where my voice is gradually engulfed by Ivan’s growl — it gave me chills.”
“The End” serves as the lead single from Five Finger Death Punch’s Best Of — Volume 2 album, which features re-recorded classics and previously unreleased live versions of popular tracks like “Wash It All Away,” “Wrong Side Of Heaven,” and “Jekyll and Hyde.” The band embarked on this project in response to the unauthorized sale of their original song masters by their former label. Re-recording these fan favorites was a way to maintain artistic integrity and pay homage to their musical roots.
Earlier in the year, the band released Best Of — Volume 1, which included the 2025 rendition of “I Refuse” that topped Billboard’s Mainstream Rock Airplay chart in July. This record was part of their 20th-anniversary celebration, highlighting the band’s enduring legacy in the rock music scene.