One of the most insanely aggressive bands currently making their mark on the modern Metal scene is Los Angeles based Five Finger Death Punch who feature in their ranks former members of U.P.O., Motogrator and W.A.S.P. I recently had the immense pleasure of speaking with guitarist Darrell Roberts who is an absolutely amazing player. I first encountered Darrell when he was playing for his former band the enigmatic legendary 80’s shock rockers W.A.S.P. He has now moved on and currently blisters his fingers for the aforementioned band Five Finger Death Punch. The band are quickly gaining popularity all over the world and it seems that a new resurgence of belligerent in your face Metal is hitting the airwaves once again. I caught up with Darrell this week to talk about the transition from the former to the latter and to find out what is presently going on in his corner of the world.

OT: Last time we did an interview, you were with W.A.S.P. You have since left the band. What happened with that?

DR: I moved on - LOL!  W.A.S.P. was an awesome experience for me. I, as well as Blackie knew that is was a somewhat temporary thing. I honestly had every intention of starting my own project/band when I left W.A.S.P.  Little did I know that Five Finger Death Punch would come along and offer me an opportunity that I could not say no to! I love this band!!!

OT: Were you already working with the guys in the 5FDP before leaving W.A.S.P.?

DR: Jeremy (drummer) had worked with me in W.A.S.P. briefly. It didn't end up working out with us for W.A.S.P. but I knew the guy could shred so I kept in contact with him. When 5FDP started rehearsing and becoming a real band, Jeremy called me and asked me to join. It was a no brainer! I had to be a part of this amazing band.

OT:  5FDP seems to have really taken off.  "The Bleeding" is currently charting on hard rock stations across America and is in the top 20 on satellite radio. Have you noticed an increase in your fan base because of this?

DR: Of course!  We toured last year on “Family Values” with Korn. Then we did a headlining tour in clubs. Every city that we had strong radio support and the shows were packed! Radio is a HUUUUUGE part of a band’s success.

 OT: You just finished a string of dates with Disturbed and are gearing up for a tour with Slipknot and Disturbed, how did that pairing come about?

DR: Yes, we are doing the" Rockstar Energy Mayhem Tour" that starts in July with Slipknot, Disturbed, Mastadon, Dragonforce and a slew of other amazing metal bands. Basically being signed to The Firm for management has been an invaluable tool. Also, we are a very heavy band that is having really good success among mainstream outlets. That is very rare. We are big fans of Slipknot and Disturbed and really pushed to make this happen.

OT: When recording The Way of the Fist, were there any unforeseen challenges you faced?

DR: Actually 90% of the record was finished when I joined the band, but I have heard the stories-LOL! I was a co-writer on the song "White Knuckles". The recording of that song was smooth as silk. Since then we have recorded several songs and I'm not gonna lie, it is a challenge for sure.  We are five grown men, all creative with strong personalities. At the end of the day I think that is why the material is so strong.

OT: You've been playing a few shows here and there on the west coast recently. What kind of reactions are you getting from the crowds?

DR: Chaos! We have the most vicious pits you will ever see. On “Family Values” the list of broken noses, twisted knees, broken ankles, etc. was off the charts. Then, on the other side of the coin, you have thousands of people singing every word (sometimes louder than the band) to a song like "The Bleeding"....it is beautiful!

OT: When do you foresee additional material surfacing from 5FDP?

DR: We recently recorded a hand full of new songs for the label. It is always good to have exclusive material ready for movies, DVD, special edition CDs, etc. We should be releasing a new single to radio soon.

OT: Collectively as a band, what artists have inspired you to create your style and sound?

DR: This first record "The Way of the Fist" was really Zoltan’s vision. Growing up in Hungary his influences were more classical based with a lot of emphasis on melody and emotion. I, on the other hand, was raised in America on blues rock influences. I think it makes for a great combination. I mean, if you listen to the record it is pretty obvious that everybody in 5FDP has much love for bands like Metallica, Pantera and Iron Maiden! 

OT: Do you think that the heavier styles of metal are making a comeback?

DR: I have no idea! I hope so. Our audiences seem to love it and that is all that I care about!

OT: I understand that you are currently making an instructional DVD. What was involved with that and where can people buy it?

DR: Yes. It is titled "Icons of Metal/Rock" and features George Lynch, Bruce and Bob Kulick (KISS), Jennifer Batten (Michael Jackson Band) and me. It is produced my Music Star Productions and will be available in most music stores nationwide like Guitar Center, etc. It will also be available online.

OT: Sounds amazing.  When will it be available?

DR: This summer!

OT: Where can people get more information about upcoming news and events relating to 5FDP?

DR:  www.fivefingerdeathpunch.com or www.myspace.com/ffdp