Five Finger Death Punch Chronicle Plight of the American Soldier in ‘Gone Away’ Offspring Cover Video
Throughout their career, Five Finger Death Punch have aligned themselves with the U.S. military, supporting the troops in a number of ways. Their latest homage to the brave men and women who serve in the armed forces comes via an emotional gut check of a video for their cover of The Offspring's "Gone Away."
The incredibly somber take on the song works in conjunction with the imagery as we first witness a service member surrounded by billowing smoke and the scene of a fatal wreckage. Throughout the video, we see the toll the loss of life takes on family members as they grieve, clutching picture frames and embracing one another.
Flashbacks provide the background as a group of friends enjoy a day at home. A news break reveals an attack, spurring the male friends to enlist in the military. During active combat, one of their vehicles rolls over a trip wire, killing those inside as one man looks back in horror and disbelief. He struggles to process what has happened and even contemplates suicide at home, but he eventually he channels his inner strength and returns to war, ready to lead a young new group.
"Every song has exactly as many meanings as many people have heard it, but by creating a music video we can crystallize one of the possibilities, our personal interpretation, and share what those words mean to us personally. Beauty is in the eye of the beholder, and by taking a snapshot of our own perception of something we are also sharing the impact it had on us. 'Gone Away' is one of those songs that can hit you in the chest, and our interpretation may surprise some... but this is how we heard it," commented guitarist Zoltan Bathory.
The track is one of two new songs featured on A Decade of Destruction, Five Finger Death Punch's latest compilation release. The career-spanning collection also includes the new studio song "Trouble," which should help tide fans over as they await the successor to 2015's Got Your Six.
Furthering the military connection, Zoltan Bathory teamed up with Veterans Empowered to Protect African Wildlife (VETPAW) to help stifle elephant poaching. We caught up with the guitarist to discuss his involvement with the group and his passion for wildlife conservation which can be read here.
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