Five Finger Death Punch’s Ivan Moody Reveals He Died for Several Minutes From Alcohol Withdrawal
Five Finger Death Punch guitarist Zoltan Bathory has already shared that their upcoming new album Afterlife was inspired by actual near-death experiences some of the band members have had, and now Ivan Moody has revealed that he once died for several minutes from alcohol withdrawal.
Moody, who's now been sober for over four years, has been open about his struggles with alcoholism in the past. Back in January when the band released a video for the song "The Tragic Truth," the vocalist shared that a near-death experience years ago is what led to his sobriety. Now, he's gone into a bit more detail about what happened in a new interview with Metal Hammer.
“I died," he said. "I’d been on a bender for about two years, and I’d gone four days without drinking in an entire year! Which is ridiculous. So, for four days I locked myself inside the house, and the fourth day my daughter came over and I went to hand her a glass of water, and that’s all I remember.”
“If you quit drinking without the right medications and whatever else, you will die,” the frontman continued. "That’s what happened. I was dead for about three-and-a-half minutes, and I became part of something while I was there. I say ‘there,' because I was not in this shell. And for the first time in my existence, I felt peace.”
Alcohol is one of the most dangerous substances to attempt to withdraw from in addition to Benzodiazepines, and quitting cold turkey can lead to serious symptoms such as hallucinations, seizures, delirium tremens and even death [via Healthline] because of the effect its depressant properties have on the central nervous system. Staying hydrated, maintaining a proper electrolyte balance and taking certain medications can help mediate the severity of the symptoms and ween an individual off alcohol safely.
Several high-profile musicians have detailed their experiences with dying and coming back to life, but Moody described his as "a blue haze… it was very quiet and peaceful, and I remember not worrying about anything. I didn’t have an unidirectional view. It was wide, and I could see and feel everything. There was no matter involved, I was pure energy, and I saw this incredibly blue light. It was the afterlife and I was on the edge.”
However, his daughter's crying voice woke him up, and he had a defibrillator on his chest.
"Her voice pulled me back and that was the wake-up call for me," the singer recalled.
Fortunately, Moody has been doing well since then. In 2021, he revealed his desire to turn two homes in Las Vegas and Colorado into recovery centers. He is currently preparing to head out on the road next month with Megadeth, The Hu and Fire From the Gods (get tickets here). Afterlife will be out Aug. 19, and can be pre-ordered at this location.
If you or someone you know if struggling with drug and/or alcohol dependence, help is available through the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration website. To speak to someone on the phone, dial 1-800-622-HELP (1-800-622-4357) or send a text message to 1-800-487-4889.