Holy Water & Heavy Healing: The Funeral Portrait’s Lee Jennings on Ivan Moody, Redemption, and Rock’s Role in Recovery
The Funeral Portrait are turning heads in the rock world with their emotionally explosive single “Holy Water” — a powerful anthem born from pain, survival, and an unlikely collaboration with Ivan Moody of Five Finger Death Punch. But behind the theatrical visuals and epic sound lies a deeply personal story that frontman Lee Jennings is ready to share.
In a recent chat with Loudwire Nights, Jennings opened up about the origin of “Holy Water” and how Ivan Moody’s involvement was not just musical — it was spiritual. Jennings, who has been candid about his mental health struggles, described the song as a personal exorcism of sorts, written during a time when he was spiraling in depression and experiencing intense ideation.
“Ivan reached out to me after I had made a pretty dark post online,” said Jennings. “He didn’t hesitate — just messaged me and told me he was there. That moment changed everything.”
That check-in turned into a friendship, and eventually, a collaboration. Moody not only co-wrote “Holy Water” with Jennings, he appeared on the track and even starred in the music video. The visuals reflect the torment behind the lyrics — Jennings is literally dragged through the mud and rain, then saved by Moody, playing a symbolic figure of redemption.
“It’s based on a true story,” Jennings revealed. “I was at my lowest, and Ivan showed up. The scenes you see — being pulled out of the rain, the baptism, the revival — that was all real for me. The water became a metaphor for healing.”
The track is a sonic departure from The Funeral Portrait’s previous releases, leaning into a more mainstream metal sound while still embracing their theatrical identity. Think emo-Queen-meets-metalcore-gospel, and you’re getting close.
For Jennings, this isn’t just a new direction for the band — it’s a new chapter in life.
“I didn’t expect to be here,” he admitted. “There were nights where I didn’t think I’d see the next day. But music saved me, and people like Ivan reminded me that we’re never really alone, even when we think we are.”
Jennings hopes “Holy Water” can be that same lifeline for fans who are struggling. “I want people to hear this and feel understood. To feel seen. And maybe, just maybe, to stay alive.”
As the band gears up for more releases and live shows, The Funeral Portrait are doubling down on what they do best — blurring the lines between performance and confession, theater and therapy.
“There’s always someone listening,” Jennings added. “Sometimes, that’s all it takes.”
