Fit For A King is one of the most consistent and innovative bands in the metalcore genre and just seems to get better as time goes by. This quartet from Texas holds strong spiritual beliefs and their Christian values come through their hardcore music style. They send out a strong message about society, the world and the constant battle between good and evil in the world through their beliefs. For Fit For A King, their message is just as important as creating the brilliant music that goes along with it. Fit For A King consists of Ryan Kirby – vocals, Bobby Lynge – guitar, Jared Easterling – drums, and Ryan ‘Tuck’ O’Leary – bass/vocals.

Honourable mentions: ‘Cold Room’, ‘Hooked’, ‘Forever Unbroken’, ‘Shadows and Echoes’.

5. Hollow King (The Sound of the End)

This is one of the band’s earliest singles found on their album, Creation/Destruction and, although it has a different sound from their new material, it still has those distinctive qualities that FFAK is known for. The song utilises hardcore stop-start breakdowns that further emphasise the song’s heavy message with the heaviness just increasing with every moment. Kirby screams, ‘You’ve got blood on your hands’ to begin this fantastic riff-laden song and it just goes up a notch with some deep and powerful screaming that will blow your mind. Some of the best lyrics include ‘You’ve turned away and the guilt is flowing through your veins. Now they’re left for dead and you can’t replace the hole that you’ve made. Burned by deceit. Your hollow king will meet his end.’

4. Slave To Nothing

This is definitely one of Fit For A King’s best songs, based on the belligerent guitar riff that opens it up and the crushing breakdowns that predominate it. The band uses this number to expose the devil’s lies and proclaim that they are not a slave to sin anymore. The ultimate proclamation of faith and trust lies in the brutal bridge where Kirby directs his anger: ‘Hell awaits the king of lies. The perverse will fall, the beast will burn alive. King of lies, I hope you rot.’ This is a loud and hard-hitting track and definitely one of the band’s best live songs.

3. Pissed Off

This is one of the band’s most personal tracks, which looks at the devastating nature of terrorism. This song was specifically written after the 2015 Paris attack when terrorists    claimed the lives of rock concertgoers during a show. The lyrics, ‘We live and die in a hopeless world / Laying waste to the innocent with no regret, I’m sick of it,’ showcases the band’s anger and frustration. This number is definitely one of the band’s heaviest and Kirby really  shines here as a diverse vocalist, hitting some insanely high and low screams that seem to go on for an eternity – goosebump stuff. The seriousness and message of this song, combined with fantastic guitar work and riffs elevate it to the top 5.

2. Dead Memory

If there is one thing that you remember from this track, it would be Easterling’s impeccable and rocket-speed drumming from the first second, onwards. The drum intro and Kirby’s elongated scream sets the tone for the rest of the song that focuses on bad relationships and how people leave each other without compassion and stab someone in the back. The repeated incidents hence create a dead memory   where ties are cut. What really makes this song good is its variation of different parts and each band member’s contribution in this song just makes it stronger. Jake Luhrs, the lead vocalist of August Burns Red, also has a guest appearance on this track as he screams the second verse. The dual vocals from Kirby and Luhrs work perfectly in adding extra depth to the song. O’Leary’s clean vocals and lyrics are also on point and the words, ‘Your touch, poisonous / You’re nothing to me / Would you even notice if my world was falling apart? / Would you even care if my heart stopped beating?’ summarise the nature of this song’s lyrical content.

1. Deathgrip

The title track from the band’s self-titled album is a continuation of the themes from the entire album that focus on the inescapable nature of death and the grip it has on our lives. The song is a true masterpiece and the music suits the song’s truly gripping nature perfectly. This track asks the listener to think about his life, its direction and how missed chances and opportunities lead to downfall and dark places. The guitar work on this song is near perfect with Lynge’s chugging riff in the beginning and haunting clean notes in the verses setting the scene for the pumping chorus. The lyrics, ‘the end is calling, the end is here,’ followed by ‘you’re in a deathgrip, you are at the world’s end. I will be last one standing,’ in the chorus really works like a charm. The bridge is also one of my favourite parts where O’Leary’s clean vocals and Kirby’s scream intertwine perfectly. ‘Please God, let this end painlessly. My memories are like a noose around my neck, I can never let go of all the regrets,’ followed by Kirby’s deep growl of ‘Deathgrip’ end this song off in the harshest way possible with a game-changing breakdown.