Album Review :
Fit For A King - Deathgrip

The taste in metalcore sub-genre varies, but certain bands appeal to a wider crowd. Fit For A King is certainly one of those bands. The band returned with their new album Deathgrip this year and demolished the metalcore genre. This album could technically qualify as deathcore.

The track “The End’s Beginning” starts off the album, but then leads into the track “Pissed Off”. “Pissed Off” was the first single of the album, and it is just that. Pissed. The lyrical themes speak about a time the band was supposed to play a certain show. In Paris. With Eagles of Death Metal. I don’t think I need to go into that further. The band wrote this song after this event. Near the end of the track, Vocalist Ryan Kirby ends the track with guttural vocals and a breakdown.

“Dead Memory” features August Burns Red Vocalist Jake Luhrs. The album has a kind of black metal sound to start off and then switching to a Melodic metalcore style. There is digital programming on the track which does wonders for the breakdown. This album is different because, I believe this was the first time Kirby started singing. Bassist Ryan “Tuck” O’Leary typically takes care of the cleans. The song layers Kirby’s and Luhrs’ Vocals, blowing the song out of proportion.

“Cold Room” is a melodic song to say the least. It sounds like bands such as Blessthefall or Close Your Eyes. There isn’t a whole lot to say about this track. “Disease” exhibits more of Kirby’s hardcore vocals rather than his metalcore/deathcore style. He even throws in a high vocal, some lower vocals and some spoken word. The drums and guitars definitely give a deathcore feel to the song.

“Shadows & Echoes” sounds like August Burns Red for sure. Very melodic with JB Brubaker-like guitar playing on Guitarist Bobby Lynge’s end. The drums sound pretty similar to Matt Greiner’s style. The only difference is that ABR doesn’t have clean vocals, unlike Fit For A King, who pull them off very well.

“More Than Nameless” is a heavy song which is where I understand why they got the label of “Beatdown Hardcore” for sure. The only thing is there isn’t much singing on this song, but they could’ve done without on this track all together. “We Are All Lost” has very melodic guitar playing and brutal screaming until about 30-45 seconds in when the cleans come in. Melodic metalcore suits this album. The band seems to have shifted into a Demon Hunter style of doing things, some melodic songs, songs with screaming and singing, and “barn burners”.

“Unclaimed, Unloved” is a pretty sad sounding song with the emotion of helplessness. Needless to say, if they made’ a music video for the song, it would probably be with homeless people, (August Burns Red’s “Ghosts” for instance). “Stacking Bodies” features Miss May I Vocalist Levi Benton. The vocals, suffice to say, are amazing. The song definitely qualifies as a “barn burner”. “Deathgrip” is the final track on the album, and it is the perfect song to end the album. It is a perfect mixture of melodic metalcore and beatdown and at times emocore. ‘In a life of choice, I choice to deny! Through all of my sins I chose to die!’ The breakdown in the song is the perfect mix between heavy and emotional, hence my use of the word emocore. Melodic beatmetalemocore. Perfect name for it!

Overall, it’s a slamming record. If you are into heavy and melodic music, go buy this thing. Amazing music!

For Those Who Like: August Burns Red, Blessthefall, A Day to Remember, Miss May I