In 2011, Fit For A King emerged out of Texas with a searing signature style rooted in metal and hardcore and uplifted by hypnotic hooks. Following the breakout LP Creation/Destruction [2013], they earned four consecutive Top 5 debuts on both the Billboard Top Christian Albums Chart and the Top Hard Rock Albums Chart with Slave to Nothing [2014], Deathgrip [2016], Dark Skies [2018], and The Path [2020]. The latter marked their first #1 on the Top Christian Albums Chart and Top 10 on the Billboard Top Album Sales Chart. Plus, the band collaborated with fellow heavy-hitters such as August Burns Red and We Came As Romans. They’ve generated nearly 312 million streams.
The band returned in 2022 with their latest release “The Hell We Create”, out now via Solid State Records. Vocalist Ryan Kirby goes back in time at the band’s back catalogue and shares with us his favorite tracks from each release including the latest album.
Album: Descendants (2011)
Song: Ancient Waters
From Descendants, my favourite song is Ancient Waters because that’s the song that got us signed. It was the music video that we did as a local band that got to a million views, and that’s when labels started paying attention.
Album: Creation/Destruction (2013)
Song: Hollow King (Sound of the End)
On Creation/Destruction my favourite song is Hollow King (Sound of the End) because I just have vivid memories of writing that with our guitarist Bob, and such vivid memories of recording it in the studio. I still really like that chorus too.
Album: Slave to Nothing (2014)
Song: Slave to Nothing
I’d say my favourite song on Slave to Nothing is the title track Slave to Nothing because that one’s just really fun live. There’s some funny memories from Warped Tour for this song, one day in Florida someone put a trash can over their body and somebody drop-kicked them in the trash can during that song. Then there’s another one where Tuck spun his bass and the strap broke, and it blew and hit a security guard. That song just has weird memories with it, but they’re funny!
Album: Deathgrip (2016)
Song: Deathgrip
For Deathgrip, my favourite song is Deathgrip. That song’s interesting because it started off where we were trying to write a Paris-influenced song, after playing there a few days after the Bataclan attack. And then I just went: “Well, what if we scream the chorus and sing the verses?”. We wrote it – and it worked! It wasn’t even a single because we were nervous about how people would receive it, but it ended up being the biggest song on the record without being a single.
Album: Dark Skies (2018)
Song: When Everything Means Nothing & Youth | Division
On Dark Skies, I think my favourite song has to be When Everything Means Nothing or Youth | Division because of that key change. I like When Everything Means Nothing because I think that’s a special song, and it means a lot to our fans, and it means a lot to us. I think it’s one of the most unique and most genuinely Fit For A King-sound songs ever, where it just has a sound of its own.
Album: The Path (2020)
Song: Prophet
A favourite on The Path would have to be Prophet, I think that’s a cool song and I just really like that vibe. It reminds me of Bring Me The Horizon from There Is a Hell Believe Me I ‘ve Seen It. There Is a Heaven Let’s Keep It a Secret. I liked that record, even though I know they got some hate for that one. But I think Bring Me’s just written cool music for their whole career.
Album: The Hell We Create (2022)
Song: What You Left Behind
For the latest record, I would say What You Left Behind is my favourite. I think that one could do what Deathgrip did, where it’s not a single but it might end up being one of the biggest songs on the record.
