Fit For A King - Lonely God (Album Review)

Fit For A King - Lonely God
Released: August 1, 2025

Lineup

Ryan Kirby // Lead vocals
Bobby Lynge // Guitar & Backing vocals
Daniel Gailey // Guitar & Backing vocals
Ryan ‘Tuck’ O’Leary // Bass & Clean vocals
Trey Celaya // Drums

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Having continually captivated the world with their Texan charm and metalcore prowess since their inception in 2007, Fit For A King have managed to position themselves as front runners of the metalcore genre through their impeccable reputation of delivering a powerful blend of soaring hooks, crushing riffs and emotionally charged lyricism.

Now as the group enter the next season of their career as they prepare to release studio LP number eight, anticipation is at an all time high. Fans the world over eagerly await to see how the established act continue to evolve their signature sound while staying true to their heavy roots.

The album kicks off with thumping guitar riffs on album opener ‘Begin The Sacrifice’ which only last momentarily before a mild mannered Ryan ‘Tuck’ O’Leary begins softly singing. It isn’t long until we are brought to an almighty melodic chorus which introduces us to Ryan Kirby’s euphonious higher pitched singing as he vocalises the lyrics “I can feel it tearing at my skin / Waiting for the dark to take me in / So tell me your secrets / Give me a reason / To offer up my life”, at which point Kirby break out into his tradition unclean styled singing to unleash the lyrics “And begin the sacrifice”, which is a mighty powerful touch. The track continues to ebb and flow between the soft verses and melodic choruses, until a powerful breakdown unites their signature fusion of melodic hooks and bone-shaking heaviness.

Soft spoken singing takes us into ‘The Temple’, but soon we are hit with an explosion of sound, which is the auditory equivalent of splashing a range of bright coloured paint upon a blank canvas. Kirby displays his abilities by showcasing his lower than hell lows on top of the low tuned, layered guitars and Trey Celaya’s pummeling drum fills. In a fashion that is not too similar to the previous songs structure, this track fluctuates between melodious choruses and heavy verses, which maintains an invigorating listening experience. ‘Extinction’ introduces us to the album's heaviest track yet. Chugging guitars, Celaya’s bludgeoning drumming and emotionally charged Kirby combine to create a track which will surely live on to become a mosher's wet dream. With the unmissed absence of clean vocals and infectious melodies, you’ll be sure to find yourself spin kicking to this one upon your first listen.

Already released single ‘No Tomorrow’ reintroduces the earworm motifs, carried by O’Leary’s harmonious clean vocals, without allowing them to dominate the track. The interplay between heavy and soft elements is perfectly balanced, much like yin and yang, each complementing the other to create an engaging listening experience. This thoughtful combination is perfectly executed and ensures that fans of both the band’s heavier and more melodic styles will find something to enjoy, leading me to further reinforce my belief that this group ranks amongst the best in the world within this style of music. Offering a melodious song, without the clean vocals, ‘Sentient’ kicks off with a groovy guitar riff, which is soon complimented by Celaya’s drumming. Kirby returns to his unclean styled higher pitched singing while the instrumentals play in a manner which isn’t too over exerting. I can already vividly picture the chorus's lyrics of “It's all the same / Drowning in emptiness / I’ll learn to feel the pain and become sentient” being yelled by concertgoers the world over in packed music venues for years to come.

Much like the last track, ‘Monolith’ sees the band fully committing to an all-harsh vocal approach, especially with the inclusion of Lochie Keogh of Alpha Wolf, without the use of cleans. Tempo changes keep me on the edge of my seat while Celaya leaves me metaphorically picking my jaw up from the floor. I find that the ex Invent Animate drummers skills lead the charge of this song's sound, with the layered guitars complimenting Celaya’s every move. The two and fro between Kirby and his backing vocalists creates a contrast that is uniquely their own. With arguably the album's heaviest breakdown, featuring the lyrics “We sold our soul to the monolith”, Skipping this track should be considered a crime punishable by having your playlist deleted and replaced with elevator music.

While Kirby exerts his range and the instrumentalists lock in together like a well-oiled machine, ‘Lonely God’ genuinely caught me off guard. Despite being the album’s title track, it comes across as a fairly standard, ‘run of the mill’ metalcore offering. While it’s by no means a bad song, I was expecting the band to showcase a bit more flair and originality on such a pivotal offering.

The album's softest track, ‘Between Us’ is dripping with heartache. A story of lost love told amongst the mellow instrumentals. Lyrics such as “I want to drift away into nothing / I just want to feel this pain miles away/ We suffered through the coldest nights waiting for the last goodbye” sets the mood for the listener to grab the tissue box. A surprising inclusion to this album from the traditionally heavy band and can definitely be a mood killer, or a fan favourite, depending on individual tastes. Returning the album back into top gear ‘Blue Venom’ brings us back to the heavy sounds that initially led to us all falling in love with this act. The short track, which stands at under two minutes long, is balls to the wall heavy from start to finish. Pulsating instrumentals provide the platform for Kirby to shine in the limelight, he shows no sign of strain as he refrains from holding back and screams in a delightfully fast fashion which makes me wonder how he would perform this and breathe all at once.

Previously released track ‘Technium’ continues on the heavy note which the previous track left off on, however, this song offers a refreshing twist. The Plot In You’s Landon Tewers steps in to offer his talents as a guest vocalist, which sets up the opportunity for Australian fans to witness this collaboration live in action on the upcoming The Plot In You tour which Fit For A King is also playing. The track potentially flirts with deathcore territory with Kirby’s lows leaving me smirking with the universal ‘stank face’. Slowing things down one last time, ‘Shelter’ offers a radio friendly alternative rock feel, which makes me feel like I’m listening to a completely different band, which isn’t a bad thing at all. This offering platforms the bands versatility and proves that they are no one trick pony. However, I’d personally rather stick to the breakdowns.

The album's final track ‘Witness The End’ brings us back to the FFAK that we are used to with blast beats straight out of the gate, and high unclean vocals from Chris Motionless of Motionless In White, which is delightful to experience in this setting. Capitalising on their most favourable intertwining heavy and melodic song structures, this closing track could easily be a fan favourite, depending on personal taste.

With Lonely God, Fit For a King invites listeners to confront their struggles head-on, offering both catharsis and hope through an album that showcases the band’s growth and uncompromising energy. This album offers the day one fans familiar styles which would never get old, while also experimenting with new dynamics, as seen in ‘Between Us’ and ‘Shelter’.

The result is a record that feels both comfortingly classic and refreshingly bold, cementing Fit For a King’s place at the forefront of modern metalcore.

Rating: 8.5/10
‍Lonely God is out August 1st via Solid State Records. Pre-Order here
Review by Adam Rice @riceyadam