Review Summary: Shattering Breakdowns That Will Make You Climb The Tower Of Pain.
A metal album with lyrics as good as its instrumentation seems so hard to find most of the time, However, thanks to American metalcore band, Fit For A King, every metal fan can deem their search for such an album finished. Back in 2018, Fit For A King released their fith album “Dark Skies''. This is a metalcore album that is perfect for anyone dealing with their own mental struggles and craves for an album with both screams, clean vocals, and breakdowns. With brutally honest lyrics, beautiful choruses, and skull-crushing breakdowns, this album may be the modern metal fan’s dream.
“Dark Skies” begins with a calm note on its first track, “Engraved” with a clean guitar filled intro. Then, the track begins to build up, leading the listener into a scream, distorted guitars, bass, and drums, causing the listener to want to headbang until the track’s chorus. After this track, “Price of Agony” plays next, which is similar sound-wise to “Engraved”. However, this track also includes the first of many breakdowns on the album. The next two heavy tracks that follow are entitled “Backbreaker” and “Anthem of the Defeated”. “Backbreaker” is repetitive, but also shocks the listener with a 30 second scream to end off the track. “Anthem of the Defeated” is just as heavy as “Backbreaker”, but includes spoken-word vocals and more lead guitar work. After these two tracks, two more tracks entitled “”When Everything Means Nothing” and “Youth | Division” brings the listener back to hearing clean vocals again before the next heavy track “Shattered Glass” plays, reminding the listener of just how heavy Fit For A King can get by shoving two skull-shattering breakdowns into his or her ears. After all of this, the listener is brought to a track called “Tower of Pain”, which brings a return to choruses with clean vocals. This song then leads the listener to the album’s softest track, “Debts of the Soul”, which is an interlude track that leads right into the final track, “Oblivion”. “Oblivion” ends the album with not only blast beats, but also clean vocals that may leave the listener teary-eyed once the album has reached its end.
There is no denying that “Dark Skies” is unforgettable. This album is great for listeners who are just getting into modern metal and want an album to get started on. “Dark Skies” is it is an album worth every metal fan’s time, and they should not wait any longer to hear an album that is sure to bless their ears with shattering breakdowns that will help them climb their tower of pain.
