On Friday, May 1st, Minnesota metalheads rushed in anticipation to The Fillmore in Minneapolis to see an onslaught of metalcore. Fit For a King’s stop in Minnesota is their first stop on their 2026 tour.
The night started with strong support from Ten 56. Hailing from Paris, this French band brought the heaviest set of the night. Frontman, Aaron Matts, knew exactly how to hype a crowd- commanding them to jump, start a circle pit, or make a wall of death.
Next up was Invent Animate. I haven’t seen this band perform live since 2017, and wow, did they get even better! They opened with “Absence Persistent,” “Shade Astray,” and “False Meridian.” Lead singer Marcus Vick was the most active member on stage. He paced back and forth, singing and screaming with ease. Fans crowd-surfed consistently throughout the entire set. The highlight was hearing the band play a live debut of their new song, “Fall Like Rain.” Killer song. Check it out here. They closed their set with “Without a Whisper” and “Immolation of Night.”
Our headliner, Fit For a King, finally took to the stage at 9:30. This Texas metalcore group always brings Texas-sized metal. Their setlist relied heavily on their latest album, playing eight of its twelve songs. They opened with “Begin the Sacrifice,” “Shattered Glass,” and “Exinction.” The band did a good job blending beautiful melodic songs like “Between Us” and “Shelter” and fast, heavy ones like “Price of Agony” and “God of Fire.” It was chaotic. The music was so heavy that the crowd often had multiple circle pits going simultaneously. O’Leary often spins wildly with his bass or does impressive jumps from the risers.
As a long-time fan of the band, I was a little disappointed they didn’t play anything from their early albums, but it was a solid set, and I was very happy. They played one of my favorites, “Backbreaker,” which included Kirby’s half-minute scream at the end of the song. They closed their set with “Breaking the Mirror,” “Technium,” and “Lonely God.” That wasn’t enough for the Minnesota crowd, so the band came back out for an encore to play “When Everything Means Nothing” and “Witness the End.”
In a constantly evolving musical landscape, the Lonely God Tour is a testament to the genre’s relevance and ability to captivate audiences. Whether you’re a longtime fan or a newcomer, Fit For a King leaves a lasting impression and great memories. This was the first night of the tour, so try to catch these amazing bands in a city near you!
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