Fit For Rivals – Awesome Female Fronted Alternative Band

More and more female fronted bands in all sorts of genres are popping up these days, and I have to say that I really, really love the movement. I personally love a good female fronted alternative band. Not only is the visual aspect and general image of the band different, but I think a female voice can add something really unique to a more alternative type of sound, and for a while it was incredibly difficult to find them. Such is not the case anymore, and I’m loving it.

Some History

Fit For Rivals formed in 2008 in Jacksonville, Florida.

Things came together when singer Renee Phoenix met Thomas Amason while looking for a new guitarist for her then-band The Explicits. They ended up deciding to start up a whole new project, and thus Fit For Rivals was born. They have somewhat recently signed with Big 3 Records.

They released their debut full length Steady Damage in 2009. They released an EP entitled Sugar on July 17, 2015.

For a band that has been around for so long, they haven’t released much music. It is unusual, but I’m sure they have their reasons. And it’s okay, because the music that they do have, is seriously awesome.

Super Fun and High Energy Sound

Their sound really can’t be easily defined as one single thing. On their Facebook page, the band themselves describe their music as ” Rock. Yeah, just Rock. We don’t need to bring flow charts into the equation to figure out a sub-genre.”

And this is exactly what they sound like. I do think they are more on the alternative side of rock, but their sound is fairly simple all the same.

The music itself is very, very catchy. These musicians can really play. The sound is clear, it’s concise and it’s pretty polished for a band that hasn’t even made much music to date. It’s honestly overflowing with energy and brings out the 15 year old headbanging, moshing, Warped Tour going teenager in me.

The vocals really stand out here though. The singer’s voice is incredibly unique. It’s not quite as high pitched as many other girls voices, and it really works for her. I think what makes it really different though, is the rasp she has going on. It has a very old school punk vibe going on and while not necessarily the match you would expect for more of a rock band, I really like it. It gives the music more of a rough tone, as opposed to the soft, sweet, flowy sound a lot of female singers give to music.

A lot of years passed between their debut album and their more recent EP. This has not left anything tainted. You can tell a difference between the two – they did evolve a little bit and it’s not the exact same thing, but it’s not really that different either. it’s just as catchy, it has just as much energy, it still makes me want to headbang all the way into tomorrow, and if anything Renee Pheonix’s voice has only gotten better.

Empowering Lyrics

Not that this group needed yet another reason to be awesome, but their lyrics really are something else as well. Their songs are filled with powerful, tough-love kinds of sentiments. I can feel a lot of determination in the words and it’s something that both men and women could relate too. It’s not all sappy love songs or who-needs-your-ex-anymore types. It’s more than that and they’re not for the light of heart. They use profanities very, very sparingly which I honestly really appreciate. It means that when they do use certain words – they really pack a punch. They do their job and get the point across well.

The lyrics ultimately give off some pretty strong ”don’t mess with me” vibes, and I think it’s awesome.

Conclusion

Ultimately, Fit For Rivals is just a good, old fashioned rock and roll band, while being an excellent representation of female fronted bands at the same time. Her voice certainly won’t please everyone, but I think that is a price you pay when you have something really different and unique. It’s not going to suit everyone’s tastes, but the ones who do like it, will love it. 

If this is a sound you’re able to get into, I promise you will like these guys. They really do have something special going on and I can’t wait for more music!

Tell me what you think of these guys, I’d love to hear your thoughts!

Want to Listen?

My personal favourite album, “Steady Damage” is available on Amazon: ;