Japanese rock band ONE OK ROCK delivers a hit with “I Was King,” arguably the strongest single from their latest album, ‘Ambitions.’
ONE OK ROCK looks to make a bigger splash stateside. Who is ONE OK ROCK? A Japanese rock band, known for their punk-oriented style. The latest album, Ambitions, marks their debut for alt-label, Fueled by Ramen. Ahead of Ambitions, ONE OK ROCK released three singles: “Taking Off,” “Bedroom Warfare,” and “I Was King.” “I Was King” is arguably the best pre-release single from Ambitions.
“I Was King” features an excellent introduction. Set in a minor key, dark strings are the selling point. The verse is contrasted with punchy sounding guitars. On the pre-chorus, the strings re-enter the picture.
“When am I, when am I / Gonna start living?”
Throughout the course of the song, the vocals are powerful. Taka showcases incredible assertiveness and gets a lift with excellent vocal production. “I Was King” features great echoing vocals throughout. This is typical of the style, but still a welcome feature.
The chorus is simple but infectious:
“When I was king / I was king / We had everything.”
The Bridge section is marvelous. It provides welcome contrast, characterized by being uplifting and filled with resolve:
“If I go down / I will go down fighting / I’ll go down / Down like lightning.”
Final Thoughts
“I Was King” is a fantastic single. Arguably, it is the best pre-release single from Ambitions.