The idea for Wretches and Kings began in late 2016 but due to the work and touring schedules of both bands involved in the project, it was always just an idea. Friends Ryan Hayes and Marcus Barkac would frequently meet at a local brewery to talk life, music, and everything in between. The idea to form a Linkin Park cover band focusing on their first two records came about. At the time, Linkin Park was still heavily active but had 6 (now 7) studio albums that a live show would cover. Ryan and Marcus discussed how many people connected with the early work of Linkin Park and how fun it would be to play those early 2 records.When deciding the lineup, they liked the idea of having six members to best mirror what Linkin Park does. Ryan and Marcus invited Justin Olmstead (Righteous Vendetta) on guitar, Jake Goldberg (Alder Lights) on keys/programming, Kaleb Barkac (Alder Lights) on bass, and Bart Barkac (Strangeways, Kicking Karma) on drums. The name, Wretches And Kings, comes from track 10 off Linkin Park's fourth studio record, A Thousand Suns. The idea sat dormant for nearly 18 months.

With the passing of Chester Bennington in July 2017, a new passion for the project began to stir. The songs written by Chester, Mike, Brad, Phoenix, Rob, and Joe have impacted millions around the world. Wretches And Kings is a celebration of that. It's a project made for fans, by fans.