Icon For Hire has released three full length albums: Scripted, Icon For Hire and YOU CAN'T KILL US.
Released in 2011, their first album Scripted shattered first-week sales becoming the highest new artist debut in Tooth & Nail Records history. The record debuted on the Billboard Top 200, at No. 4, on the iTunes Rock chart, and No. 19 on the iTunes overall albums chart.
Icon For Hire released their second full length self-titled album Icon For Hire in October 2013 on the Tooth and Nail label. Producer Mike Green (All Time Low, The Wanted, Pierce The Veil) was at the mixer to follow up their debut album, Scripted.
After spending a remarkable 18 months touring around the world, the group returned to their hometown of Decatur, IL to write their new record. Icon For Hire is set to push the boundaries of music and fashion far beyond their debut. According to the guitarist, Shawn Jump, “We wrote and dreamed about this record away from everything. We needed a safe place where we could all get to “spirit,” and maximize our different influences.” Added drummer, Adam Kronshagen, “There’s been undeniable friction in the songwriting process. We love knowing that you will definitely hear the element of conflict inside of every song we wrote.
The band's video, “Off With Her Head,” received 200k views its first week. Frontwoman and fashion designer, Ariel, worked with the team for weeks to create an avant-garde interpretation of the hit song. The group spent two days in Compton, CA (South Los Angeles) filming the video with a variety of the hottest underground artists.
Icon For Hire moved towards a new chapter of the band in 2016. Adam Kronshagen left the band to spend more time with his family coupled with a split with their record label Tooth & Nail the band decided to go it alone, or so it seemed. The band put together a plan for a kick starter project backed by their own fans. The kick starter reached its target in a matter of days. The album YOU CAN'T KILL US was released in stages throughout the year to those who have backed the kick starter project and there were physical copies on sale in December 2016 when it was completed.
On October 23, 2018, the band uploaded a video to their YouTube channel titled "Supposed To Be Acoustic Sessions Video Teaser", announcing their first video session to come soon, as well as that the Still Can't Kill Us: The Acoustic Sessions album would be released on December 7. The band released their "Supposed to Be" Acoustic Video on October 26, their "Get Well II" Acoustic Video on November 8, and "Demons" Acoustic Video on November 23. The tracks were also uploaded to Spotify as singles. A new album The Reckoning was released in September 2022.
Ariel Bloomer - Vocals,
Shawn Jump - Guitar,
Adam Kronshagen - Drums,
Josh Kincheloe - Bass.
Only a Memory
Icon for Hire Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
And dream a different ending
That when I wake, I won't be so exhausted
And I will stop with my pretending
That I'm fine, I'm fine if I can fool myself tonight
And my lie will drown out all of yours
I will not bend until I break,
Just not enough to silence me, you're only a memory
I'll scream these words 'til they come true
Then I will think no more of You
Look back on what I'm going through, this isn't my identity
You will bleed for what your hands have done
You can't outrun your ending
And I'll get well long before you let yourself
I may forgive you, but you never will
I will not bend until I break,
How much can one bruised body take?
Just not enough to silence me, you're only a memory
I'll scream these words 'til they come true,
Then I will think no more of You
Look back on what I'm going through, this isn't my identity
And I told you, I told you, you had no right
How damaged you must be
Watch you panic, it's tragic, you'll carry this for life
You have my sympathy I will not bend until I break,
How much can one bruised body take?
Just not enough to silence me, you're only a memory
I'll scream these words 'til they come true,
Then I will think no more of You
Look back on what I'm going through, this isn't my identity
You're only a memory this isn't my identity
You're only a memory
This isn't my identity (I will not bend)
You're only a memory (I will not break)
This isn't my identity (I will not bend)
You're only a memory (I will not break)
This isn't my identity (I will not bend)
You're only a memory (I will not break)
This isn't my identity (I will not bend)
You're only a memory (I will not break)
This isn't my identity (I will not bend)
You're only a memory (I will not break)
This isn't my identity
The Icon for Hire's song "Only a Memory" is a powerful and defiant song that speaks about overcoming the pain and hurt caused by someone and not allowing it to define one's true identity. The song opens with the singer imagining a different ending to the hurtful situation - a dream where they can stop pretending and be free from exhaustion. The line "And my lie will drown out all of yours" suggests that the singer is tired of pretending that everything is okay, and they will no longer play along with the lies and pretenses of the person who hurt them.
The chorus "I will not bend until I break, How much can one bruised body take?" further emphasizes the singer's determination not to let the hurt and pain break them. Instead, they will scream and let out their emotions until they can believe in their own words, "Just not enough to silence me, you're only a memory." The lines "Look back on what I'm going through, this isn't my identity" reinforce the idea that the singer will overcome the hurt and define their own identity, which is not tied to the hurtful situation.
The song ends with a repetition of the singer's determination to not break but rather to rise above the situation that someone has caused. The singer emphasizes that the person who hurt them cannot outrun their deeds and will carry the burden of their actions for life. The last lines "This isn't my identity, you're only a memory" are a powerful statement that the person who hurt the singer does not define their identity, and they will not allow the hurtful situation to hold them back from who they truly are.
Line by Line Meaning
I can't help but close my eyes for life
I feel so defeated that I want to shut my eyes and never open them again
And dream a different ending
I wish I could rewrite the past and make things turn out differently
That when I wake, I won't be so exhausted
I hope that when I wake up, I won't feel as emotionally drained as I do now
And I will stop with my pretending
I want to stop pretending that everything is okay when it's really not
That I'm fine, I'm fine if I can fool myself tonight
I'm telling myself that I'm fine even though deep down, I know I'm not
And my lie will drown out all of yours
I'm lying to myself to drown out the lies that others have told me
I will not bend until I break,
I refuse to give up or back down until I am broken beyond repair
How much can one bruised body take?
I'm wondering how much more pain and suffering I can endure before I collapse
Just not enough to silence me, you're only a memory
You may have hurt me, but I won't let you bring me down or stop me from moving on
I'll scream these words 'til they come true
I will keep fighting and speaking out until my dreams and goals are achieved
Then I will think no more of You
I will eventually forget about you and your actions
Look back on what I'm going through, this isn't my identity
The pain and struggles I'm facing do not define me or my worth
You will bleed for what your hands have done
You will eventually face the consequences of your actions and the harm you have caused
You can't outrun your ending
You can't escape the consequences and outcomes of your choices and actions
And I'll get well long before you let yourself
I will heal and recover from the trauma you caused long before you ever acknowledge your wrongdoings
I may forgive you, but you never will
I may choose to forgive you, but you may never learn to forgive yourself
And I told you, I told you, you had no right
I warned you that your actions were not justified and were wrong
How damaged you must be
Your actions and behavior have made me question how much pain and damage you must be carrying within yourself
Watch you panic, it's tragic, you'll carry this for life
I see you panicking and struggling with the consequences of your actions, but you will have to live with them for the rest of your life
You have my sympathy
I feel sorry for you, but that doesn't excuse the harm you have caused
This isn't my identity
I refuse to let my struggles and pain define who I am as a person
You're only a memory
You may have been a part of my past, but you have no control over my present or future
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Written by: BRYAN MICHAEL PAUL COX, JOHNTA AUSTIN, KENDRICK DEAN
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind