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.
Warrior
Icon for Hire Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
This beat heart, but it's not over
Lost my voice and my composure
Cut wide open, I need closure
I hit the ground
It doesn′t phase me
'Cause I can see how strong it makes me
I lost it all to win this fight
I didn't know what it′d be like
To be victorious
Damn, it feels good to be a warrior
Remember who I used to be
I′ve come so far, still can't believe
It′s like euphoria
Damn, it feels good to be a warrior
What's left of me was all I needed
Take your shots, I can′t even feel them
Deep brеath now, two brand new lungs
I almost can't believе how powerful I′ve become
I hit the ground
It doesn't phase me
'Cause I can see how strong it makes me
And I gotta say
I lost it all to win this fight
I didn′t know what it′d be like
To be victorious
Damn, it feels good to be a warrior
Remember who I used to be
I've come so far, still can′t believe
It's like euphoria
Damn, it feels good to be a warrior
Damn, it feels good to be on top of the world
Spent too long at the bottom, it was all just a blur
I was waiting my turn ′til I ran out of patience
No one handed me my destiny, I just had to take it
Let myself forget myself, rewrite my whole identity
Do pretty much whatever my prefrontal cortex telling me
Now I'm rebuilding everything, hack into my chemistry
Party on the rooftop, now I run on solar energy
Damn, it feels good to be a warrior, to be a warrior
Damn it feels good to be a warrior, to be a warrior
(I lost it all)
I lost it all to win this fight
I didn′t know what it'd be like
To be victorious
Damn, it feels good to be a warrior
Remember who I used to be
I've come so far, still can′t believe
It′s like euphoria
Damn, it feels good to be a warrior
The lyrics to Icon for Hire's song Warrior depict the emotional journey of a person who has been through a lot of hardship in their life but has come out stronger as a result. The opening line "What's black and blue and bruised all over?" sets the scene of someone who has been beaten down physically and emotionally. The following lines "This beat heart, but it's not over, lost my voice and my composure, cut wide open, I need closure" indicate the pain that this person has suffered and their need for closure.
The chorus "I lost it all to win this fight, I didn't know what it'd be like, to be victorious, damn, it feels good to be a warrior" is a celebration of their victory over their struggles. The lyrics "Remember who I used to be, I've come so far, still can't believe, it's like euphoria, damn, it feels good to be a warrior" show that the person has not forgotten their past but has instead used it to fuel their determination to succeed.
The bridge of the song "Spent too long at the bottom, it was all just a blur, I was waiting my turn 'til I ran out of patience, no one handed me my destiny, I just had to take it" speaks to the perseverance of the person, who refused to give up even when things seemed hopeless. The final line "Damn, it feels good to be a warrior, to be a warrior" is a triumphant declaration of their strength and resilience.
Line by Line Meaning
What's black and blue and bruised all over?
Asking what is battered and hurt everywhere, which is the heart.
This beat heart, but it's not over
Despite being damaged, the heart is still alive.
Lost my voice and my composure
Feeling as though she has lost control over her own life.
Cut wide open, I need closure
Feeling vulnerable and in need of some resolution.
I hit the ground
Faced adversity head-on.
It doesn't phase me
The obstacles faced are not causing fear or hesitation.
'Cause I can see how strong it makes me
Acknowledging that overcoming these challenges is making her stronger.
And I gotta say
She feels the need to express how good this feels.
I lost it all to win this fight
She had to give up everything to achieve victory.
I didn't know what it'd be like
Aware of the unknown that comes with the process of winning.
To be victorious
Having achieved success.
Damn, it feels good to be a warrior
Overcoming obstacles and succeeding feels empowering.
Remember who I used to be
Reflecting on her past self.
I've come so far, still can't believe
Being amazed at her growth and progress.
It's like euphoria
The feeling of extreme happiness or joy.
What's left of me was all I needed
Only forging ahead with what remains is enough to succeed.
Take your shots, I can't even feel them
Being able to withstand criticism and negativity.
Deep breath now, two brand new lungs
Taking a moment to breathe and start fresh.
I almost can't believe how powerful I've become
Being surprised at her own strength and resilience.
Damn, it feels good to be on top of the world
Feeling victorious and invincible.
Spent too long at the bottom, it was all just a blur
Having struggled for so long, it all seemed like a hazy memory.
I was waiting my turn 'til I ran out of patience
Waiting for opportunity until getting tired of waiting and decided to take action.
No one handed me my destiny, I just had to take it
No one helped her succeed, she achieved it on her own.
Let myself forget myself, rewrite my whole identity
Forgiving herself and changing her inner identity to build a better future.
Do pretty much whatever my prefrontal cortex telling me
Using her logical thinking to make decisions.
Now I'm rebuilding everything, hack into my chemistry
Rebuilding her life and changing her brain to achieve success.
Party on the rooftop, now I run on solar energy
Enjoying life now and using positive energy to keep going.
(I lost it all) I lost it all to win this fight
Repeating the line to emphasize the sacrifices made to achieve greatness.
Remember who I used to be
Reflecting on the past and remembering how far she has come.
I've come so far, still can't believe
Being amazed at her growth and progress.
It's like euphoria
The feeling of extreme happiness or joy.
Damn, it feels good to be a warrior
Overcoming obstacles and succeeding feels empowering.
Writer(s): Shawn M. Jump, Amy V. A. Jump
Contributed by Josiah L. Suggest a correction in the comments below.