Icon For Hire - Scripted

Artist: Icon For Hire

Album: Scripted

Release Date: 8/23/2011

Genre: Alternative Rock/Punk/Nu Metal/Christian Rock

Recommended for those who like: Flyleaf, Skillet

 

It’s been a very long time since I’ve posted!  I apologize for that.  It actually has a lot to do with this album; I’ve had a very difficult time reviewing it due to a lot of the content being good for therapy, but also triggering.  Thus, I’ve been at a stalemate with myself trying to decide how to ultimately review these songs.  Also, I wanted to skip some of the songs that wouldn’t have therapeutic value, but as I went through them, I realized they all have something in them so I couldn’t do that.  In the end, I’ve decided to just do my best to outline triggering elements and still identify if there are still positive and therapeutic elements.  You can take it from there!

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When in my groups, I had Flyleaf and Skillet as frequent fliers on the iHome.  When I started listening through Icon For Hire’s debut album, I noticed that music style was quite similar to both bands, and wished it was out sooner!  There’s a lot of lyrical content dealing with depression, which I think makes the music much more real and relatable to those who are struggling with depression or depressive symptoms.  The only issues I can foresee would be triggering words and themes in the songs (mostly for individuals who self-injure), which I will outline below.

[The format:

A. Is the general tone of the song positive or negative?

B. Are there obvious triggering words/themes in the song? 

C. Mention of violence/drugs/sexual content?  Language not acceptable at some facilities?

D. Religions or politics in song?

E. Are there any positive/possible therapeutic themes in the song?]

1. Overture – Instrumental track!

2. Theatre

A. positive

B. “burn this theater down”

C. see above, and there’s a bit more imagery having to do with fire in the song

D. “pray to the God for the strength to help me face the crowd”

E. Great for therapy!  This is a great song which could spawn discussions about identity/being yourself, how to deal with a need to perform for others/please others, etc.  Here are a few lines in the song: “I'm getting pretty good at feeding them the lines they like/ But I don't recognize the girl I face each night/ I can compromise till I'm convinced
It's right”, “I wanna live like I lost the script & scream every line like "this is it!"”

3. Make a Move

A. negative

B. “I hold the trigger”, “playing with fire”

C. see above

D. Definitely a commentary on society, seems to be from a religious viewpoint as this band is a Christian band!  It’s not specific, however, so I do believe people of different worldviews could relate to this song in different ways

E. While this is mostly a commentary on society, I do think a lot of people who have felt hurt by society would relate to this song, with words such as “'Cause everybody's so scared/ We don't wanna go there/ We don't wanna make a move/ We got got all our lives to lose/ Screaming in the dark while we just play our part/ I'll play right along/ Like I don't know what's going on”.  It could be relatable depending on the client, and I do believe it could work for lyric analysis.

4. Get Well

A. negative

B. “I quit it with the suicidal recital”, “battle scars”

C. “hurts like hell”

D. none

E. I’ve read before (can’t find a link – sorry!) that this song is about the singer’s own struggle with depression.  In light of this, I think this would be a good song for discussion, with words like “I meant it when I said ‘I wanna get well, I wanna get well’”.  However, I read through the song, and much of it seems to be a commentary on others, so I’m a bit confused by it!  At any rate, I would also keep in mind that there are definitely triggering lines/words in this song (see B), so it may not be appropriate depending on your group.

5. The Grey

A. positive (but sad)

B. “It burns for a moment but then it numbs you”

C. none

D. nothing obvious

E. Well, although some of the lyrics in the first verse bother me on a poetic level (they just don’t seem to fit in the song), I think this song would be great for therapy, with the end of the song repeating “In your deepest pain/ In your weakest hour/ In you darkest night/ You are lovely”.  I really think this song deals strongly with depression and emotional distress, which many clients in a mental health setting can relate to.

6. Off With Her Head

A. negative

B. “my skin is choking me”, “death is mine I know”, “the penalty of all my deeds despite my pleas is death”

C. none

D. This song has definite religious elements, with lines such as “Save your own ’cause I don't wanna be this, I don't wanna be this/ Death is mine I know/ Don't let go, don't let go, savior”, “Your way to life has only showed me what a fool I am/ It serves the purpose of confirming I remain condemned/ And I will ever linger on the edge/ Unless you hear me”

E. I’m torn on this song.  There are some good elements that could be very relatable and bring out emotion for some clients, particularly those with Christian beliefs.  On the other hand, it could be very triggering for others.

7. Fight

A. positive

B. “Standing on the edge, am I better off dead?”

C. none

D. none

E. There are some very positive lines in this song, such as “I don’t know how I got here, but I refuse to stay”, “The sound of my heart pounding tells me there’s still hope”, “How could I forget that I’m better than this/ I’ve come too far to fade tonight”, “I’ve survived on life support but I’m stronger than I give myself credit for”.  There are some triggering elements in the song to watch out for, but I think this song really addresses both emotional pain and a strong motivation to work through the pain, so I might use it depending on the situation.

8. Up in Flames

A. negative

B. “The loudest get shot, at the worst”, “I'll probably end up in flames before the end of the night/ Watch me burn in the fire, watch me bid you goodbye”

C. none

D. none

E. Well, considering the chorus, I wouldn’t use this song.  It’s just too triggering, and I don’t think the rest of the song has enough content to make up for it.  There are a few good lines in the rest of the song, however, such as “I don't wanna say what I got on my mind/ 'Cause nothing tonight wants to come out on time/ The truth is I'd rather sit out and unwind/ Let somebody else tell their story this time”, which could maybe encourage those holding their stories inside to share.

9. Iodine

A. neutral

B. “Break my bones so I can feel them healing”, “I don't like scars but I am good with a knife”, “The IV drips a steady stream of poison”, “Gimme some more of that iodine”

C. none

D. none

E. Some interesting lines about depression: “I say I wanna be happy, but I quickly forget/ Will I sabotage all the good I've got left?/ Depression's like a big fur coat/ It's made of dead things but it keeps me warm”.  I would not use this song with self-injurers, and am unsure about others.  It just depends!  It is interesting in the song, though, how she recognizes this cycle of depression and how frustrated she is in trying to get out of the depression.

10. Only a Memory

A. positive

B. “you will bleed for what your hands have done”, “bruised body”

C. see above

D. none

E. I would absolutely use this song in therapy.  For those who have been abused, I believe this song could be powerful, with the chorus:  “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 then the end of the song repeating: “This isn't my identity (I will not bend)/ You're only a memory (I will not break)”.  If you were to choose only one song from this album for therapy, I would highly recommend this one.

11. Pieces

A. negative

B. none

C. none

D. none

E. There are some good lines in the song, and it seems as though she’s confronting someone in the lyrics about someone trying to overcome their problems.  Unfortunately, she does not give them positive feedback, with lines such as “You can fight just like you've been taught/ It won't undo the life you've got”, thus I probably wouldn’t use the song, but you never know who might get something out of it.

And that concludes this album!  I apologize for it taking so long!  Next time I will try to move a little faster with my review!