American rock band Icon for Hire released their latest album, “The Reckoning,” on Sept. 30. Though it didn’t differentiate itself from the band’s other albums, “The Reckoning” used imagery and energy to excite listeners. “Songs such as ‘Ready for Combat’ and ‘Dismantled’ exhibit lead singer Ariel Bloomer’s haunting and powerful vocals combined with the album’s evocative lyrics and detailed imagery of exploring and overcoming one’s inner darkness,” Webmaster Maya Shrivastav wrote. Image fair use of Icon for Hire
Full of powerful imagery, unique vocals and energetic instruments, Icon for Hire’s latest album, “The Reckoning,” will appeal to most listeners.
Rock band Icon for Hire’s newest album, “The Reckoning,” was released to all major streaming platforms on Sept. 30. The album showcases unique vocals along with powerful lyrics to provide a wonderful listening experience.
The first of 13 songs on the album is “The Ascent,” an instrumental track that begins with a slow, ethereal-sounding opening that grows more energetic as it progresses, evoking ideas of rising energy and ascension as the name implies.
Songs such as “Ready for Combat” and “Dismantled” exhibit lead singer Ariel Bloomer’s haunting and powerful vocals combined with the album’s evocative lyrics and detailed imagery of exploring and overcoming one’s inner darkness.
The album has two instrumental songs, “Fore” and “The Ascent,” which provide a calmer interlude to contrast with the energetic and almost angry feel of the rest of the album.
“Interference,” a nine-second track, lives up to its name with its chaotic, layered voices and static-like sound that provides an exciting introduction to the next song, titled “Gatekeepers.”
“Gatekeepers” heavily focuses on themes of opposition, with lyrics such as “So you wanna guard the doors? You’ll end up with a war.” The strong lyrics are complemented by a chorus of repeating “la la la”s that give the song an eerie feel and make it stand out among other tracks.
The first of 13 songs on the album is “The Ascent,” an instrumental track that begins with a slow, ethereal-sounding opening that grows more energetic as it progresses, evoking ideas of rising energy and ascension as the name implies.
Some parts of “The Reckoning” may not differentiate themselves from other albums by Icon for Hire due to having similar-sounding instruments and vocals. However, “Sunflower” is a sharp contrast to the rest of the album with its soft and somber tone, while other songs have a more rap-like sound.
Overall, the songs in the album exhibit the band’s excellent transitions between faster and slower segments with dynamic, exciting choruses and slow, soft bridges.
While fans of the band may find that some songs sound similar to past works by Icon For Hire, the album’s powerful and evocative lyrics, unique vocals and energetic guitar and drums make “The Reckoning” a force to be reckoned with.
