Scripted

Icon for Hire are immediately recognizable with singer Ariel’s bright neon-pink hair and guitarist Shawn Jump’s gravity-defying mohawk. But it’s immediately obvious that there’s more to the Decatur, Illinois Christian rock band than looks and locks. “Theater” is unapologetically huge arena-rock loaded to the gills with barbed pop hooks guaranteed to stay in your head for days on end. Although Ariel has garnered many comparisons to Paramore’s Hayley Williams, her vocal range is more elastic — check out “Make a Move” where her complex lyrical phrasing in the verses stretches up to an impressively higher register in the chorus. “The Grey” reveals a softer side of the band with a piano-based ballad where Ariel’s confessional lyrics unveil a vulnerability that’s strengthened with an inspired life-affirming refrain. Powerful synth-rocker “Fight” features futuristic keyboards that go head-to-head with Jump’s ascending guitar leads while the band’s rhythm section keeps metronomic time. The more tranquil “Only a Memory” lulls the listener to a happy place before “Pieces” closes with inspirational rock power.