Scripted | ||||
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Studio album by Icon for Hire | ||||
Released | August 23, 2011 | |||
Recorded | September–December 2010 | |||
Studio | Nashville, Seattle | |||
Genre | Alternative metal, hard rock, electronic rock, pop punk | |||
Length | 31:49 | |||
Label | Tooth & Nail | |||
Producer | Rob Hawkins, Aaron Sprinkle | |||
Icon for Hire chronology | ||||
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Singles from Scripted | ||||
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Professional ratings | |
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Review scores | |
Source | Rating |
About.com | |
AllMusic | |
CCM Magazine | |
The Christian Manifesto | |
Christian Music Zine | |
CM Addict | |
Cross Rhythms | |
HM | |
Indie Vision Music | |
Jesus Freak Hideout |
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Louder Than the Music | |
New Release Tuesday | |
The Phantom Tollbooth |
Scripted is the debut studio album by American rock band Icon for Hire. It was released on Tooth & Nail Records on August 23, 2011, and went on to break the label's new artist record for albums sold during the first week of release.
This is the band's first label release; they had released two EPs prior to being signed, Icon for Hire EP (2008) and The Grey EP (2009). Three songs from those recordings reappear here with altered arrangements and lyrics: "Off with Her Head", "The Grey", and "Only a Memory" (originally called "Pernilla"). This is also the band's first recording without original bassist Joshua Davis; Josh Kincheloe would be brought in to replace him in 2011.
The album was recorded during the last quarter of 2010 and was co-produced by Rob Hawkins and Aaron Sprinkle. Recording was done in two parts: first with Hawkins in Nashville, then with Sprinkle in Seattle. Frontwoman Ariel commented on working with the two: "Their work selves could not have been more opposite. We worked with Rob first and it was like go, go, go from nine to five everyday solid and [then] we get to Aaron. He was just like so chilled. Just hanging out. He’s like, 'We’ll get to it when we get to it.' So, it was a lot of adjusting to the two extremes of work styles."
"Make a Move" and "Get Well" were both released as singles (the former as a lead single) and both had music videos made for them. "Make a Move" gained popularity on RadioU and its video premiered as an exclusive on Guitar World's website on August 15, 2011.
The album received mostly positive reviews from the critics. The album received two four-and-a-half-star ratings from About.com and New Release Tuesday, which it got one nine-star-out-of-ten rating from Cross Rhythms. The project got three four-star ratings from CCM Magazine, Christian Music Zine and Indie Vision Music. The lowest positive ratings came in from AllMusic, The Christian Manifesto, CM Addict, Nathaniel Schexnayder of Jesus Freak Hideout, Louder Than the Music and The Phantom Tollbooth, which all gave the album a three-and-a-half-star rating out of five. The only two mixed reviews came from Michael Weaver of Jesus Freak Hideout, who gave the second staff opinion, and HM. Both rated the album three stars out of five.