Despite their name, ICON FOR HIRE aren’t indebted to anyone but their fans. Since forming in 2007, the duo—singer Ariel Bloomer and guitarist Shawn Jump—have amassed a legion of followers who have connected with not only the band’s genre-bending sound, but also their honesty. That soul-baring spirit and realism is at the heart of everything Icon For Hire do, and it’s front and center on their latest Billboard-charting release, YOU CAN’T KILL US…

Produced by Mike Green (Gwen Stefani, All Time Low) and funded by fans through Kickstarter on a campaign that raised $127, 200—making it one of the year’s highest-raising music campaigns—the self-released album marks a brand-new chapter for the band.

Blending hard rock, hip-hop, electronica and pop into an anthemic swirl of both melody and muscle, You Can’t Kill Us isn’t only a modern sounding record—it’s awash in lyrical themes that tap into the times as well. Addiction, depression and self-worth are all topics Ariel addresses and these themes reverberate loudly in today’s tumultuous, judgment-first culture.

After all, having survived the record label system and reemerged stronger than ever, Icon For Hire are living proof that you can take control of your life—and that’s perhaps the greatest success anyone can hope to accomplish.