Review: The Devil DOES Wear Prada

Cell Photos Provided By: Phil Ryabkin

     The Devil Wears Prada was part of a metalcore revolution that took the late 2000’s by storm. They were the metalcore band that brought hardcore breakdowns, extreme riff passages and melodic synth samples to the mainstream, along with bands like Bring me the Horizon, Asking Alexandria, Woe is Me,  Blessthefall, Attack Attack!, I See Stars and much more. They were part of a new generation that got plenty of younger fans into metalcore, which was extremely different from the generation that proceeded before it. Funny enough, that era only started in the late 90s/early 2000s. 

     The Devil Wears Prada features music that is both rambunctious & calming. Very few metalcore bands can give you a sensible feeling such as that, especially in a live setting. This set also just didn’t feature the entire Roots Above album, a few bonus tracks started the set off with newer song staples like “Worldwide” and “To the Key Of Evergreen”. Which was definitely a way to get the fans warmed up before the full album started off. But once The Roots album started, that’s when the show truly began for many fans. All of the hits from that album “Danger: Wildman”, “Assistant to the Regional Manager”, “I Hate Buffering” and many more off the setlist were being played at an extremely brisk pace. In the time since this album dropped, you can tell these guys have truly never missed a beat. The mosh pit grew intense super quickly as fans were showing their aggression throughout the whole set. Vocalist Mike Hranica has changed his style a bit since this album dropped. Most likely to avoid weakening his voice, but he’s adapted well to be able to manage his voice in a live setting. As it still sounds incredibly unique to this day, no other vocalist in metalcore can replicate what Mike Hranica has done. The rest of the band provides back up cleans to make sure that the melodies are beautifully mixed together. While also keeping ahead of themselves with each members respected instrument. Lead guitarist, Jeremy DePoyster provides an insane rhythm section that will keep you on your toes at all times. This was definitely a fun full set to see live filled with great bonuses.

     Fit for a King has grown so much as a band, these dudes have a specialty in making extremely heavy breakdowns, but the hints of melody keep you wanting more. They are a band that’s destined to be the next big juggernaut in modern day metalcore. As they’ve already played with many well respected bands like August Burns Red, Beartooth, Born of Osiris, Whitechapel, etc.. The setlist that the band focused on their two newest albums “Dark Skies” and “Death Grip”. Songs like “The Price Of Agony” & “When Everything Means Nothing” are heavy driven melodic metalcore songs that make you get excited. But, then you have the super heavy stuff like “Shattered Glass” & “Pissed Off” that are contenders to be true mosh pit anthems. This band has THAT sound that balances the metalcore emotions in the greatest way possible, as it will keep many listeners surprised in a fantastic way. They know how to spread their message wonderfully while providing some heavy music for the audience. That is absolutely spectacular.

     ‘68 is a supergroup made up of members from the defunct group The Chariot & the legendary metalcore band Norma Jean. However, ‘68 sounds nothing like those bands, instead they have a much more grimy sound that’s very similar to something like Franz Ferdinand with a hint of Every Time I Die. The music is absolutely different from anything else on this tour. These rockers slow their pace down so much, almost similar to groove found in The Rolling Stones or The Doors. The stuff that is added into their sound gives you a fresher take on what groove rock music can be if it’s done right. Great to see that such a unique band like them got on such a wonderful tour. The two man outfit opened up with a super infectious drum solo. The duo also came out in super fancy tuxedos, showing the crowd that they’re all about being professional.

     The Devil Wears Prada still delivers an archaic set that can appeal to many fans of the metalcore genre. Many fans got to see a once in a lifetime experience to an album that truly gave birth to one of the brightest stars in modern metalcore.