This is an album that signifies The Devil Wears Prada as a band who are finally living up to the potential that’s been a big factor in their popularity over the years.
Devil Wears Prada has long been known as a band that divides opinion: you either love them or hate them. Even though theyre hugely popular in certain circles being most notably well-liked with the younger generation of heavy music fans they just cant seem to shake off the itch of being a band that some metal fans just cant manage to get into. Whether this is due to the metal genre being an extremely finicky one at best, or because some people couldnt take the band seriously and assumed their craft was a joke and cast them aside because of their (if truth be told) ridiculous song names in their older material, or even if (and I may be hitting a tender spot here) the die-hard, time-honoured metal-heads refuse to acknowledge the band because of their Christianity, the band havent succeeded as well as many critics and fans thought they would have. This may sound rich, considering the sales of their previous two albums, Plagues, and With Roots Above And Branches Below, which both reached respectable places in the Billboard 200, especially With Roots Above And Branches Below which reached number 11, but the point is that they havent really broken into the UK scene as much as in their home country compared to bands theyve toured with like A Day To Remember, Underoath and Emarosa. Now, obviously, these bands have all got different sounds to each other, but the potential and talent is evident in The Devil Wears Prada as much as it is in Underoath, who are massively popular both sides of the Atlantic, and the heavy breakdowns play as much a big a part in their sound as it does with A Day To Remember and the melodic choruses, when pared down, are reminiscent of a heavier Emarosa. So, with their newest album, Dead Throne, can the band finally show to the haters that theyre an act to be taken seriously? At a glance, the artwork looks much darker and more sombre than on previous albums, and track names are simple and not nonsensical. This marks a change for the band immediately on seeing what the album looks like. And on listening to it, they show that they are indeed taking a step forward in both their musicianship and in the way they want to come across to fans, old and new that theyve woken up to the potential thats been brewing on every release and are ready to unleash themselves on everyone who listens. Opener, Dead Throne, has a creepy and intriguing 26-second build-up which soon vanishes with vocalist Mike Hranica utilising his deep screams and high screams along with a mean-sounding riff and high-tempo drums. Its almost as if hes interchanging his screams at will and it shows his class as a metal vocalist. When the keys come in, it adds a totally different dimension to the track and they wouldnt sound out of place in a black metal song. However, the heavy riffs and Hranicas vocals ensure the song stays in the territory of The Devil Wears Prada.Mammoth, is possibly the most melodic track on the album. At the start, Hranica declares that I wont let this ruin me, and a section ensues where he screams over harmonious guitars which seem to float and fluctuate over the angry drumming of Daniel Williams. Its the soothing singing voice which makes this song a highlight, though, as compared to the harsh vocals theyre a stark contrast and ensure the listener doesnt become too used to the breakdowns the band use frequently. It may not be anything new to the genre, but its an aspect that works well if pulled off. And the band do just that. The last track, Holdfast, is one thats sure to be a hit in gigs. The use of the singing and the screaming creates an almost hectic feel but the guitars, in their melody and chugging, smooth it out and the chorus is especially strong, with the singing being as well-used as it is anywhere in the album.This is an album that signifies The Devil Wears Prada as a band who are finally living up to the potential thats been a big factor in their popularity over the years. Fans of the band will absolutely love this, and for people whore new to them then this is a great place to start. Theyve shown that this is the time to sit up and take notice. Devil Wears Prada's new album Death Throne is released on Monday. Buy it on Amazon HERE.