Twenty years into the grind and The Devil Wears Prada haven’t lost their edge. However, in recent years, it’s a bit more refined and less jagged than their earlier release. The band’s latest release, Flowers, feels like their sharpest, most well-oiled bloom yet. From the opening track “That Same Place” to the closing “My Paradise”, this record is a reckoning. There are heavy riffs, infectious melodics, and lyrics that dig into the shadows we all would like to pretend don’t exist. With the full album dropping on November 14th, they’ve already dropped several singles for fans to check out.
Throughout their existence, TDWP have always been about extremes. Screeching breakdowns and soaring choruses, existential angst and moments of surprising tenderness. On Flowers, they lean fully into both. Clean vocals and harsh screams share equal space throughout the release. Electronics and programming sit side-by-side with shredding guitars. The result ends up being an album that is expansive in ideas but tight in execution.
Lyrically, the band doesn’t hide their scars. Guitarist/vocalist Jeremy DePoyster nails the tone. No gloss, no pretending everything is fine. TDWP know that even when you’re standing in the light, the roots are still in the dirt. They make you feel that through this release. Also, I absolutely love the cover of this album. That may be in part due to my obsession with the film “Midsommar”, but it’s so visually appealing and ties in perfectly with the album.
I was introduced to this band back in 2005 when they were pretty much a straight-forward metalcore band. They’ve matured over the years without completely softening. The heavy sections hit like they should while the melody lines linger. Production is top notch and gives them room to breathe and expand. However, with 14 tracks and a 20-year arc behind them, there’s risk of some songs sliding into redundancy or the “album cycle fatigue” zone. If you’re craving the quick-cut chaos of their earlier records, some of the breathing room here might throw you off.
Flowers is The Devil Wears Prada at full bloom. This isn’t just another TDWP record, but the sound of a band still fighting the darkness and shouting back through the blast-beats and melodies. It’s metalcore grown up, but still vicious yet accessible enough that mom may not yell at you to turn it down. If you’ve ever loved them for catharsis, for damage, for truth in metalcore form, this record will hit you where you live. Grab it, blast it, and don’t expect it to make you feel easy but feel more alive.
