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Never one to slow down or get complacent, The Devil Wears Prada might have just delivered 2022's album of the year, pushing themselves further yet again. Many have stated the Ohio metalcore legends age like fine wine and this really is the most accurate way to describe their fantastic growth, especially within the current Solid State era. Say what you want, but not many scene bands can look back at their discography with such pride, and Color Decay is yet another instant classic addition to what has already been an exemplary journey.
Steadily approaching 20 years as a band, The Devil Wears Prada appear to have entered their most prolific form. From reinventing themselves with the unexplainably divisive and underrated The Act (2019), through the surprising crowd-pleaser ZII EP (2021), to quickly starting the cycle for Color Decay, this is clearly a band in their prime. Starting with the masterpiece 'Sacrifice', the five promo singles all added layers of excellence and depth into what quickly shaped to be the most anticipated record of the year, and rightly so.
Album upon album, The Devil Wears Prada have been delivering timeless classics ever since the chaotic debut Dear Love (2006). Never really considered as the absolute best, yet defititely not underrated either, the sextet have explored metalcore in all its possibilities like almost no other act still active today, away from spotlights, controversies and grand statements. Starting and developping as a perfectly balanced Christian metal outfit that seems to have finally found its natural home with Solid State, they have effortlessly pushed the boundaries of every single branch of metalcore they have touched in their parth.
The Devil Wears Prada have been active since 2005 and through several line-up changes have meticulously grown into the unstoppable and exemplary unit that we see today. Songwriting, performing, production, lyrics, visuals, every aspect of their craft is easily flawless. Mark Hranica has become a beast of a vocalist with his iconic passionate tirades, and same goes for Jeremy DePoyster as the perfect clean vocal counterbalance, the two of them pushing TDWP since its inception. Add in Jon Gering's creative freedom and leadership behind keyboards and production, and the results today are hardly surprising.
Backing them up ever so tightly, Sipress, Capolupo and Nagy complete the harminous unity with perfectly written and executed melodies, drums and bass. It has definitely been a steady and consistent march forward, with Color Decay confidently delivering what feels like The Devil Wears Prada at their final and complete form. Above all, it is their mindset of being "never satisfied, always pushing" despite their stature and 17 years of hard work and determination, that leads to their most significant and honest effort to day.
In its calm, melodic state, Color Decay goes above and beyond what we usually perceive as beautiful and aethereal, stripped down to bare vulnerability and near-acoustic nature. On the other hand, when angered and energised, the record goes rampaging through blistering riffs and drum parts, leaving you breathless in the wake of its fury. When bands attempt to write albums like this, the results are often forced and chaotic, stacked with soulless fillers, but The Devil Wears Prada keep it honest and passionate until the very end.
The five singles really teased what to expect in Color Decay and despite covering almost half of it, there is still so much to unpack there, right from the restless charge of opener 'Exhibition'. Track upon track we stumble upon the grand chorus and hallmark breakdown in 'Sacrifice', the uncontainable 'Watchtower', the well-placed arena charm in 'Salt', the captivating structure and nuances in 'Time', the gentle melodies in 'Break'; all perfectly timed checkpoints, wiht plenty suprprises left all the way to the masterful conclusion with the powerful, diverse and emotional trinity 'Fire', 'Hallucinate and 'Cancer'. To fully appreciate all of Color Decay, check what Mike had to say about their drive: “It’s about contrast. We’ve really tried to create individualism within the songs and make them distinct. The title references the disintegration and discoloration we experience from daily struggles. Those feelings come with mental health, getting older, and dealing with it. We confront these fights over a lengthy period of time. This record goes up and down, which I’ve always liked for an LP. You will want to listen to it from front-to-back.”
Having been listening to The Devil Wears Prada for nearly two decades, and also having the singles on repeat for the last half year, there is nothing more I could really want or demand from them. I cannot possibly say that they have exceeded the expectations, as high as they were, simply because in its very core Color Decay matches the signature excellence we have learned to love them for. This is a band that sets, raises and smashed their own standards with captivating flair year after year.
It is a standard pitfall to uproach such big releases as AOTY material, but their stature and legacy demand it. Moreover, The Devil Wears Prada have given us a cohesive collection of masterful singles that is balanced, executed and arranged to perfection, and easily tops the list of all the innovative and great records we have heard so far this year. Expect big chart positions, potentially even record sales, and another firm step towards immortality.
The Devil Wears Prada - Color Decay
Country: USA (OH)
Released: 16 September 2022
Label: Solid State Records
Tracklisting:
1. 'Exhibition'
2. 'Salt'
3. 'Watchtower'
4. 'Noise'
5. 'Broken'
6. 'Sacrifice'
7. 'Trapped'
8. 'Time'
9. 'Twenty-Five'
10. 'Fire'
11. 'Hallucinate'
12. 'Cancer'
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