The Devil Wears Prada - 'Flowers' - Album Review

Lighthouse Music
Nov 14
3 min read

Updated: 5 days ago

BACKGROUND. When it comes to The Devil Wears Prada, I am unapologetically biased, and won't even attempt to hide it. Proven scene legends and Ohio regional treasure, the band is yet to miss on a major release, with 20 huge years behind them, and counting. Fuelled by the untouchable and everlasting partnership of Hranica and DePoyster, and maturing like the finest of wines, whilst remaining as fresh and relevant as they were back in those wild early days, TDWP truly are a class act. And if there were ever any doubts or I seem a bit too excited or hyped, just bask in the sheer beauty that is their mezmerizingly versatile and disarmingly simple new full studio record Flowers.

BAND. True cult heroes operating in a league of their own for two turbulent decades. To this day, With Roots Above And Branches Below (2009) remains one of the best examples of premature scene subculture with all its ups and downs, 8:18 (2013) is amongst the finest and most deliberate releases of the early 2010s, while The Act (2019) served as the perfect way to conclude them, just before the world descended into chaos. Since then, TDWP have masterfuly reinvented themselves, finding new creative directions and artistic purpose in my personal AOTY for 2022 Color Decay, followed by a series of captivating singles, all paving the way to their latest gem Flowers to become 2025's undisputed climax and another personal favourite on repeat.

ALBUM. An absolute beauty with all its intricate details, subtle nuances and sudden twists. As captivatingly accessible and straightforward at its indie, alt-rock, easycore sides, as mercilessly direct and fierce at its metalcore and post-hardcore edges, Flowers is the triumphant celebration of twenty years of scene dominance and genre versatility. It is a tale of light and darkness, spiritual debates and intimate confessions, life and death, with DePoyster soaring high above in the clouds with touching melodies and gentle chants, and Hranica lurking in the shadows ready to explode at every possible moment and squeeze every last bit of emotions left even in the driest of souls.

SONGS. Objectively lighter and less intense than than its predecessor Color Decay, Flowers still packs quite the punch and gets even more imaginative and creative, bordering on experimentation. It is the deafening silence after a shootout, but also the unsettling quiet before the storm, jumping back and forth between energetic anthems like 'Rituals' and 'Where The Flowers Never Grow', emotive earworms like 'Eyes' and 'Everybody Knows', and suffocating teerjerkers like 'For You' and 'When You're Gone'. From the calming, delicate nuances of 'Wave' and upbeat indie allure of 'Silence' to the volatile, unruly riffage of 'All Out' or melancholic wandering of 'My Paradise', Flowers is a wonderful gift to everyone who stuck around and intends to stay.

FUTURE. The Devil Wears Prada are confidently approaching the immortal status, a place they already hold in my book with such rich past, undeniable legacy, scene presence and musical relevance. Sure, Flowers might not be their all-time best record in terms of changing the game or redefining the genre, but is a fantastic addition to a discography that already boasts more genre classics than most band achieve in their lifetime. Honest, intimate, simple, direct, multifaceted, it is a true gem that needs to be discovered and experienced in its entirety on private terms.