THE DEVIL WEARS PRADA - With Roots Above And Branches Below
The Christian metalcore heroes from Daytona, Ohia are back with their new album With Roots Above And Branches Below (somewhat reversing the natural order of things in botany) and instantly make headlines in the United States by selling 30.000 units already in the first week, guaranteeing them position number one in the Indie Charts and catapulting them to the eleventh best sold album in the commercial Billboard Charts. Their predecessor Plagues received the minimal rating on this website, which was due more to their lyrical approach than to the music.
Although only founded in 2005, The Devil Wears Prada leave an incredibly mature impression on their new CD. Their mix of emo and screamo may not be something entirely new, and using two vocalists has also been done before, but therefore they worked hard on their songwriting. They switch most of the time between brutal verses and catchy, melodic choruses, yet never allow monotony to arise. The songs are brimming with ideas, effortlessly displaying the band’s joy of playing. Alternating quite often the pace, it’s especially the slower parts that give a more prominent role to the keyboards. Some tracks are a little more commercial, giving Dez Moines, Ben Has A Kid and the somewhat shorter Louder Than Thunder definite airplay potential. Gimme Half convinced with its slight gothic atmosphere. Those who are afraid that The Devil Wears Prada have sold out will learn otherwise with the smashing Lord Xenu.
And what about they lyrics? Superficially they don’t seem very religious. But the past has taught us time and again not to trust the Christians. The lyrics are quite poetic, but also very vague, allowing the listener to interpret whatever they feel like. Maybe the songs come with hidden messages for insiders only?
Their musical development made me feel rather conciliatory with the Christian youth, so I give them the eight-fold of last time’s rating. The Devil Wears Prada have realised a quantum jump in the metalcore business, and in the future, newcomers will probably be compared to them.