The Devil Wears Prada – Color Decay
Release Date: 16th September 2022
Label: Solid State Records
Pre-Order/Pre-Save
Genre: Metalcore, Progressive Metalcore.
FFO: Fit For A King, Oh Sleeper, Like Moths To Flames.
Review By: Mike Leighton
In my humble opinion, as some of the founders of modern metalcore, The Devil Wears Prada have always been at the top of their game as far as pushing boundaries and elevating their sound. Color Decay is no exception to that statement, and instead it fully embraces that fact. Color Decay feels like it is the culmination of their efforts since 2009’s With Roots Above and Branches Below, and onward. The Devil Wears Prada are not new to the concept of changing things up in order to achieve their perfect album. After the extremely successful 7th album, The Act, and the return, as mentioned above, to chaotic, thrashy sounds on ZII, Slow Decay might just be the perfect blend of the heavy yet emotional, thought-provoking sound that The Devil Wears Prada is known for.
The Devil Wears Prada have been a personal favorite of mine for the last decade and a half, so when I was able to my “hands” on this new album, I couldn’t wait to dive in and start digesting the newest offering from these metalcore forerunners. This album has been a long time coming, especially given the particularly brutal piece that was ZII. With it’s crushing sounds, intense vocals, and overall melancholy tone, it gave listeners just the taste they needed of what this band had to offer on their next full-length release. The band consists of Mike Hranica on lead vocals, Jeremy DePoyster on vocals/guitar, Mason Nagy on bass guitar, Kyle Sipress on guitar, Jonathan Gering on keys and synthesizers, and Giuseppe Capolupo on drums. Without further interruption, let’s jump into Color Decay!
So far, four singles have been released in order to build the hype for this new release, Sacrifice, Watchtower, Salt, and Time. Sacrifice was released almost immediately following ZII, and was released, at the time, as a standalone track. Time, being the most recently released track, is my personal favorite because it not only highlights what this band is good at, but it has something both old and new fans will appreciate as well as enjoy. It’s heavy, melodic, the guitars and synth are top tier, and it has, in my opinion, some of the strongest vocal deliveries from both Mike Hranica and Jeremy DePoyster as of late.
Exhibition starts with some intense, raw vocals paired with a very crunchy guitar riff. Alongside the guitars there are some fluttery synthesizer sounds in the background, and as the track builds the listener is thrown into an abrupt, yet bouncy chorus! After the second verse, and chorus concludes, there is an almost synth-y guitar solo, which is extremely cool to hear. All of this occurs before leading into an almost empty bridge that comes to an abrupt halt before presenting the listener with a gritty yet heavy breakdown. Next, we have Salt, a very strong single, that didn’t change the band’s formula too much. It sounded very similar to something you’d hear on The Act, and there is nothing wrong with that. The main guitar riff is one that will live rent-free in your head for days!
Watchtower was the second single released after Sacrifice. It would fit nicely on either Zombie EP, and bears all the makings for a devastating live track! “I chose the distance!” An absolutely crushing line from Mike, accompanied by some equally incredible instrumental offerings. Noise starts with a very catchy, memorable line from Jeremy, and offers a strong vocal delivery, while also showcasing lyrical elements that would have fit nicely on 8:18. The bridge was the coolest part because it had a unique chanted section accompanied some crushingly emotional screams from Mike. They really let the listener experience the pain, and emotions that he might’ve been experiencing when writing it. Then we have Broken, another fantastic track; almost like a ballad. This track has the potential to be a strong, live track that will absolutely get the crowd singing along!
A huge track, Trapped, was overall a very well composed song, especially from a lyrical standpoint. Mike’s writing has always evoked more feelings than your average song, but on this track, there’s something else there that pulls you in and makes you experience several emotions all at once. I just imagined myself singing it in the rain outside a loved one’s home, but I’m too afraid to knock. Haven’t really felt this way since Home For Grave, or really a lot of the tracks on 8:18. A strong feeling of dread, panic, and isolation. Jeremy and Mike both outdid themselves on this track. From a vocal perspective, this was definitely Jeremy’s strongest vocal delivery…ever. My favorite track on the record without a doubt. I also really appreciated the strong, positive message that you’re not alone in your struggles. There will always be someone there to walk beside you.
“Does it feel like you’ve lost control?
Losing sleep will takes its toll.
I hate that you’re being trapped by your issues,
But I’m here with you.”
Twenty-Five is an intense lyrical piece; one that will be up for interpretation as it felt like a spoken word poem in the beginning. This song was a very emotional piece, one that is sure to bring out different feelings in fans. Fire was subtle, yet contained heavy synths in the beginning that I can only imagine are being used to accentuate Jeremy’s singing. This track is very refreshing as it shows a side of his vocals that we have not seen much aside from a bit on “Louder Than Thunder,” and “Care More.” Feels almost like an interlude track, but it really isn’t. This track serves to highlight just the level of versatility in songwriting and musicianship that The Devil Wears Prada is capable of. Hallucinate is definitely the heaviest track on the record. There’s an indescribable, empty feeling during the verse, almost like the portions of Born To Lose that felt empty because they only had bass. It’s a very dark song, both lyrically and musically. As far as vocals, Mike delivers some truly dark yet atmospheric screams on this one. The synths that underline the song from beginning to end give it an elevated feeling of unease.
“What’s real? What’s fake? Black temple hallucinate!”
This is a breakdown that’s sure to bring down the house at shows!
Cancer ends the album as it began, perfectly. But, instead of harsh, raw vocals and crunchy guitars, we have a slowly fading acoustic guitar riff alongside slowing, fading clean vocals. If you haven’t heard from these guys before, check this album out along with the rest of their music, and if you’re a longtime fan, you will not be disappointed with Color Decay in the slightest. This album might just be their strongest effort to date, and I am a huge 8:18 fan, but there were a lot of elements on here that really highlight why The Devil Wears Prada continue to be at the top of their game as well as the metalcore genre. 
(5 / 5)
