The Devil Wears Prada

The Haunt, Brighton | 12 February 2012

A review by Gary Marlowe

Last year The Devil Wears Prada were on the main stage of Download playing to thousands, so it was a little surprising when they came to Brighton in mid-February they played The Haunt. As one of the leading exponents of metalcore, you might have expected them to play somewhere a lot bigger than a venue that holds just a couple of hundred. That said, it was a rare opportunity for the fans to get up close and personal with their idols. Before the show, the band made an appearance at the Vans store. The mild-mannered guys sitting behind a table sporting beards and check shirts and politely signing whatever was put in front of them were a complete contrast to the six who took to The Haunt’s tiny stage a few hours later.

From the opening song, the title track of the band’s latest album ‘Dead Throne’ it was loud, it was pulverising and it was frenetic, as if a day’s worth of pent up energy had been concentrated into just 90 minutes. However, for all its intimacy, one can only suspect that seeing a band like Prada on a big stage with their full production would showcase them so much better. Metalcore is not for everyone, it’s an assault on the ears and if truth be told the song do sound pretty much alike. No doubt there are nuances that fans of the genre will tell you about that differentiates one band from another, but for me the undoubted skill of the musicians - especially drummer Daniel Williams and guitarist Jeremy DePoyster - are lost in the cacophony. Similarly, whatever the lyrics may be about - and most seem to be concerned with idolatry and putting people on pedestals - they become indecipherable because of the screaming. And boy, can Mike Hranica scream! For that matter, he also has a mean growl and a ferocious bark! Not exactly my kind of music, but I’m glad I had the chance to experience Prada at close quarters. For the fans, it was definitely a night to remember!