7 albums and over a decade into their careers, you could be forgiven for thinking that The Devil Wears Prada might start phoning things in as they aged. Clearly this isn’t the case, however. The band is still going strong, even releasing some of the best albums in their discography (especially 8.18 and Transit Blues) in the last half decade or so. Even if you listened to the album’s pre-release singles like “Chemical” where TDWP dialed things back a bit, it’s hard not to be impressed by the band’s evolution on The Act.
With their sound fleshed out in new and interesting ways on the new record, that’s not to say The Devil Wears Prada aren’t conventionally heavy anymore. Seriously, listen to the last minute of “Lines Of Your Hands” for proof that they can still write explosive songs. However, The Act is more reliant on electronic soundscapes that often signal pop influences – but clearly this isn’t a rewrite of the success of BMTH’s That’s The Spirit or anything like that.
Regardless of your feelings on how The Devil Wears Prada have aged, know this – The Act is more than worthy of your time for the simple fact that it doesn’t sound dated, nor does it come across as boring or hackneyed. Ranking among the most interesting albums in their discography to date, TDWP continue to grow with their audience without losing sight of who they are.
