Dystopian Dreams Return: “Termination” by The Devil Wears Prada

As many know by now, The Devil Wears Prada is releasing a follow-up to their 2010 EP Zombie, aptly titled ZII. The lead single off the EP, “Termination,” sounds like the band has gone back to the distinct heavy nature of the original Zombie EP while also maintaining a lot of their current, more atmospheric sound.

These are some of the heaviest riffs TDWP has produced in some time, and it is incredibly fitting with the aesthetic of an EP with this kind of hype. The opening triplet riff instills a sense of nostalgia for the wild-ride that is their song “Outnumbered.”

Mike Hranica’s vocals sound very controlled and as though he’s been working hard on keeping them sounding strong; his voice blended with the smoothness of Jeremy DePoyster remains one of the best pairings in metalcore. An interesting bit of information can be found in the above music video description (on the YouTube page) where they say the EP will be five songs about the “hopelessness against the horde.” It will be interesting to see how that theme plays out in the progression of tracks, but if the instrumentation follows this blend of old and new TDWP, then fans are in for a huge treat. As a concept, the zombie apocalypse seems very fitting for a metalcore project.

The lyrics in “Termination” are thought provoking. As with the show The Walking Dead, The Devil Wears Prada explore what life may be like in an established post-apocalyptic world, particularly in the way humans interact with one another: “I don’t mean harm, I’m trying to understand… We all did our best, we didn’t choose violence… No one should want to kill.”

The Devil Wears Prada have long been a staple in the metalcore scene, and to see them bridging the gap between their more melodic outings with their chaotic work of previous years is exciting to witness. Their shift in sound over time has only expanded and pushed what they’re capable of. To say that this is a highly anticipated release feels like an understatement, and fortunately, the wait isn’t too long. ZII comes out May 21st, 2021.

Find “Termination” on Apple Music and
Spotify.

Similar Artists: Memphis May Fire, War of Ages, Death Breaker, Wolves at the Gate