I Let It In as If I Had a Choice

Sometimes, I forget how many concerts I have lined up throughout the year, and it feels so good! I ended the summer of 2019 with Korn and Slipknot, not knowing of the impending pandemic that would pause tours around the world for over a year. Our concert adventures were kickstarted in the fall of last year with Korn and Slipknot, which is quite poetic. Another band that I unexpectedly saw live for the very first time last year was The Devil Wears Prada. 

I don’t particularly enjoy metalcore, which is a sub-genre to metal that fuses extreme metal with hardcore punk. In my opinion, a lot of metalcore bands sound vastly the same. It’s hard for me to differentiate one band from another in this genre. They seem to lack that distinct and unique sound that builds a band’s identity. When you hear a Korn song come on the radio, you know it’s Korn within the first few seconds of the intro. I also don’t like the vocals in metalcore. Most bands replicate the same tone and style in their clean vocal performance. It baffles me how most singers in this genre can mimic each other perfectly. This might upset some people (lol), but oftentimes I just wrote off late-2000s metalcore lineups as “emo bands” based on said clean vocals and looks alone. I’m aware this isn't accurate, and that metalcore is vastly different in comparison to the emo genre. 

I never took to the early 2000s wave of melodic metalcore bands like Avenged Sevenfold, and Killswitch Engage. I really wanted to, and it wasn’t for lack of trying. I noticed I often felt fomo in relation to bands that everyone else loved. I just couldn’t ignite the same spark when I would listen to their discographies. I suspect my distaste for metalcore is due to bands drawing more influence from the hardcore punk genre than metal. I find I hate the screaming vocals just as much as the clean vocals from these bands. I prefer the melodic singing and growls you hear from more traditional metal bands. I even favor the guttural death growls in extreme metal, and the high-pitched shrieks and vocal distortions of black metal. It’s like a mathematical equation I can’t solve. I want to enjoy this genre like so many fans do, but it’s been difficult to find a band that sparks that excitement out of me. 

 
Now in 2022, The Devil Wears Prada has finally entered the chat. Danny inadvertently introduced me to TDWP while watching their virtual concert, since the pandemic put a stop to live crowd performances. I became enamored with their song Chemical, and the rest was history. I hated their name, but ironically, the movie was released after the inception of the band in 2005. The film is actually one of my comfort movies, so maybe falling in love with a band of the same name was fate. I will admit, I haven’t listened to a lot of their discography. I still need to listen to the rest of their album, The Act, which was released back in 2019. Not to mention, their Space and Zombie EPs… and basically every other album they’ve released. I’m working on it though. I have a short attention span when it comes to music nowadays. Stop attacking me. 

Earlier this year, TDWP announced their headlining Zombie tour, in which they would be playing both Zombie and ZII EPs in their entirety along with some of their greatest hits and newer releases. Danny was so stoked because he really loves both of their Zombie EPs. I’ve only listened to ZII, and so I was kicking myself during the concert because I realized I didn’t know any of these songs. I kept forgetting about this show because it was on a weekday, and it would smack me in the face every time I looked at my calendar. I didn’t even look at the setlist like I do for every other concert to remind myself to listen to songs I’m unfamiliar with before the show. I hate myself sometimes… 

First act was Dying Wish! Dying Wish is a fairly new metalcore band from Portland, Oregan. This band has gotten a lot of praise from various metal outlets as being one of the cutting-edge breakthrough artists of the genre today. I was blown away by their sheer energy on stage, and the ferocity of their lead vocalist. I enjoyed their set, and look forward to listening to their debut album, Fragments of a Bitter Memory. Next up was Stray from the Path, which was another band I was not familiar with before this show. Turns out, they’re actually a band from Long Island, formed back in 2001. Stray from the Path’s musical style is a combination of hardcore punk, rapcore and nu metal. They definitely remind me of Rage Against the Machine, especially since they’re not afraid of speaking out about controversial social and political issues. While watching them live, I wasn’t sure if I liked their music, but after listening to a few studio songs, I don’t mind their sound. They definitely give me nu metal vibes. Like Dying Wish, their set was electric and the crowd was absolutely wild. The band seemed very excited and humble to be playing to a New York crowd. There’s nothing better than being back home. They even filmed a music video for a brand new song from their upcoming album. 

 
Lastly, TDWP came on stage to an ecstatic crowd. This was my first concert ever at Irving Plaza. I’m not used to smaller venues like this because my favorite bands draw arena size crowds. The atmosphere at Irving Plaza was both intimate and scary. I chose to spend the extra money on the preferred balcony tickets, and I’m happy I did. Looking upon the sheer chaos below me gave me a bit of anxiety, but I will say those in the mosh pit were very respectful of one other, protecting and helping those who got knocked to the ground. With that being said, I’m too little to be down there fighting for my life lol. Since I’m extra short, the balcony is ultimately the best choice for me. There were less people, and I had a perfect view of TDWP. Sometimes, I feel I’m holding back Danny from participating in the crowd, but he’s also an aging metalhead. He said his neck was sore days after the show, so in hindsight, he’s getting too old for moshing. 

Their performance was memorable to say the least. They have such a commanding presence on stage, illuminated by their stage lights and powered by their heavy riffs. TWDP plays with such passion and ferocity. Even after 17 years, they are still committed to what they do. I loved hearing the ZII EP, along with newer songs they’ve released from their upcoming album, Color Decay. I was so excited for Watchtower and Sacrifice! The band also seemed blown away by the energy and support of the crowd, saying this was one of the best shows they’ve played so far on tour. It seems to be a running theme with New York crowds. It’s amazing to see such a lively and animated crowd. The overall energy of the show was an infectious boost of serotonin that I needed to get by. In just seven days, I’ll be receiving a second dose of happiness when I see Korn take the stage yet again! 

Set List:

1. Sacrifice
2. Danger: Wildman
3. Born to Lose
4. Salt
5. Nightfall
6. Forlorn
7. Termination
8. Nora
9. Contagion
10. Escape
11. Anatomy
12. Outnumbered
13. Revive
14. Survivor
15. Time
16. Watchtower
17. Dez Moines
18. Hey John, What's Your Name Again?
19. Chemical 

Encore:
20. Dogs Can Grow Beards All Over
21. Mammoth