Review Summary: The album is a more mature version of the last. It is much more enjoyable to listen too. If you liked the last album...you will love this one. Even though the style of play didn't change, the band has improved as a whole.
We all know that a band’s sophomore release either makes or breaks a band. And I am here to tell you that Plagues will not break The Devil Wears Prada. The album appears to be a more mature version of the previous release. The style has not changed much, but everything else has improved significantly. The songs have a stronger structure, the break downs are heavier, the choruses are catchier, and the songs as a whole seem much more powerful.
This record sounds very similar to Dear Love: A Beautiful Discord…only better. As the last album easily lost my attention, I find myself unable to stop listening to this one. There is rarely a boring moment in this album. This is largely due to the minor improvements the band made as a whole. They don't really show individual improvements, but improvements as a whole. They music falls together much better.
The structure of plagues appears to be a lot stronger. I would have to say this is due to the perfection found in the transitions. The transitions throughout each song keep them flowing. Don’t think it ends there either. The transitions from song to song are just as impressive. The first time I listened to the album...I had a hard time telling when a new song started. Don’t get me wrong, it wasn’t because the songs were repetitive. It was the fact that the songs were not repetitive and the transitions were flawless.
On top of that, the breakdowns are much heavier and catchier. As we know, most breakdowns in this genre are not very original, and by no means are TDWP’s breakdowns an exception. However, the use of an assortment of factors, specifically the synth, allows them to personalize each breakdowns to there specific style. In some cases the synth allows the breakdown to be more up-beat. While in other cases it allows the breakdowns to be more powerful. Either way the synth in this album, compared to the last, is much more effective causing the album as a whole to be simply better.
Finally, a note on the vocals in Plagues. TDWP’s vocalist has been both worshiped and ridiculed. Some love his vocals and others hate them, specifically live. I have not always been a fan of his vocals, but I must say that have improved since the past album. As the highs are virtually the same, the lows are more brutal. The clean vocals on the other hand, haven’t changed much, but they are used more frequently. At some points they sound similar to that of chiodos but not as girly. This isn’t a bad thing though, as it allows the breakdowns to appear heavier and more powerful
