The Devil Wears Prada have always explored life’s extremes in their music. They’ve never shied away from staring down darkness, dealing with depression, making sense of confusion, soothing anxiety, or grappling with faith, existence, and death. At the same time, they’ve mirrored life’s ups and downs by alternating between crushing heaviness and heart-wrenching melodies. It’s been that way since the beginning. Among a string of seminal releases, Revolver readers named With Roots Above and Branches Below [2009] one of the “5 Greatest Metalcore Albums,”  the Zombie EP [2010] and Dead Throne [2011] each debuted in the Top 10 of the Billboard 200, and 2021’s ZII marked their sixth straight Top 5 entry on the Billboard Top Hard Rock Albums Chart. They have also tallied nearly a half-a-billion streams—unprecedented for most acts this heavy. The group elevated to another stratosphere with Color Decay [2022], selling out their biggest shows worldwide and receiving some of the highest praise of their career. Beyond acclaim from New Noise Magazine, KERRANG!, OUTBURN, Loudwire, and Hysteria, Metal Hammer went as far as to rave, “Color Decay might just be their finest hour.” After over two decades of making music, their union as bandmates—but more importantly as friends—is stronger than ever. All of this time and experience ultimately empowered the group—Mike Hranica [vocals], Jeremy DePoyster [guitar, vocals], Kyle Sipress [guitar], Jonathan Gering [keys, synths, programming, percussion], and Giuseppe Capolupo [drums]—to make a statement on their ninth full-length offering, Flowers [Solid State]. Matching bold themes with equally bold songs, they process grief, weather struggle, and not only heal together, but creatively blossom like never before. Flowers is The Devil Wears Prada at their most honest, heartfelt, and here in the moment.

When it was time for Four Year Strong to prep what would become their sixth album, analysis paralysis, they were truly, finally, stumped. Vocalist/guitarists Dan O’Connor and Alan Day showed up to producer Will Putney’s studio on day one of recording without a single finished song, in stark contrast to the 40-some ideas they brought to the table for 2020’s Brain Pain. The two spent those early days in a bedroom at Putney’s house talking about, and listening to, music, desperate for a spark of inspiration. They found it by looking back: at what made Brain Pain a success and even the genesis of Four Year Strong as a band as they rode their trademark sound – pop-punk energy, dextrous riffage and caustic hardcore spirit – to the top of the underground in the late aughts. Within a month, they’d completed nearly 80% of the album, like the ominous, metal-meets-industrial “aftermath / afterthought.” They melded combustible hardcore rhythms with ‘90s alt-rock melodic bliss (“uncooked”), dabbled in rough-around-the-edges reggae (“out of touch”) and swerved between vibe-heavy synths and thunderous breakdowns (“STFIL”). The result is an album that expands their classic sound in exciting ways – but through it all, it’s unmistakably them: O’Connor and Day’s distinctive vocals atop the airtight rhythm section prowess drummer Jake Massucco and bassist Joe Weiss provide. This deep into their career, there’s really nothing that doesn’t sound like Four Year Strong with these four involved.

Hailing from Bristol, UK, Split Chain has rapidly cemented itself as one of the UK’s most electrifying new rock bands. Blending shoegaze textures with the raw energy of hardcore and the anthemic hooks of alternative rock, the band has pioneered a raucous brand of ‘nu-gaze’ that has resonated deeply with fans worldwide. Since forming in 2023, Split Chain has already racked up over 15 million streams, toured alongside their heroes in the UK and USA, and played some of the UK’s most revered festivals, including Download, Outbreak, and 2000 Trees. The five-piece—comprising vocalist Bert Martinez-Cowles, guitarists Oli Bowles and Jake Reid, bassist Tom Davies, and drummer Aaron Black—has built its reputation on authenticity, explosive live performances, and a DIY ethos that remains at the heart of everything they do. Their visceral sound and aesthetic pull influence from a broad spectrum of genres, from pop-punk and grunge to black metal and nu-metal, giving them the unique ability to slot seamlessly onto diverse tour lineups. Whether sharing the stage with hardcore sparks GEL, beloved grunge-gazers Superheaven, post-hardcore legends Thursday or alternative rock stalwarts like Boston Manor, Split Chain thrives in any setting. Their uncompromising vision and undeniable momentum led to their signing with the legendary Epitaph Records, placing them among the ranks of some of their biggest influences. With only a handful of singles out in the world, Split Chain is now gearing up for their highly anticipated debut album, slated for release in July 2025. With a sound that balances aggression and melody, a relentless drive to push boundaries, and a rapidly growing fanbase, Split Chain is not just a band to watch—they’re a band redefining the future of alternative music. With their sights set on global touring in support of their debut album, there’s no limit to how high they can climb. The chain does what it wants—and right now, it’s unstoppable.