LIVE FROM THE PIT: The Devil Wears Prada, Novelists, 156/Silence and Oversize
On a night where the entire UK was being rained on, there was nothing better to brighten the mood than some heavy music. THE DEVIL WEARS PRADA came to the UK and Europe off the back of releasing their latest LP Flowers in November 2025.
Southwest England’s biggest vibe OVERSIZE opened the night. Being, self-admittedly, the least heavy band of the tour, they created a warm atmosphere for everyone coming in from the pouring rain. Their 2025 debut album Vital Signs was the focal point of their set – to much enjoyment from the crowd. Relative newcomers to the scene, they have been making waves ever since their formation in 2019, and being brought around the UK and Europe by a band with the stature of THE DEVIL WEARS PRADA shows why they are ones to watch.
156/SILENCE followed to bring the heavy vibes to the night. The Pittsburgh natives released their new album From A Distance not long before the tour began, but even in that short time it has got crowds singing along and moshing in perfect time. A much more intense set than the openers OVERSIZE meant that any last raindrops left were shaken off in the mosh pit. 156/SILENCE are a band that have grown a lot and gone from strength to strength in the eleven years since their inception, and From A Distance is another big chapter for a band that still have a lot to come.
France’s finest NOVELISTS kept the high energy up. 2025’s LP CODA was a huge success, and is a testament to the revitalisation brought to the band when vocalist Camile Contreras joined in 2023. Famous for their huge breakdowns to the intricate guitar solos, NOVELISTS had the whole room captivated from the second they entered the stage, until the second they left. Every member of the band has such a radiant charisma on stage, that it leaves the crowd wishing they could look in five places all at once to see everything. With the recent release of the single Ravage, NOVELISTS are continuing their rise through the scene and are definitely a band to keep on your radar.
THE DEVIL WEARS PRADA are a timeless band, having been around since 2005, they have seen a lot of change. The Ohio icons have flawlessly managed to keep themselves as a mainstay of the scene throughout the past two decades. Coming to Europe and the UK with the hit new record Flowers was always going to excite fans. Starting the set with the opening tracks from Flowers immediately made the floor open up and sent the bodies of moshers flying. A chorus of fans sang every word back from the very first lyric until the very last, so much so that the band let the crowd be the backing vocals during their song For You. With this being the Flowers tour there was a lot of love shown to that album, but the band perfectly balanced the setlist with songs from throughout their career, as a flawless homage to their, so far, twenty-one years together.
The five-piece are known for unapologetically intense songs, however, equally as known for being able to slow it down and let people really connect with the meaning behind the words. Slowing it down for Broken created a feeling of unity in the room. So many people have felt what it’s like to relate too closely to the words of that song and let the music help guide them through it. There were complete strangers coming together as one in understanding, because despite the fact they’ll likely never meet again, in that moment they shared a deep connection.
In between songs, vocalists Mike Hranica and Jeremy DePoyster took the time to thank the fans for the continued support that the UK and Europe have given them since they very first came over from North America, and expressed their hope to return. In a set full of new and old favourites, the band decided to have a bit of fun with their encore by starting with Play The Old Shit from their latest record, before ending the night on Hey John, What’s Your Name Again?, which released nineteen years prior. They really did play the old shit.
THE DEVIL WEARS PRADA have rightfully earned their place in the metalcore hall of fame with the incredible work they’ve consistently been putting in for twenty-one straight years, but they are far from done yet. There is still so much more to come from them, and the future is looking bright for a band that have had such a remarkable history.
Words: Alex Long
Photos: Katerina Stepanikova
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