“If this is what The Devil Wears Prada and their peers are capable of in 2025, the future of metalcore is in very safe hands.“
Words & photos by Felix Bartlett | Feb 21, 2025
And so to the coronation. This Thursday night at a sold-out O2 Academy Islington, The Devil Wears Prada proved why they’re one of metalcore’s most enduring and electrifying acts. Seeing the crew at the top of their game, they delivered a setlist that lived up to the tour’s “Eternal” title , spanning their entire 20-plus-year career. Add to that an absolutely stacked lineup featuring some of the biggest and most game-changing bands in the scene right now – Kingdom of Giants, Ocean Grove, and SENNA – and you had a show that not only delivered but set the stage for bigger and bolder things to come from everyone on that stage tonight.
Kicking things off was SENNA, a band who, despite their early slot, played with the confidence and ferocity of a headliner. Opening with the atmospheric Lavender, they immediately set the tone for their set. With an album due for release later this year, this was a chance to catch the Vienna crew giving us a taste of what’s to come.
New tracks like Drunk Dial Anthem (unreleased) and Rain showcased why this is a band that shouldn’t be slept on. Their ability to blend metalcore’s raw intensity with emo’s emotional depth creates tracks unlike most I’ve heard in a while, delivering a truly sensational experience and revealing a softer, more emotionally charged side of the band.
That’s not to say this was a mellow set—far from it. Their absolute banger ‘Rosehip‘, from their debut EP, always felt like it was tailored for the live stage and tonight that was proven to be so, providing an emotional yet equally heavy end to their performance that shook the walls, winning over fans in the crowd.
SENNA didn’t just warm up the audience—they set the tone for the night, leaving an indelible impression that I’m sure had many attendees tonight diving into the band’s discography the moment they got home.
Stepping in at the last minute for SeeYouSpaceCowboy, Ocean Grove didn’t just fill a slot—they took total control. These Aussie powerhouses unleashed a musical rollercoaster, seamlessly blending influences from Thornhill, Does It Offend You Yeah, and Grand Theft Audio. Their set was a dynamic cocktail of infectious, danceable tunes, sugary clean vocals, and anthemic gang choruses, channeling the electrifying spirit of late ’90s electro-rock metal. The overall vibe had me thinking this is what would have happened if Fred Durst ended up on Aussie shores Throught the set the band shifted effortlessly between bright, upbeat moments and crushingly heavy guitar riffs, keeping the crowd locked in and the energy sky-high.
A theatrical twist mid-set saw the bass player swapping his instrument for the mic, stepping into the spotlight while the singer took over bass duties. As he surged to the front barrier, hyping the crowd with raw charisma, he won over the punters in seconds. From the anthemic opener ‘Raindrop’ to the chaos-inducing ‘Thousand Golden People’ (complete with a wall of death), Ocean Grove played like headliners, closing their set in a whirlwind of Aussie eccentricity, a wild mullet, and a finale that sent the room into a frenzy.
Then came Kingdom of Giants, and if you thought the energy couldn’t get any higher, think again. From the moment they took the stage with ‘Night Shift,’ they commanded the room with a presence that was both colossal and precise. Tracks like ‘Wasted Space,’ ‘Blue Dream,’ and ‘Wayfinder’ were delivered with a ferocity that had the crowd surging, crowdsurfers flying, and the ceiling literally dripping from the heat. Kingdom of Giants didn’t just warm up the crowd – they pushed it to its limits, leaving everyone breathless and exhilarated.
And then, The Devil Wears Prada took the stage. How do you follow three incredible support acts? By delivering a headline set that felt like a masterclass in metalcore performance, of course. From the opening notes of ‘Mammoth,’ it was clear this was going to be something special. True to its name, the “Eternal” tour lived up to its promise, offering a night that felt like a reflection on the band’s journey, with no era left unturned. It’s rare to find a band that can still deliver the raw, visceral energy of their early work, but TDWP are the exception. It’s hard to imagine the calm presence of Mike Hranica unleashing such gut-wrenching vocals on tracks like ‘Danger: Wildman’ and their latest offering, ‘Ritual.’ Their stunning cover of ‘Reasons,’ released last year, further cemented the band’s talent in delivering hard-hitting punches and softer, slower tracks.
Walls of death, circle pits, crowdsurfing, tongiht the audience was in the palm of TDWP’s hands with guitarist/vocalist Jeremy even asking the crowd to buy him drinks as the band powered through 2022’s banger of a track ‘Salt’. The final trio of ‘Chemical,’ ‘Sacrifice,’ and ‘Hey John, What’s Your Name Again?’ brought the house down, leaving the crowd drenched in sweat and grinning from ear to ear.
This was a night that felt like a time capsule of metalcore’s past, present, and future, with every band excelling in their delivery and showcasing the ever-evolving scene we’ve grown up thriving on. If this is what The Devil Wears Prada and their peers are capable of in 2025, the future of metalcore is in very safe hands.
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