THE DEVIL WEARS PRADA Takes On Gun Violence With 'Lock & Load'

On December 2, 2015 in San Bernardino, California, 14 people were killed and 22 seriously injuried in the biggest mass shooting since Sandy Hook elementary school in 2012. Eight days later, THE DEVIL WEARS PRADA‘s Mike Hranica drove from his Chicago home to meet up with guitarist Kyle Sipress in Kansas City to write and demo new material for what would become the band’s new album, “Transit Blues”. Both very much affected by the escalading gun violence the world had been experiencing, they began composing the song “Lock & Load”.

“I’m so nervous about this gun culture song because I was determined not to sound like we’re downplaying our military and the brave men and women that serve us,” Hranica told Metal Hammer. “We’re a liberal lot coming from Chicago where gun violence and murder is unbelievably rampant, so this was inspired by a mass shooting. But there’s been so many that I can’t remember which one. I firmly stand behind this song’s message — common sense and background checks.”

Check out more of what Hranica has to say in the clip below.

“Transit Blues” was released on October 7 via Rise Records.

The band retreated to both Watertown, Wisconsin and Sawyer, Michigan last winter to write “Transit Blues”, for the first time living and creating in a shared, full-time space. They re-teamed with “Space” producer Dan Korneff (PIERCE THE VEIL, MOTIONLESS IN WHITE) in the spring of 2016 to record the 11-track effort. Overall, the album reflects themes of transition, separation, and mourning.

Speaking about the direction of “Transit Blues”, Hranica told Clrvynt: “When I hear older PRADA recordings and such, this super-clean Auto-Tune bullshit kicks in, and I kind of quiver. Like, ‘Why is that there? What’s the point?’

“With 2009’s ‘Roots Above And Branches Below’ is where I started writing ‘choruses’ with all screaming because I liked that in heavier music, and then on ‘Space’, the singing came out of left field.

“Hopefully with ‘Transit Blues’, it’s a bit more where it’s this element that’s very organic, as opposed to, ‘Here’s the pop chorus, ta-da.'”

THE DEVIL WEARS PRADA kicks off the European Leg of its global tour in support of “Transit Blues” on November 17 in Belgium.