The Devil Wears Prada’s Jeremy DePoyster on Classic Metal, Killthrax Tour + More

2017-04-04

Photo by Ken Settle / Story by Anne Erickson

Interview: Jeremy DePoyster of the Devil Wears Prada chats while on the road with Anthrax and Killswitch Engage

The guys of Devil Wears Prada have the reputation for high-energy, killer live performances. In the metal genre, that’s a necessity. At the years go by, the metal bands with the strongest live shows tend to rise to the top, and the Devil Wears Prada is right there.

The band is currently on the road on The Killthrax Tour along with metal legends Anthrax and Killswitch Engage, as well as openers Jasta (featuring Jamey Jasta of Hatebreed) and Code Orange on select dates.

The Devil Wears Prada guitarist Jeremy DePoyster took time time out to talk with Anne about the strength of the metal genre, his favorite classic metal bands and new music.

You guys have this tour with Killswitch Engage and Anthrax. Have you toured with those bands before?

Yes! It’s actually awesome, because we played with Killswitch Engage quite a few years ago, and we love those guys. We met Adam D from that band on that tour, and he ended up producing two of our records. Anthrax, we were on the same stage as them on the Mayham tour in 2014. I think it’s freaking awesome, especially being a metal band and being out with the Anthrax guys from that “Big Four” era, and then Killswitch from the era I grew up on in metal that was my introduction to the genre.

What do you think makes this tour a good fit for metalheads?

It’s funny, because we on paper appear to have very different sub genres within metal—you know, metal loves to break everything up into little things. But I think we all just have these energetic live shows. Jasta and Code Orange, too. I really think all three bands have slamming live, heavy metal shows. Metal is one of those things, whether it’s a band like Metallica or Maiden or whatever, that all has that same kind of energy live, and I think that’s why metal has been able to stay such a massive genre for how obscure it seems like it should be. I feel like a lot of people connect with it. I think that’s the common of bond: that live, aggressive, high-energy kind of show.

The Devil Wears Prada recently released a special, limited edition vinyl edition of your latest album, “Transit Blues.” Why did you want to put this vinyl set out there?

Mike, our singer, is a big fan of collecting. He’s always asking what we can do to be able to put out a vinyl set. It’s a passion for him. I feel like as less people are inclined to buy music, you almost feel the sense of obligation towards the fans that still do purchase it, so we try give them stuff that’s special.

Something I want to ask about is how you guys are a faith-filled band and don’t seem to shy away from being Christian, but you don’t shove it down people’s throats.

Yeah! People ask all the time, “Is it harder to be a Christian metal band and do you get antagonized all the time?” And I’m like, “No, not really.” If anything, we faced more adversity in the beginning from churches that were like, “That’s not how I think.” Me, personally, I think if you are Christian, you’re always going to get that label with most of the things that you do, but I don’t think every single song is rooted in faith. The older you get, you want to write about this or that and there are so many different things, but we still consider ourselves that. We just don’t really think about it as often.

What classic metal bands do you think have really stood the test of time?

Anthrax, Slayer, Metallica, Maiden—those are the ones that come to mind. There are cultural movements happening there. I’ll listen back to some of the stuff with like Sabbath and think, “Man, my whole life would be different if these guys had never written in these kinds of songs.” I wouldn’t be playing in this this type of band let alone maybe any band. Those riffs have defined entire generations of fans, including me.

Is the Devil Wears Prada working on new music at all?

Officially, no, but Kyle our other guitar player has been sending a bunch of stuff over, and I’ve been working on things. We actually do have quite a few concrete ideas. We didn’t mean to—we always mean to take more time off!

Anne Erickson
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Posted by Anne Erickson | Features, Interviews, Metal, Music

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