Plagues

Released in 2007, Plagues is the sophomore effort from Ohio's The Devil Wears Prada and remains a cornerstone of the 'Myspace-core' movement. Produced by Joey Sturgis, the album helped establish his signature production style: a punchy, highly compressed sound with triggered drums and crystal-clear synth layers that would dominate the genre for the next decade. While their debut was a more straightforward metalcore affair, Plagues introduced a sophisticated use of keys and more complex song structures, moving the band toward the atmospheric heights of their later work. The album is notable for its absurdist song titles (e.g., 'HTML Rulez d00d'), which contrasted sharply with the serious, often spiritually-inclined lyrical themes. It was a commercial breakthrough for the band and Rise Records, peaking at #57 on the Billboard 200 and solidifying the band's position as leaders of the new wave of American metalcore.