The Devil Wears Prada’s Mike Hranica Discusses His Favorite LPs [Vinyl Creep]

It's always refreshing to see bands who get the vinyl experience. Whether it's simply offering their tunes pressed on vinyl for the first time or creating several different options and goodies, it's always easy to spot the bands who appreciate the medium. Metalcore greats The Devil Wears Prada are one such band.

With the recent release of their fifth studio album, '8:18,' The Devil Wears Prada have offered fans several different options when it comes to this effort's vinyl version. From the standard black 180-gram pressing to a few slick colors -- including a dark purple slab that is limited to 150 copies and was only available as a pre-order or the transparent light blue record that fans can only pick up at live shows -- there are a lot of different ways to appreciate and experience '8:18.'

Perhaps the coolest way to enjoy that experience is through the deluxe box set of the album. Pressed on a unique color, described as "Coke Bottle Green," '8:18' is housed in a heavy-duty box that comes complete with five exclusive art prints. The prints are designed by the same man behind the album cover art, Daniel Hojnacki. The artist has a knack for creating creepy, grungy art, and the five prints in the deluxe box set are as powerful as the album cover itself.

From artwork to exclusive colored versions, The Devil Wears Prada have created an entire experience around '8:18.' "Vinyl instantly creates a more physical product," frontman Mike Hranica tells Noisecreep in an exclusive interview. "I know people feel like, 'It's just music, it doesn't need to be physical.' I know for me, it's always been a piece of satisfaction when obtaining bands' materials."

That vinyl experience is nothing new or trendy to the lead singer. "Historically, I think music collectors through the ages all have stories of when he or she got this or that LP in their hands," Hranica says. "So much visual creativity and effort is exerted into the visual identity and packaging to an album, and that's why it's worth pressing music onto vinyl. It's proven timeless."

There are a few records that stand the test of time. "I know that having LPs from acts like Fleetwood Mac, Pat Benatar, David Bowie and Elton John are priceless in regards to having a vinyl collection," Hranica explains. "On those odd mornings when nothing else is suitable to listen to, having those 12-inches are the best. I love that part of my collection."

It's not just about classics for Hranica, though. "I say that Nick Cave's 'Push the Sky Away' is not only 2013's best release, but also the best vinyl release. I was able to get my hands on one of the deluxe packages signed by Nick," he says. "What they did with the lyric notebook, exclusive 7-inch and DVD makes for the coolest vinyl package. When I got it, I had to call people to try and describe how incredible everything was."

Whether or not '8:18' turns into a classic record for collectors, one thing is for certain: The Devil Wears Prada are very proud of this medium and have put significant thought and effort into providing one of the coolest releases of 2013. It doesn't hurt that the album only continues to show the maturing raw power of the band, making it one of the best sounding releases of the year as well.

Mike Hranica's Vinyl Breakdown
Current Favorite Vinyl: Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds – ‘Push the Sky Away’
All-Time Favorite Vinyl: Converge – ‘You Fail Me’

The Devil Wears Prada - '8:18'