Dillinger Escape Plan delivers the ultimate punch in the face
While it seems every other hardcore record promises the “aural equivalent of a punch in the face,” the Dillinger Escape Plan may be the only group to actually deserve such an accolade. The band truly shreds through their hybrid of hardcore and metal, leaving behind the charred remains of both styles as they forge into the uncharted territory beyond.
In addition to the blunt force of their “punch,” the DEP employ other weaponry as well. They “stab” with piercing speed-metal leads. Their ultra-precise tempo changes and stylistic shifting keep the listener both completely enveloped and constantly disoriented by the music, unaware of where the next attack will be coming from. With an experimental side that is never meandering and an almost overwhelming force of conviction in every note they play, the DEP make the most complex structures seem unrehearsed and raw.
Combining the immediacy of Lightning Bolt, manic guitar runs that would make buccaneering guitar-slinger Ywngie J. Malmsteem blush, and turn-on-a-dime changes reminiscent of their friends and touring companions, the sadly departed Botch, the DEP are one of the most exciting bands to grace the hardcore scene in the last few years.
Given the harder-rocking conditions of the current musical climate and their association with MTV-sponsored groups like System of a Down, the limit of the DEP’s success depends only on whether they can work around their perennial line-up problems. Since the departure of singer Dimitri Minakakis, the DEP have performed over the past year as an instrumental act with guest vocalists Sean Ingram of Coalesce and ex-Faith No More front man Mike Patton. Having just released an EP with Patton, Irony Is A Dead Scene, on Epitaph records, the DEP have hit the road with a new singer, Greg Puciato. While “Irony” is a well-executed collaboration that is worth hearing, this tour will show whether the band will require time to regain footing or will be able to continue where they left off on their brilliant and completely brutal full-length album, 1999’s Calculating Infinity.
The Dillinger Escape Plan will be at The Crystal Ballroom on Tuesday October 8. The doors open at 8 pm and the show is all ages. Be prepared to pay $16 for all this fun and you can do it in advance from Ticketmaster.
Considering that there has been a line-up change between every previous DEP release, it is safe to predict the latter, that this band will shred like a sketchy executive. The technical focus of the best speed-metal delivered with the raw urgency of hardcore will undoubtedly turn the heads of those more accustomed to middle-of-the-road Queens of the Stone Age. Also on hand for the evening will be the Icarus Line who, amid their spastic flailing, deftly touch on the best elements of hardcore, garage and even classic rock, satisfying fans of Drive Like Jehu and At The Drive-In worldwide.
