The Dillinger Escape Plan with Mike Patton - Irony is a Dead Scene
Epitaph - 66582 - 2002
By Paddy Walsh
Although I had really wanted to like The Dillinger Escape Plan's Calculating Infinity album, I was seriously put off by the completely uncharismatic and downright boring vocals of their then-screamer Dmitri. Thankfully he left soon after and DEP hooked up with vocalist extraordinaire Mike Patton (Faith No More, Mr. Bungle, Fantomas, etc). Anyone who is familiar with this man's output will know that he has got one awesome set of lungs on him, and his performance on this four song EP is no exception.
DEP put forth a bewilderingly technical display of noise, all jarring, razor sharp riffs, sudden time signature changes, a penchant for jazz breaks and other oddities. The music here continues in a similar vein to that found on Calculating Infinity, although it is far more refined on this EP, and finds the band experimenting with more dynamics. There are even some fairly melodic bits. I would hasten to say that this is easily the best material they have ever written, awesomely varied and excellently performed. Three of the songs are newies, with the fourth being a cover of Aphex Twin's 'Come to Daddy'. Patton makes a brilliant stab at emulating the schizo vocals found in the original, although the replacing of all the electronics with the basic band set-up perhaps takes away from its menace a bit.
And it is the mighty Patton who steals the show here. He blasts forth with all manner of screeches, whispers, shouts, growls and even some singing. In fact, it is so rare to find the man working within the confines of some actual songs and singing actual lyrics that this is something of a godsend, even if the songs are by no means 'normal'. But then again, neither were Faith No More.
So to conclude, anyone with a fleeting interest in 'Mathcore', 'Noisecore' or whatever the fuck it's called are advised to get this. It's awfully short, and another original instead of that cover would have made it better, but you're sure to find it fairly cheap. Patton completists will of course already have this, and here's hoping the band's new vocalist Greg can do Patton justice on their next album. An impossibly tall order I know, but I live in hope...
8.5/10
The Dillinger Escape Plan Official Website
Epitaph Official Website
Epitaph - 66582 - 2002
By Paddy Walsh
Although I had really wanted to like The Dillinger Escape Plan's Calculating Infinity album, I was seriously put off by the completely uncharismatic and downright boring vocals of their then-screamer Dmitri. Thankfully he left soon after and DEP hooked up with vocalist extraordinaire Mike Patton (Faith No More, Mr. Bungle, Fantomas, etc). Anyone who is familiar with this man's output will know that he has got one awesome set of lungs on him, and his performance on this four song EP is no exception.
DEP put forth a bewilderingly technical display of noise, all jarring, razor sharp riffs, sudden time signature changes, a penchant for jazz breaks and other oddities. The music here continues in a similar vein to that found on Calculating Infinity, although it is far more refined on this EP, and finds the band experimenting with more dynamics. There are even some fairly melodic bits. I would hasten to say that this is easily the best material they have ever written, awesomely varied and excellently performed. Three of the songs are newies, with the fourth being a cover of Aphex Twin's 'Come to Daddy'. Patton makes a brilliant stab at emulating the schizo vocals found in the original, although the replacing of all the electronics with the basic band set-up perhaps takes away from its menace a bit.
And it is the mighty Patton who steals the show here. He blasts forth with all manner of screeches, whispers, shouts, growls and even some singing. In fact, it is so rare to find the man working within the confines of some actual songs and singing actual lyrics that this is something of a godsend, even if the songs are by no means 'normal'. But then again, neither were Faith No More.
So to conclude, anyone with a fleeting interest in 'Mathcore', 'Noisecore' or whatever the fuck it's called are advised to get this. It's awfully short, and another original instead of that cover would have made it better, but you're sure to find it fairly cheap. Patton completists will of course already have this, and here's hoping the band's new vocalist Greg can do Patton justice on their next album. An impossibly tall order I know, but I live in hope...
8.5/10
The Dillinger Escape Plan Official Website
Epitaph Official Website
