The Dillinger Escape Plan
Miss Machine
Relapse Records

Yes, I realize this album is over a year old, but I felt compelled to find out what all the hype surrounding this band is all about. First thing. I’m confused; what the hell did I just hear? Was it grindcore? Well sort of. Was it jazz? I guess, for brief moments. Was it rock? There was an occasional catchy chorus. Other styles like death metal, circus music (no shit!), and industrial complete the smorgasbord of mayhem.
Dillinger Escape Plan crosses so many genres in such a brief time that any attempt to categorize them will leave you frustrated. Their songs play out like a bipolar episode; one moment they can be as soft and compassionate as Mr. Rogers, and in the next instant bite your ear off like Mike Tyson! They choose blunt force over anything resembling subtlety. D.E.P. are to subtlety what Motley Crue is to sobriety!

The execution on Miss Machine borders on unbelievable. These guys are seriously talented. It’s amazing to think that Dillinger Escape Plan perform these songs live. How they are able to remember the time changes and abrupt tempo shifts is beyond me. It would, however, be interesting to go to one of their shows. I can’t see how people would mosh to this, as there is nothing even remotely resembling a consistent tempo. You’d be hard pressed to headbang to Miss Machine.
I’m having a difficult time buying into the whole “look how good we are at so many different styles” approach to songwriting. It just sounds like a riff collage to me. Maybe I’m not “sophisticated” enough to understand what Dillinger Escape Plan are saying. Maybe I’m a little behind the times, too “old school” to get it. Maybe, because of years of huffing Aurolac, I’m just not “sharp” enough to quickly process information. Whatever the case may be, I’m still utterly confused. - Andrew Andermatt