Review Summary: For those looking for experimental metalcore, you may have found your messiah.
The Dillinger Escape Plan are pioneers of the mathcore genre, and one of the most successful mathcore, and metalcore bands, ever. The Dillinger iteration of mathcore is known for it’s metalcore-esque screams, but with much more complexity in terms of rhythm and song structure. It is quite uncommon, I daresay impossible, to find a verse-chorus song within D.E.P.’s discography.
The Dillinger Escape Plan are from Morris Plains, New Jersey, and have been around since 1997. Rising from the ashes of a hardcore punk band known as Arcane, the sound of D.E.P.’s first few albums sounded quite a lot like Converge, a metalcore band from Salem, Massachusetts. But even though D.E.P.’s vocals have always given me a Converge vibe, what distinguishes Dillinger is their use of varied time signature changes, specifically in their drum and guitar work. This comes from Ben Weinman & Bill Rymer’s love for jazz, which utilizes techniques such as cross-times, time signature changes, and complex rhythmic changes. While the idea of fusing jazz and metal may not sound like a good idea, it is this author’s opinion that The Dillinger Escape Plan are as good as Meshuggah with this breed of fusion.
This album compares quite favorably when compared to the previous albums. Even though it lacks the speed and intricacies of their seminal album, “Ire Works,” “One of Us is the Killer” makes up for it with sheer vocal intensity and, more importantly, with diversity. Most of the songs off of “Ire Works” were quite short and meant to deliver fast, punishing hooks. “O.U.K.” opts for a jazzier approach that highlights Dillinger’s influences, while placing more emphasis on the vocal delivery and drumming. There are many distinguishable time-signature changes, varied drum fills, and even a few clean vocals! Some may say the Dillinger’s sound has changed too much, it is clear that it has only grown to encompass their newfound influences.
While the vocals are definitely not for everybody due to sudden pitch shifts and changes in dynamics, this is one of the few metalcore-esque bands I very much enjoy. Within “O.U.K.,” the lyrics seem to be angst-ridden and either directed at a former lover. While the lyrical choice tends to be my main gripe with metalcore bands, the way these particular lyrics are delivered gives off enough rage to make me, the listener, feel reenergized and almost enrage me myself. However, the songs I really enjoy are more introspective, specifically, “Nothing’s Funny” and “Paranoia Shields.” These tracks could be interpreted as the listener’s own feverish, paranoid thoughts, and both of them mix harshness with small clean verses, that allow for the the screams to really shine and simply increase their brute-force impact.
Now, even though metalcore usually isn’t my cup of tea, I do enjoy the majority of these tunes. My favorites off this album are “Prancer,” the title track, “Nothing’s Funny,” and “Crossburner.” “Prancer,” the opener, just starts you off with some of the most intense screams on the record. Greg Puciato’s spit-filled screams really shine on this track and just hype me up, and I’m sure the moshpit would go crazy if it was performed and heard live by Dillinger fans. The title track, “One of Us is the Killer,” has one of the least introductions on the record. What I really like about this track is the prevalence of Greg’s clean vocals, as well as Billy’s very “jazzy” use of the hi-hat. It also starts quite soft and builds to a climax, but, interestingly enough, there is not a single scream on the track. Then, for “Nothing’s Funny,” I really like it’s lyrics, and the idea they try to convey. I interpret the lyrics: “But now I see that the joke’s on me and/Nothing’s ever fun and/Nothing’s funny/Your joke is just my type” as a joke regarding life. I think they could be Greg’s progression in belief from thinking life is a boring, bad joke, to him wanting to live his life and taking it seriously. Finally, “Crossburner” has hands down the heaviest vocals on the album, while giving off a “psychotic” vibe from Greg. This is done by melding whispered vocals with very loud and abrupt screams. The lyrics tell the story of two lovers parting, due to necessity, so not necessarily angsty. They are actually quite poetic, and allow for plenty of intensity, which is why this is my favorite song off of “O.U.K.”
If you’re looking for an exciting album, then look no further than “One of Us is a Killer.” The Dillinger Escape Plan do not intend for everybody to like this album, far from it. But, if you like visceral vocal delivery that still retains some intelligibility and melody, then this will be just right for you. It is not an album for the close-minded, in other words, you will not enjoy this if you can’t appreciate some jazz or metalcore. This is an album for those looking for something new, something innovative, simply, something different. I suggest anybody looking to become a fan of The Dillinger Escape Plan, or interested in the mathcore scene, to listen to this album.
