The Dillinger Escape Plan

The Dillinger Escape Plan create maniacally intense, crushingly metallic, and decidedly hardcore punk-infused jazz-time-signature-invoking compositions displaying an unparalleled musical bravery, precision musicianship, meticulously thought-out, and complex structuring, and rigorous physical endurance. The band's guitarists and drummer are regular features in publications geared toward the guitar- and drum-playing set. The depth of extremity and mental challenge presented by their music virtually defies description, at once recalling the mind-wandering spirit of the Mahavishnu Orchestra, the complex heavy metal of latter-day Death, Cynic's solitary death metal achievement, and the progressive hard rock of Rush. Their performances bring to mind the anarchic charge of early Guns N' Roses shows, and the sophistication that drives their craft should awe fans of classy art rock bands like Radiohead. The beginning of the Dillinger Escape Plan can be traced back to a relatively average hardcore band called Arcane, which during its last performance featured vocalist Dimitri Minakakis, guitarists Ben Wienman and Derrick Brantley, drummer Chris Pennie, and then fill-in bassist Adam Doll. The band played two shows with this lineup under the name Dillinger Escape Plan before Brantley exited the group. They next recorded a demo, which a then-new label called Now or Never Records offered to release on CD. New guitarist John Fulton was recruited shortly before the band's first tour. The Dillinger Escape Plan's frenetic, intense, and sometimes violently spastic performances became the talk of the hardcore scene. Relapse Records representatives heard about a particularly engaging performance at Philadelphia's Stalag 13 and went to see them at another PA gig. Soon after, a multi-record...