Dillinger Escape Plan return after 3 years with
a new line up, (now featuring Gil Sharone on drums), guest appearances
by Dimitri Minakakis and Mastodon's Brent Hinds and a sound which
builds on ‘Miss Machines’ diversified tendencies. The
first two tracks plunder the continuously shifting brutalisations
of ‘Calculating Infinity’ with their erratic time changes
and kaleidoscopic noodling. The opener is a particularly frenzied
piece of work with its rousing ‘call-to-arms’ vocals
and Meshuggah-esque motornik soundscapes, whilst the follow up,
‘Lurch’ is equally heavy but is fused within an evil
carnivalesque aesthetic which features some mind-boggling fret-work.
Inevitably, DEP have included a number of Mike-Patton influenced
forays into dark alternative-rock such as ‘Black Bubblegum’,
‘Dead as History’ and ‘Mouth of Ghosts’.
These tracks feature clean(ish), harmonized vocals and dense, atmospheric
instrumentals. DEP manage to create a real identity on these tracks
with catchy vocal hooks, off-kilter melodies, mutant electronica
and unique arrangements. It seems however that DEP prefer to stick
with relatively formulaic structures instead of launching into Mr
Bungle inspired freak-outs and one guesses that it has something
to do with their Major label!!!!!!
‘Sick On A Sunday’ is an ode to the
twisted electronica of Aphex Twin whilst ‘When Acting as a
Particle’ is a woefully short but brilliantly angular piece
of instrumental genius which sees DEP creating their own wonderful
brand of evil instrumental electronica. It thankfully leads into
the frantic and possessed ‘Nong Eye Gong’ which itself
leads into another piece of robotically proficient polyrhythmic
hardcore. ‘Milk Lizard’ (suspiciously) brings to mind
Everytime I Die with its mutated breed of dirty Southern-metalcore
but by bringing in spooky prog-Jazz melodies DEP keep things interesting
before launching into a darkwave alt-pop assult. ‘Horse Hunter’
is another interesting piece which initiates with an initially bludgeoning,
multi-layered piece of progressive post-jazz hardcore, featuring
an intoxicating and atmospheric clean vocal chorus sung over angular,
inside-out melodies.
All in all, ‘Ire Works’ is an immensely
appealing and extremely capable piece of work that brings DEP’s
former glories back to the fore, but within a diversified darkwave-pop
influenced environment. Consistency is assured, production values
are beefy but not overly glossy and there is a real catchy and groovy
edge to this release but that doesn’t mean DEP sell-out. Sure,
some older fans (me included) will be slightly disappointed that
the album is not chock full of the frentic, twisting-and-turning
grind-jazzcore that made them stand-out from their peers, but these
elements have not disappeared. They are alive and kicking but the
context has shifted and therefore these elements have been transformed
and mutated into a more varied and palatable proposition. In its
own right, ‘Ire Works’ is a wonderful yet ever-so-slightly
restrained example of futuristic experimental metal.
For fans of: Meshuggah, Mike Patton, Nine
Inch Nails, Drowningman, Botch
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here to buy Ire
Works
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