The Dillinger Escape Plan.

If The Dillinger Escape Plan and Converge were to engage in a grudge match to prove their worth and possibly win a prize, The Dillinger Escape Plan would most likely win for their versatility and willingness to branch out their distinctive musical style.

That's probably a key element you'll find within the back catalogue of The Dillinger Escape Plan: versatility. Listen to their older albums then the latest, Ire Works, to get a fair idea of such a trait. It's very evident that this band is not afraid to add things to create a new feel in their music and still sound kickass. They include trumpets even!

First time I ever heard this band was like a swift kick in the face. The song was Panasonic Youth and I was attempting to expand my music collection to beyond fairly generic sounding hardcore/metal. I can tell you now, I thought it was a catastrophic attempt at music, until I actually listened to more songs.

Digging down into their back catalogue, you'll find the fantastic Setting Fire To Sleeping Giants. Just because bands like Fall Out Boy and Panic At The Disco exploded onto the scene with song titles that use wit and lengthiness, doesn't mean every band who does that is going to whinge about trivial issues. Plus that title alone could be a metaphor for a plethora of things if you actually bother to think it through...

Songs like Unretrofied would help prove their fearlessness when it comes to writing songs that aren't full of eardrum bursting drums and guitars. It's amazing. The video clip is even pretty cool, it fits the song, which is just great. A distinct lack of screaming could possibly even win over somebody who has an aversion to excess screams. Maybe, I won't guarantee anything.

And for those of you who like variety in their Dillinger Escape Plan, or just like variety in that entire genre, BUY IRE WORKS! I cannot stress that enough. If you're a trendoid fan who immediately dislikes any change a band puts into their music because it's the cool thing to do, close this window and go hump a chainsaw; now. Everybody else can pay attention.
Fix Your Face is the standard sounding DEP you'd expect that opens the cd, and just because you can tell it's DEP doesn't make it bad. It's not until the third track, Black Bubblegum when you notice a slower tempo and a bit of a change. It works, it really does. It has a great chorus, which is always a winner. It's funky in the best way possible, and even slightly sexy.

But it gets even better. Totally disregard the rest of the cd and listen to Milk Lizard first. Or don't, and play the cd from beginning to end so that you can be in awe when Milk Lizard starts playing. This is where you'll find the trumpets hiding, trumpets which suspiciously sound like music you'd find lurking within the theme songs for cheesy 70s superhero shows. It's wonderful! It, again, works really well, and makes for one ripping good song. Fuck the rest of the cd; Milk Lizard is really where it's at.

Fans of Converge should listen to them, but in saying that they probably already have. Kudos to you.