The Dillinger Escape Plan
The Dillinger Escape Plan | |
|---|---|
| Background information | |
| Years active | 1998 - present |
| Members | Brian Benoit Chris Pennie Greg Puciato Ben Weinman Liam Wilson |
The Dillinger Escape Plan is a mathcore band that integrates metalcore with jazz/fusion elements. They are known for the intensity and too-close-for-comfort violence of their live shows, and are rumored to choose their music's time signatures with the aid of dice, or with the use of some kind of code. Their name refers to outlaw John Dillinger, given their use of samples relating to him in their early live shows. They have been dubbed by NME as "The Worlds Most Dangerous Band" and Kerrang! as "The Best Live Band on the Planet."
Current band members
- Greg Puciato - vocals
- Ben Weinman - guitar
- Brian Benoit - guitar
- due to Brian's injury, James Love filled in during live shows from late 2004 through 2005
- due to injury, resulting in partial paralasis Adam Doll, bass, was forced to leave the band after completion of 2002's Irony is a Dead Scene EP
- Liam Wilson - bass
- Chris Pennie - drums
History
The band's beginnings can be traced back to a hardcore band by the name of Arcane. Arcane's lineup during their final performance included vocalist Dimitri Minakakis, Ben Weinman and Derek Brantley on guitars, drummer Chris Pennie, and Adam Doll filling in on bass. They performed twice with this lineup as Dillinger Escape Plan before Brantley left the group. Managed by longtime friend and whale hunter Tom Apostolopoulos, the band recorded a demo which Now or Never Records offered to release on CD. John Fulton joined the band, filling the vacancy left by Derek Brantley, shortly before the band's first tour. Dillinger Escape Plan gained notoriety in the hardcore scene for the intensity of their performances, and It was this notoriety that garnered the attention of Relapse Records representatives, who attended one of the band's shows in Pennsylvania, which ultimately resulted in the signing of a multi-record deal. Fulton played on Under the Running Board, their debut EP on Relapse, before he left the band in 1998.
The three-song release served to bolster anticipation for their 1999 full-length release, Calculating Infinity. Before the recording of Calculating Infinity, bassist Adam Doll was involved in a car accident that left him paralyzed from the chest down. The accident was a minor fender bender, but because Doll had leant over to pick up a CD beneath the stereo, the accident caused a small fracture in his spine, inducing paralysis. Guitarist Weinman played both guitar and bass on the album, though Minakakis credited Doll as providing a great deal of help. Brian Benoit then asked to try out for the band after touring along side Dillinger with his previous band Jesuit, taking the place of the departed John Fulton. Calculating Infinity was met with great acclaim from both the underground and mainstream press, and even drew the attention of former Faith No More vocalist Mike Patton, who asked Dillinger Escape Plan to tour with his band Mr. Bungle. Jeff Wood, former M.O.D. bassist, joined the band on tour. The band agreed to tour with Mr. Bungle, and continued on a series of shows back and forth across the United States with Candiria. Over time, their shows incorporated samples, a light show, fireworks, and even a fire breather. After several months of touring, including appearances on the Warped Tour and March Metal Meltdown, the band and Wood parted ways, with Wood moving on to his own project, Shat. Liam Wilson, former Starkweather bassist, took his place.
In 2000, Now or Never Records rereleased the band's self-titled album with added bonus tracks, and the band parted ways with Minakakis. After playing a few shows without a vocalist, and reuniting with Minakakis for a couple of final shows, they began a nationwide search for a replacement via their website, releasing an instrumental version of "43% Burnt" from Calculating Infinity and inviting prospective singers to record their own vocals and submit them to the band. While the search was underway they also recorded two songs for a Black Flag tribute, and an EP of material for which Mike Patton agreed to provide vocals. The band played Krazy Fest in Louisville, Kentucky, where Sean Ingram of Coalesce filled in as singer.
In late 2001, Dillinger Escape Plan met with Greg Puciato, one of many would-be vocalists who had submitted a recording to the band, a version of "43% Burnt" in the style of the recording on Calculating Infinity, plus the same song recorded with Puciato's own spin on the song, different to the traditional Dillinger version. They were greatly impressed with his submission, wide vocal range, and intimidating presence. After two practice sessions, the band offered him the job, which he accepted. He first appeared with the band at the 2001 CMJ Music Festival in New York City.
Irony is a Dead Scene
In March 2002 the band announced they would be releasing Irony is a Dead Scene, the EP for which Mike Patton provided vocals (despite Puciato being recruited several months earlier), on Epitaph Records. Irony was also the recorded debut of new bassist, Liam Wilson. Ex-bassist Adam Doll also appeared on the EP, playing some keyboards and samples, and marks his last appearance with the band. It was released on August 27, 2002, and, among others, contained a cover song of IDM artist Aphex Twin's "Come To Daddy".
Miss Machine
In 2003, the band appeared on the soundtrack for Underworld with the song "Baby's First Coffin", their first original song with Greg Puciato on vocals.
Miss Machine, the band's first full-length album with Puciato, was released in the United States on Relapse Records on July 20, 2004, and was released in the rest of the world on August 2, 2004.
In early 2005, Puciato revealed in an interview that the band's new deal with Relapse was for 2 albums (which includes Miss Machine) and 2 DVDs (which do not include the bonus DVD from Miss Machine). In an October, 2005 interview, Puciato mentioned that the first DVD is in development and expressed a desire for the second to be "something you can sit down and watch from beginning to end" similar to Metallica's "A Year and a Half in the Life of Metallica" and not simply live clips.
The band toured constantly throughout 2005, joining the Vans Warped Tour and Dave Mustaine's Gigantour. Dillinger received a poor reception from Gigantour audiences, the majority of whom were attending to see the more traditional metal bands on the tour (Megadeth, Dream Theater etc.) Eventually, the band were forced to drop out of the tour slightly early due to an injury to guitarist Weinman's rotator cuff, despite the best efforts of the bands touring masseur, Jason Hamacher (of Frodus Conglomerate International).
As of December, 2005, The Dillinger Escape Plan are rehearsing new material for a new album, which is expected in the second half of 2006. Puciato has mentioned "The new album is gonna be ridiculous. I can promise you that. Chris and Ben have been writing shit they can hardly even play and then practicing it until it's blazing fast." [1]
Discography
| Release Date | Title | Label | Other Information |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1997 | The Dillinger Escape Plan | Now or Never | |
| October 22, 1998 | Under the Running Board | Relapse | EP |
| 1998 | Split with Nora | Ferret Records | EP |
| 1999 | Split with Drowningman | Hydra Head Records | EP Band performs Jim Fear |
| September 28, 1999 | Calculating Infinity | Relapse | |
| June 13, 2000 | The Dillinger Escape Plan | Now or Never | Reissue |
| August 27, 2002 | Irony is a Dead Scene | Epitaph | EP with Mike Patton of Faith No More |
| January 3, 2003 | Live Infinity | Relapse | 7" Vinyl EP |
| July 20, 2004 | Miss Machine | Relapse |