The Dillinger Escape Plan – “Option Paralysis”
Dillinger Escape Plan have always been the masters of their craft, the ones who pretty much own the genre that they are in. When a metal band comes out with rhythms you can’t really understand, when the time signatures change before you can even tell what they are, or when it’s just pure chaos, the crowd usually yells back something along the lines of, “Dillinger does it better!” They’ve been around since 1997, originating from a hardcore punk band in Jersey, with only one original member left. Through their years they have become one of the largest and most respected names in the metal industry, as they continue to grow and perfect what you didn’t think could get any more perfect.
This album is a perfect example of their growth over the years. For the fans starting to grow tired of their push into the digital realm, this album will certainly regain their trust. Comparatively, there are few moments of digital additions, with the other 95% of the album being physical, pure, and mind-blowing. The highlight of the album also comes as the best example of their growth. The track, “Widower,” showcases their talents as songwriters, as it pushes their limits by having them successfully take a step back from the chaos and compose something beautiful. The debut single, “Farewell, Mona Lisa,” starts the album and gives you a great idea of what follows. Though the video kinda sucks (sorry, guys, but the video seems cheaply made and poorly put together), the song is a perfect, up-to-date representation of the band’s style and production. It encompasses their chaotic behavior, their ability to change styles fluently and appropriately, as well as their suck you into a bridge and then slam you right back into a distorted frenzy. I am completely serious when I say that this album may just be remembered as their greatest. From a production standpoint, it’s near perfect. This is how metal albums should sound. This is the first album of 2010 to get my 5 out of 5 rating.
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