The Dillinger Escape Plan (with Mike Patton) - Irony is a Dead Scene
Record Label: Epitaph Records
Release Date: August 27, 2002
For those of you out of the loop, Mike Patton may be the most insanely talented vocalist in music. His works with Faith No More and Mr. Bungle have taken influences from styles as diverse as surfer pop and Italian avant-garde, and often placed them in the same stanza. Any project the man touches is sure to captivate listeners in one way or another, whether it is via awe or confusion. The sheer idea of a collaboration between Patton and The Dillinger Escape Plan, a band renowned for their unique blend of jazz and technical metal, is enough to conjure up images of some of the most vicious, unapologetically experimental music ever released.
Thankfully, Irony is a Dead Scene does not disappoint.
The EP comes in at just under 18 minutes, and offers the listener no time whatsoever to get acquainted with the unique style on it. The opening track, entitled "Hollywood Squares," explodes with the same power that all Dillinger Escape Plan albums begin with, but adding the surreal vocal stylings that Patton has become notorious for. The first minute of the song shows Patton transitioning from a haunting, menacing growl to a deafening shriek with seemingly no effort whatsoever. Similarly, "When Good Dogs Do Bad Things" has him serenading the listener in a disturbing falsetto voice during the middle section before displaying what is easily the most powerful, terrifying shriek ever put on record. Calling the vocals on this song "demonic" would be an understatement. Anyone who doubts Patton's talent will be silenced after hearing him deliver the words to "When Good Dogs Do Bad Things" in a voice that no other frontman could ever dream of imitating.
The instrumentals on the EP are sure to knock any music fan on his or her ass as well. As to be expected from The Dillinger Escape Plan, the time signature shifts and unreal guitar patterns on Irony is a Dead Scene are unmatched by any band in hardcore or any other genre. Even when the band isn't managing to be particularly technical, such as on "Pig Latin" or the bridge of "Hollywood Squares," they present an extremely smooth, coherent sound pleasing to the ears. Whether this smoothness is acting as a contrast to more aggressive sections of the music or just in there for its own sake, it certainly shows a diversity present in the band that it would expand on with the release of 2004's Miss Machine.
While current Dillinger Escape Plan frontman Greg Puciato is extremely talented in his own right, neither he nor any other frontman can compare to Mike Patton, and this EP shows why. The vocals delivered on Irony is a Dead Scene are nothing short of perfect. The only downside to this collaboration is that it didn't last beyond a single brief release. Still, this EP will surely go down as a career highlight for both artists, and a model of experimental music for many years to come.
The thing that really brings this album down is the haphazard cover of Aphex Twin's "Come To Daddy". The first 3 tracks are exceptional, but he fails to deliver on the 4th. It's still an outstanding EP, but I would say it's more deserving of about an 8/10.
The thing that really brings this album down is the haphazard cover of Aphex Twin's "Come To Daddy". The first 3 tracks are exceptional, but he fails to deliver on the 4th. It's still an outstanding EP, but I would say it's more deserving of about an 8/10.
Its definitely the weakest track of the four, but I wouldn't say that it "fails to deliver." Its alright. The other three more than make up for it though.
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