The Dillinger Escape Plan with Mike Patton - Irony is a Dead Scene (2002)

They thought irony was dead in 2002, but they had no idea that ironic memes were going to rear their ugly heads in the future. Being ironic is ironic in itself!

So sometime after "Calculating Infinity" came out, vocalist Dimitri Minakakis left, and we are somehow in the one specific universe, of an infinite number, where his replacement for one EP was none other than MIKE FUCKING PATTON. THAT IS THE ABSOLUTE DEFINITION OF INSANITY. THIS IS A FUCKING MUSICAL SEIZURE. THIS IS SOME "can you imagine if.." SHIT!! And don't worry, they DESTROY. Even if you had been keeping up with DEP to this point, you have absolutely no damn idea what they're about to throw at you, and it's impossible to prepare.

It's been years, YEARS since I discovered this EP and it still blows my mind that such a thing exists. Vocalist Mike Patton can do a million and one things with his voice, but he hasn't ever been one for using harsh vocals much, so instead of emulating previous vocalist Dimitri Minakakis' vocal style (which would've been a waste anyway, really), he unleashes VOCAL INSANITY all throughout this entire EP. Guitarist Ben Weinman's complicated guitar riffs have finally met their true competition, and they rush at Mike Patton's vocals, ending in a train collision of sound that is going to make you question everything you thought about music. With this release, The Dillinger Escape Plan and Mike Patton team up to fuck up your ears and mind, and succeed.

"Hollywood Squares" immediately punches you in the balls as soon as it begins with its volume that could be summed up by the Latin phrase "loud as shit", and Mike Patton screaming "GAME OVER, YOU WIN!!" which only serves as a fact that YES, YOU WIN BY LIVING IN THE UNIVERSE IN WHICH THIS EP SOMEHOW EXISTS. I WILL NEVER LET UP ON THAT. It ranks up highly in the band's discography as being one of their best and most batshit insane songs, but that's not saying the other tracks in their discography aren't up to par, because if you had EARS and weren't a complete DUMBASS you could listen and find that out for yourself!! Anyway, the song RIPS YOUR ASS OPEN and then gives you a new cyborg ass to help brace yourself for the rest of the EP.

"Pig Latin" is so tense. Between Ben Weinman's eerie guitar playing serving as the gasoline for the musical flamethrower, as the ambience kicks in more and more, with Mike Patton singing softly over it.. Before ripping into the chorus where he's straight-up screaming on your ass like your dad!! Dare I say it, this track is.. CATCHY! I have NO idea what he's screaming in the chorus, but I want him to scream it directly into my ass, which is now a cyborg ass, as previously noted, so it's not as gross as you probably imagined.

"When Good Dogs Do Bad Things" might be the highlight of the entire EP, but it's really hard to tell because it seems like both of the previous songs are coming at it with knives out for the spot. Mike Patton opens the track by yelling "I'M THE BEST YOU'LL EVER HAVE!!" and this is the BEST song to blare on a boombox outside of your ex-girlfriend's house until her new boyfriend beats the shit out of you!! It's got everything: Gibberish, rapid time signature changes, a calm and jazzy drum solo, and generally everything that'd cause your stepdad to say "This is complete garbage" but that's why I FUCKING LOVE IT! Look, if you don't fuck with this song, or hell, ANY of the songs up to this point, I don't fuck with you.

Sure, the last track on the EP, "Come to Daddy", which is a cover of Aphex Twin, is a bit uneventful, especially in comparison to the rest of the songs on the EP, but that's to be expected because you can't just completely smash my head in with mathcore from Hell and then end the EP on a less hectic.. I don't know what the hell you'd even call Aphex Twin, some kind of electronic music, but a less hectic WHATEVER song than the rest!! It's pretty disposable and biodegradable.

All in all, THIS EXISTS, and that's absolutely crazy. Even if you're not a Dillinger Escape Plan fan (more like a Dillinger Escape FAN! Ha! Ho ha he ho!!) and just love Mike Patton, or just want to experience what happens when worlds collide in an attempt to completely annihilate everything you previously thought of as being fast, heavy, or technical, this EP has you covered.. In your neighbor's blood!! Fuck that guy!!

Oh, and here's another reminder: THIS EXISTS.

8/10
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Feel free to check out the song previews/buy this album using my Amazon Associate link!