Optional Paralysis, the Dillinger Escape Plan’s newest album, which hits stores March 23 (that’s Tuesday), is shaping up to be the loudest and wildest of the band’s now 13-year career. First single “Farewell, Mona Lisa” is a manic five-minute mash of screams and spaghetti-western riffs, and second leaked track “Chinese Whispers” follows suit like someone revving up a rusty, gas-fed chainsaw. It’s starting to sound like 2004’s revelation Miss Machine and the glitch-metal of 2007’s Ire Works were just warm-ups to this new-model DEP. As always, the thriller here is lead singer Guy Puciato’s elastic vocal chords and hellish howl, along with guitarist-programmer Ben Weinman’s touches of ambient digital noise. After this spring’s tour, the band jumps on the Vans Warped Tour for the duration of the summer.
This article appears in Mar 18-24, 2010.