The Dillinger Escape Plan: Miss Machine : Music Reviews : Rolling Stone

Album Reviews

In this day and age, is it possible for a band to be too heavy? New Jersey noise-mongers Dillinger Escape Plan certainly don't think so, as proven by the bludgeoning Miss Machine. Five long years have passed since their last full-length, during which time an EP collaboration with Mike Patton appeared, and a frontman switch occurred (Dimitri Minakakis was given the heave-ho in favor of newcomer Greg Puciato). But neither delay nor lineup hiccup has dulled the quintet's attack -- such freak outs as "Panasonic Youth" and "Van Damsel" are as brutal as ever -- while the surprisingly melodic detour "Unretrofied" could easily be digested by the TRL set. Dillinger get props for trying to push the sonic boundaries of the heavy metal landscape, but ultimately, unless you're trying to drive a third world dictator out of his barricaded palace, you'll be hard pressed to listen to Miss Machine in its entirety.