Dillinger Escape Plan

The fifth full-length from mathcore giants the Dillinger Escape Plan, One of Us is the Killer is an example of experimental aggressive music under pressure, torqued and compressed until it bubbles over, explodes, bursts into flame. As vicious as they are indefatigable, the Dillinger Escape Plan are known for apocalyptic, acrobatic live performances that often involve vocalist Greg Puciato climbing amps or scaffolding, breathing fire and diving into the arms of the seething, screaming audience. They are able to bottle a great deal of that energy on One of Us is the Killer, an explosive and unpredictable record that often fractures and falls apart, suddenly spraying shrapnel. The Dillinger Escape Plan have made a name for themselves writing music that sounds like part mad science, part chemical warfare, and One of Us is the Killer fits this mould as well, being so uneven and varied as to evoke the carnivalesque. However, it contains more successful experiments than usual, and a few moments of genuine splendour. First single "Prancer" takes itself apart in the middle, breaking down to a fractured mess, and then is expertly reconstructed in a stunning act of musical vivisection. "The Magic That Held You Prisoner" contains a moment of arresting emotional impact, where Puciato shows off his clean singing just as the pace slows and the manic instrumentation becomes sparer. While One of Us is the Killer is replete with the eye-popping guitar work and shattered structures DEP are renowned for, it's these few moments where their commitment to wild alchemy turns up genuine gold that set it apart.