The Dillinger Escape Plan - Option Paralysis

Thirteen years on, DEP's current staff bears little resemblance to that original maelstrom of god-baiting vitriol and intimidating technicality. Of the founding fathers, only Ben Weinman remains - accompanied by late-arrival Liam Wilson - and since 1999's Calculating Infinity knocked the bar numerous notches higher for every mathcore group on the circuit, its all gotten subtly but progressively more pedestrian. Certainly replacement vocalist Greg Puciato had big shoes to fill but, whilst his original melodic input seemed a logical progression, incorporating the influence of one-time collaborator Mike Patton, here he frequently strays a little too close to an angry Brandon Boyd (ouch! - ed). Consciously or otherwise, courting mainstream success seems to have turned 18 certificate Dillinger into 15 certificate Dillinger. Option Paralysis is certainly packed with ability and the band still pursues ingenuity but, whether down to the lure of mass appeal or not, DEP are in danger of letting the rest of the musical pack catch up. [Chris Cusack]