ALBUMS WE WISH HAD MADE THE LIST (BUT WEREN’T REALLY ELIGIBLE): THE DILLINGER ESCAPE PLAN – CALCULATING INFINITY
Tuesday, July 14th, 2009 at 4:00pm by MetalSucksSPECIAL GUEST BLOGGER AMY SCIARRETTO OF ROADRUNNER RECORDS AND NOISECREEP
The Dillinger Escape Plan, Calculating Infinity (Relapse, 1999)
Dimitri Minakakis – Vocals
Ben Weinman – Guitars
Brian Benoit – Guitars
Adam Doll – Bass
Chris Pennie – Drums
Produced by Steve Evetts, Ben Weinman and Chris Pennie
The Dillinger Escape Plan’s Calculating Infinity came out in September 1999, but despite the calendar year of its release, it still went on to impart some sort of influence – large in some cases, smaller and less obvious in others – on much of the metal that came after it in the ‘00s, which is why I kept “playfully” complaining to the MetalSucks head honchos about their strict rules on the sphere of influence being relegated to the ‘00 decade. Yes, I understand that rules are made for a reason, but this album sorta deserves to break them.
So many bands that sent me CDs/albums in the ‘00s were brutal and technical, and to me, I heard bands that listened to songs like “Sugar Coated Sour” and “43% Burnt.” Not exact copies by any means, but there was some sort of connection there.
I feel that Poison the Well, Shai Hulud and Converge were also the bands that a lot of newer metal bands tried to sound like in the ‘00s. I just think that this particular release was the one that made Dillinger so revered by the metal underground, and obviously,
those listening to metal.
-Amy Sciarretto
ALBUMS WE WISH HAD MADE THE LIST (BUT WEREN’T REALLY ELIGIBLE): SLAYER – REIGN IN BLOOD
bahahah showed them.
lolz
Nah, guys, Slayer is the roots of true metal.
pretty neat-o record…very skronky.
Hooray for Dillinger! Who cares what century it was recorded in. Miss Machine deserved to be on the list too.
missmachine=false.
anything after infinity = boo hoo
Durka! Durka! You dudes forgot about SIKTH’s albums. Durka! Shred!
best user name on this site
If we’re breaking the ’21st Century’ rule, there are tons of albums that should be on here … this being one of them, of course.
hahah nancy botwin…what a great name…
I think i’ll make mine…shane botwin…or DOUG!
Wow, what an underwhelmingly short and pointless write up. No comment on the actual music itself whatsoever? Really, this is stupid.
I’m forced to agree with you here, Ziltoid. The entirety of the review can be summarized as “A lot of metal records that were released from 2000 on sound, to me, like Dillinger Escape Plan.”
Seriously, Amy, give us an idea of what you like about this album, or some insight as to WHY it was supposedly so influential. I own it, I have my own opinions, but I’d like to hear yours…
its not supposed to be a fucking review or an analyzed look at the album its just throwing another album out there…seriously Ziltoid must you shit talk EVERYTHING?
I never called it a review, but even for what it is, it’s underwhelming. I read all of the write ups with all of the 21 albums and the “we wish they made it” albums, and while I’ve disagreed with a majority of them, at least some of them had substance. This is just silly.
you know for once i have to agree with Ziltoid here. And Zosimus basically nailed it in one sentance. I’ve been exposed to some really good shit since i started following this site and i didn’t start listening to gojira or BTBAM because of a cookie-cutter “theyre good and influenced metal” write-up. details!!! tell me about the songs, tell me about the overal musical direction, tell me about drum patterns or basslines or instantly recognizable guitar riffs (DEEDILY DEEDILY DOO, DEEDILY DEEDILY DOO lol) or even production for fucks sake but tell me something!!
Am I the only one who liked the stuff with Greg better?
no
I like this album, but I really got into them with Miss Machine. Irony Is A Dead Scene is absolutely stunning. It’d be awesome if they collaborated with Mike Patton again.
Not at all, I far prefer Greg’s stuff. Though perhaps that’s because I heard it first.
+1
Nope. Dimitri is incredibly overrated; you’d think the dude invented fire based on what some critics and fans say about his vocals. He is about as average a screamer as they come…not great, not awful. I think Puciato went a little overboard with the Patton influenced vocals (especially on Miss Machine), but overall, he has some range and skill.
If you’re adding kick ass metallic hardcore albums from 99, you MUST add Coalesce-0:12 Revolution in just listening and Botch-we are the romans…just sayin.
I’m calculating that you will wait until infinity to review JFAC and BOO’s new album
fuckin right, awesome album
talk about it more though….
Ire Works is a better record.
Yawn… DEP never did anything for me…
yeah this is their best album by far- chris benoit is cool and shit but lacks the ferocity that dmitri brought to the table.
Ire works, miss machine both pale in comparison, this was a defining record for me… this plus candiria both got me into metal that wasn’t radio-friendly
fuck the rules this deserves a place on the list FO SHO
chris benoit…what are you talking about? Dead wrestlers?
lol.
uhhh…you thinking of the wrestler?
Brian Benoit played guitar in Dillinger during the Calculating era.
Chis Penie was their drummer.
Dimitri was replaced by Greg Puciato
Far be it from me to comment on the intent of other posters but perhaps he was making an humorous comparison between Puciato and Benoit, both of whom seem to be missing necks.
I’d say that if Calculating Infinity were “eligible” it would have to be in the top five records on the list, based on the influence the album had on other heavy acts alone.
Speaking of PTW, I would have liked to seen “The Opposite of December” on the list
Dillinger rules. Period.
It’s amazing what passes for metal these days, the small amount of material I have heard from this band sounds like garbled noise to me.
Haha totally! Not like grindcore or tech death or oh wait your opinion is bullshit.
Garbled Noise! Classic. I couldn’t agree more.
bought the cd when it came out listened to it like 5 times since then…its pretty lame dont understand all the hype.Cant believe slipknot didnt make list at all.Not that im a huge fan but they never get any respect.
Are you high?
Slipknot deserves zero respect.
and yet they still made the list.
http://www.metalsucks.net/2009/06/08/21-slipknot-vol-3-the-subliminal-verses/#more-15810
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Reading_comprehension
Holy shit Calculating Infinity I remember hearing this the first time and thinking “what a mindfuck of a record”. Sadly better than all that DEP released afterwards (stop trying to be Faith No More goddamit!!).