topofsm An introduction to insanity, so to speak, Irony is a Dead Scene is one of the most well known and well praised EPs in the mathcore/hardcore scenes, as well as fans of avant-garde due to Mike Patton's presence on the release. This is far from an easy listening, as there is scarcely a melody to hold on to, and abrasive riffs and shifting rhythms make the listen all the more uncomfortable. But comfort isn't the point of DEP or Patton, is it?

The opener, "Hollywood Squares" is completely off the wall and begins with a bang, and the rest of the EP doesn't let up from their. The first track also has some notable humor sections in it, which will not be revealed from this review.

The next two tracks are not quite as good but still interesting. "Pig Latin" begins with a haunting intro, the only thing on the EP that can accurately be called soft. Unfortunately for anyone hoping it was the same, it reverts back to the same shifting insanity DEP is known for. "When Good Dogs go Bad" starts off at it's most atonal, the most dissonant. The track will certainly scare off any listeners who were uncertain before, but the last couple of minute contain a very driving, almost emotional, haunting groove, certainly one of the more memorable bits of the band you'll ever get.

The final track on the EP, a treat, is a cover of Aphex Twin's "Come to Daddy". Somehow the distorted core guitar is the perfect match for what originally was buzzing electronic madness. The rest of the instruments complement it perfectly, and Mike Patton's voice, although not distorted, becomes just as creepy as Richard James' layered vocals. A well made tribute to another respectable artist from a different genre.

All in all, while not a masterpiece, Irony is a Dead Scene is worthy to be in any modern CD collection. It's a shame that Patton couldn't continue with the band, as they hit some great chemistry on these four songs.

Stooge This is a rather interesting collaborative EP between Mike Patton and The Dillinger Escape Plan. It was completed before DEP had hired Greg Puciato as vocalist. I don’t believe there were plans for Patton to permanently join DEP, but after listening to Irony Is A Dead Scene, there is no doubting that the musical chemistry was there for such a situation to work.

“Hollywood Squares” has that off-the-wall madness that Patton fans are used to mixed with the catchy choruses that DEP would further explore with Puciato as their vocalist.

“Pig Latin” definitely reminds me in places of California-era Mr. Bungle. Probably my favorite song on the EP. It’s oddly catchy with Patton’s choppy vocal delivery, pounding percussion, and effective use of sampling.

“When Good Dogs Do Bad Things”, the longest track at nearly 6 minutes, is probably the least accessible track on the EP. I like the eerie atmosphere created mid-song with Patton’s vocal delivery and atmospheric guitar playing. Chris Pennie’s drumming impresses me on this track, jumping all over the board from punk, metal, to jazzy styles.

“Come To Daddy” is the only track not penned by Patton or DEP. It actually reminds me of a leftover off of Disco Volante, which is a good thing. The song was originally performed by Aphex Twin, and I’m now certainly curious to hear the original.

I think this is an excellent release by The Dillinger Escape Plan, but do not consider it essential listening. If you’re big into more avant-garde styles of music, you’ll want this in your collection. It’s also a good starting point to get an idea of what Mike Patton or The Dillinger Escape Plan are all about in one shot.