One of Us Is the Killer

Few bands come near the screaming intensity and mathematical complexity of The Dillinger Escape Plan. For this quintet, time signature changes are as natural as breathing and less a point of showing off than a tool to better express a variety of emotions. The band's fifth studio album, One of Us Is the Killer, refines its sound without sacrificing the naked aggression. The title track in particular captures a myriad of moods in its three and a half minutes. The band uses quieter moments to set up grander payoffs for when it hits the pedal to the metal. There's still an end-of-the-world tumble in the post-hardcore speed race of "When I Lost My Bet" and a dark mysticism to the post-grunge harmonies circulating through "Nothing's Funny." It's most interesting to hear familiar setups lead to unexpected results. In the hands of a lesser group, "Paranoid Shields" would be a standard-issue metal riff, but the Plan throws the basic idea several steps beyond to achieve a rewarding stereo-wide axe-battle.