As anyone familiar with the band knows by now, there is a lot to be said about Dillinger Escape Plan not just musically, but also in their ethos and approach to being a band. Torrents of column inches have been dedicated to their impending demise and the deluge will no doubt continue long after, but if you’ve heard their latest record or seen them live, it’s altogether unsurprising that they have chosen to end things on their own terms. Not because they've ran out of ideas - they're just as incendiary, captivating and straight up as mental as ever - but because everything up until this point has been thoroughly thought through.
In my research prior to this conversation, Ben said in another interview that Dillinger put more thought into ten seconds worth of music than most bands do for whole albums (I would link it but when I research using old interviews they all just seem to coagulate into one big heap of words, so I’ve forgotten the source. Sorry). It is this calculated approach, compositionally and artistically, which has defined DEP’s music since the beginning. So with this knowledge in mind, it’s perhaps much easier to understand why the band decided to come to a controlled stop – if everything is laboured over for maximum effect, then it’s fitting that should the book be closed with just as much precision.
This is the second time I’ve spoken to Ben. The first, as regular listeners may recall, was back in 2015 at Hevy fest. It was the briefest of brief conversations. This is twice as long (and then some), but it’s still quite short. Being in the thick of it, doing an interview back stage, is one of the coolest things, but it does mean you’re often pushed for time. Which is a shame, particularly in this case cause I didn’t even get around to asking Ben any of the questions I had written down. We could’ve sat for another 20 minute, that’s how easy the conversation flowed.
It was also cool that he recognised me. I never expected that to happen. I never expect anyone to recognise me after an interview – why should you? You see so many faces on tour; cities and venues start to blend into one. I think it’s silly to expect someone to remember you after such a short interaction.
What I can say about this interview though is that Ben does seem quite settled with the fact that this part of his life will soon be over. We’re all excited to see what the band goes on to do next, and I’m sure they are too. When they figure it out.
I hope you enjoy this interview.