Miss Machine
by The Dillinger Escape Plan
  • Record Label: Relapse
  • Release Date: Jul 20, 2004
User Score
8.6

Universal acclaim- based on 39 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 36 out of 39
  2. Mixed: 0 out of 39
  3. Negative: 3 out of 39

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  1. Xathiahs
    Jan 21, 2022
    10
    This is my favourite album ever. It has all i love in music: creativity, geniality, technical capabilities, emotions. Panasonic Youth is the song that brought me to this band.
  2. Kevbo85
    Jul 15, 2013
    7
    I was hesitant, at the time, to give Miss Machine the credit I knew it deserved. Between Calculating Infinity and the supremely satisfying Irony Is A Dead Scene EP and the magic Mike Patton brought to the fold, the new direction and stripped down nature of Miss Machine felt like a slap in the face. Over time and a series of albums that push the envelope further from where they began,I was hesitant, at the time, to give Miss Machine the credit I knew it deserved. Between Calculating Infinity and the supremely satisfying Irony Is A Dead Scene EP and the magic Mike Patton brought to the fold, the new direction and stripped down nature of Miss Machine felt like a slap in the face. Over time and a series of albums that push the envelope further from where they began, however, I'm more comfortable with the idea that this record deserves to be heard. Even when compared to some of their more recent efforts, it truly does shine, especially along its superior first half. Tracks like "Panasonic Youth", "Sunshine the Werewolf" and its powerful industrial climax, and the twisted electric vibes of "Phone Home" help sell the new DEP with aplomb. I still miss the original machine, but Miss Machine at least is a competent move in another direction, with some truly fantastic moments within.… Collapse
  3. daveg
    Sep 3, 2006
    10
    Different but fun.
  4. caseyl
    Jul 29, 2006
    3
    it will never compare to calculating infinity and the new singer seems out of place almost giving this album a "funny" sound
  5. vicmarb
    Aug 24, 2005
    10
    this album is too serious, if you like counting crazy time signatures......by all means please
  6. LeahL
    Oct 25, 2004
    10
    This CD is nothing short of amazing!! The Dillinger Escape Plan is completely and utterly AMAZING and thats it end of story.
  7. Beercan
    Sep 22, 2004
    9
    Intense, technically brilliant, and near-unforgettable, Miss Machine is an essential purchase - though Creed fans and those who don't like to be challenged can stay far away. Rather than try to top their infamous 1999 debut, Calculating Infinity, Dillinger opt instead to streamline and develop their assault, adding industrial elements and some clean singing to flesh things out. These Intense, technically brilliant, and near-unforgettable, Miss Machine is an essential purchase - though Creed fans and those who don't like to be challenged can stay far away. Rather than try to top their infamous 1999 debut, Calculating Infinity, Dillinger opt instead to streamline and develop their assault, adding industrial elements and some clean singing to flesh things out. These changes might turn off some hardline fans, but most will be rightfully spellbound. Bonus: "Phone Home", the best Nine Inch Nails song Trent Reznor never wrote.… Expand
  8. Dweble
    Aug 24, 2004
    10
    I would give this album a 9.5, but There are only whole numbers and I would rather give it a 10 than a 9. I purchased the album with high expectations and was not disappointed at all. The opening song (Panasonic Youth) was amazing, and it never went down from there. When I first heard the few songs with almost possible sing-a-long parts to them, I was alarmed for a moment, but then heard I would give this album a 9.5, but There are only whole numbers and I would rather give it a 10 than a 9. I purchased the album with high expectations and was not disappointed at all. The opening song (Panasonic Youth) was amazing, and it never went down from there. When I first heard the few songs with almost possible sing-a-long parts to them, I was alarmed for a moment, but then heard that everything still worked in that Dillinger-bad-ass way. 'Unretrofied' was something completely new for DEP. I like it though. Even with it's bordering mainstream chorus, the song still possessed that ingredient DEP puts in their work that I can't put my finger on. I'm not sure whether it is the flawless execution of the technicalities, or the brilliant playing of the musicalities, but it impresses me and encourages constant re-listening. I think they picked up a lot from Mike Patton. His presence is definatly felt on 'Setting Fire to Sleeping Giants', among many other tracks. Also, I am glad to see they returned, on several songs, to the calculating infinity sound. Fans of 'Irony Is A Dead Scene' and 'Calculating Infinity' alike will surely love 'Miss Machine.' The jazz/fusion breakdowns are still there, the insane blasts of noise in 15/16 and god knows what other time signatures are there, Patton-influenced omnious vocals are there, Dimitri-style hardcore vocals are there... and there are also new elements. An almost reznor-type approach was used on 'Phone Home.' 'Unretrofied' is unlike anything ever attempted by DEP, and all of it works. Even the over lapped guitar riffs, that don't seem to go together, work. The constant time signature changing isn't awkward at all, and seems like the artists arn't even trying. The ONLY criticism I have of this master piece is the lyrics. 99% of them are great. A very few lines bother me. They just seem to commerical-metal. That is another thing I loved about 'Calculating Infinity' - just the awesome lyrics. I don't know who is doing the song writing, but the consistency with the bad-assness of past works isn't always present. Like I was saying, 99% of the lyrics are great! There is just that 1% that is too angry-kid metal band. When that is attempted, it is almost always cheesy sounding and doesn't impress/appeal to anyone over 15. That is my only beef with 'Miss Machine.' As I said, it is only 2 or 3 lines in the whole album, and that is hardly anything to dock it for. Overall, it is yet another impressive masterpiece from a continually impressive band.… Expand
  9. mauro
    Aug 9, 2004
    10
    awesome. best hc/metal/grind cd of the new millenium
  10. Trilobite
    Aug 9, 2004
    8
    TDEP on a leash. I really wanted to rate this album an 8.5; the rating system, however, just like the album didn't give me much option to really justify a 9.0 score. This is not a bad album, not by a long shot. It will probably also be somewhere in my top albums of the year. It is a refreshing, cacaphonic burst of sonic madness. A fullblown assault on the very core, the essence if TDEP on a leash. I really wanted to rate this album an 8.5; the rating system, however, just like the album didn't give me much option to really justify a 9.0 score. This is not a bad album, not by a long shot. It will probably also be somewhere in my top albums of the year. It is a refreshing, cacaphonic burst of sonic madness. A fullblown assault on the very core, the essence if you will, of most living beings, and it will severely shock most people upon first listening. It is a good solid album from TDEP, which, in all honesty, can't be compared with any band, except to its catalog. These guys have an instantly identifiable sound and style, are inspire people, and their impact has yet to be seen and appreciated. Here is where the criticism begins: compared with their previous outings and the leaps they made while making those albums (well, one album and a few EPs), MM does dissapoint. It is simply not TDEP at their best, period. Sure the album sounds good, but it?s absolutely a step backwards and that for a band whose blinders were always set on forward. I will not waste my time with explaining or plugging the back catalog, but their first full-length Calculating Infinity (1999) is just incredible (though sometimes I don?t ?feel? the vocals) and you can hear copycats ?inspired? by CC a mile away, and on The Mike Patton EP (irony is not a dead scene) they redefined themselves and pushed themselves to the next level. On MM the songs are more structured (not a bad thing necessarily) and Greg (the 'new' singer) prefers a singing style leaning towards hardcore, more in the style of Calulating Infinity. The end result, however, just doesn?t sound like the next level. The structuring of the songs (easier identifiable as a song) makes them sound as if they had barriers, hindered in some way. This combined with the hardcore-leaning vocals result in listening to a sort of castrated Calculating infinity; not because of the apparent less brutal sound, but because the band as whole leans towards that kind of sound, whereas with the IINADS EP the reinvented themselves. They still have the killer tunes (e.g., Panasonic Youth), but the overall impact is somehow not the same. One used to listen for hours to the albums trying to hear hidden sounds, overlapping riffs, and trying to find a structure, now it is practically on a plate. The Mike Patton EP (Irony is not a dead scene) was supposed to be bridge to MM, but in the end MM sounds more like a bridge album. Whereas TDEP normally sounds without boundaries, MM just sounds more confined, TDEP on a leash. But TDEP is still a thouroughbred. If you like TDEP, try this and don?t waste your time with anything else: Mastodon, Cephalic Carnage, Nasum, Mike Patton?s back catalog, Tzadik records, The Boredoms, The Ruins, Melt Banana, even try John Zorn, Zappa, Avant-garde, Acid Jazz. … Expand

Awards & Rankings

77
#77 Best Album of 2004
78
#78 Most Shared Album of 2004

Critic Reviews

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Metascore
80

Generally favorable reviews - based on 11 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 10 out of 11
  2. Mixed: 1 out of 11
  3. Negative: 0 out of 11
  1. PopMatters
    90
    When a band like the Dillinger Escape Plan is able to duplicate the intensity of the previous album, yet at the same time create music that actually possesses (gasp!) commercial appeal, daring to cause an uproar among dyed-in-the-wool hardcore fans, you know they're on to something memorable.
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  2. Playlouder
    90
    Giant mutant rats are running about the place with gasmasks and guns. Their eyeballs are electric red, firing lightning bolts of acid, spit and shit and blowing up the place and the furniture.
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  3. Dusted Magazine
    80
    Rage, speed, and math are still here; but there’s a cinematic scope and a real attention to mood and texture that’s new.
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