So, Ben Weinman, the OG riff lord from THE DILLINGER ESCAPE PLAN, recently spilled the tea to Australia’s Metal-Roos about the band’s comeback after ghosting fans since 2017. Plot twist: they’re back to celebrate the 25th anniversary of their 1999 face-melting debut, “Calculating Infinity” – aka the album that gave mathcore a PhD.
First pit stop? A Brooklyn gig in June 2024 where they played “Calculating Infinity” front-to-back for the first time ever. Original scream king Dimitri Minakakis (who’s been MIA since 2001) showed up, along with bassist Liam Wilson and drummer Billy Rymer. Fun fact: Dimitri probably had to relearn how to yell into a mic without spilling his coffee.
When asked how this chaotic reunion happened, Ben dropped some wisdom (via BLABBERMOUTH.NET): “So, some festival tried to drag us out of retirement to play the first album with Dimitri. We were like, ‘Yeah, nah, not feelin’ it yet.’ But then our booking agent hit us with the ’25th anniversary’ guilt trip. Next thing you know, we’re dusting off the breakdowns. Also, shoutout to Dimitri – dude missed the whole ‘band actually getting famous’ phase. Figured he deserved a victory lap.”
About the setlist? Ben teased: “We’re doing ALL of ‘Calculating Infinity’, plus the earlier EP ‘Under The Running Board’, and maybe a random cover if we’re feelin’ spicy. Nostalgia with a side of middle-aged dad energy.”
The vibe backstage? Surprisingly chill. Ben admitted: “We didn’t break up because we hated each other – just got tired of touring like maniacs. But now? Rehearsals feel like a high school reunion where nobody’s awkward. Dimitri and I still BBQ together. Meanwhile, the rest of us grew up, had kids, realized sleep is cool. Turns out, not being angsty teens 24/7 makes band practice fun.”
Earlier this year, Ben told Heavy mag: “Playing these old songs again is wild. Teenage me wrote riffs I couldn’t even play – now I’m here, a grown man, still sweating through my shirt trying to nail ’em. Thanks, past Ben.”
Oh, and those Brooklyn shows? Sold out THREE nights in an hour. Ben’s reaction: “Our ‘final’ shows in 2017? Cute. These reunion gigs outsold that. Guess fans missed watching us spazz out onstage.”
Now, let’s address the elephant in the room: Greg Puciato, the vocalist who replaced Dimitri in 2001 (and now juggles solo work, BETTER LOVERS, and being Jerry Cantrell’s wingman). When asked about the reunion, Greg shrugged: “Why would I care? I wasn’t on that album. Tell Dimitri and Ben to tour Mars if they want. Just… maybe skip ‘Miss Machine’ songs? That’s my era.” Respect the boundaries, folks.
“Calculating Infinity” remains the blueprint for every band trying to sound like a calculator having a panic attack. Rolling Stone called it “one of the greatest metal albums of all time” – not bad for a bunch of New Jersey kids who probably wrote these songs in their mom’s basement. Still, 25 years later, every tech-metal band owes them a royalty check.
