Party Smasher Inc. is an independent record label founded by Ben Weinman of the Dillinger Escape Plan in 2009. In May 2016, Party Smasher partnered with Cooking Vinyl for global distribution. The label is named after the Dillinger Escape Plan song of the same name on their 2007 album Ire Works. [1]
The Dillinger Escape Plan announced their departure from Relapse Records in 2009. The band had become dissatisfied with the music industry and music media, and decided to create their own record label to release their fourth studio album. Commenting on the dissolving "indie band culture", Weinman stated, "back in the day there were record labels that you trusted, loved and you bought everything on it and you discovered a lot of great new music because of it. You listen to every single song back to front a million times, it'd be worn out to death before you moved onto another record. You'd read everything in the booklet, you'd read all the lyrics, you'd read all the notes, you'd discover something new." [2] Speaking to Kerrang! about the decision, he said: "The most important thing was to keep evolving and changing. We didn't want to be stuck in some long contract that won't be relevant in a few years time... Or possibly even tomorrow. So half out of necessity, half out of choice, we decided to do this ourselves. The hard part is figuring out whether you're sacrificing your creative side because you're so busy with the business. That's the challenge and we're figuring it out". [3]
Party Smasher Inc. first emerged in 2009. Party Smasher launched as a recorded music collective. [4] The Dillinger Escape Plan stated that Party Smasher (which was originally erroneously reported to be called Photogenic Records) [5] [6] is not technically a record label but a "creative umbrella" for all things related to The Dillinger Escape Plan. [7] In an interview with Alternative Press , Weinman stated, "Well, I should clarify that it's not exactly our attempt to run a record label. That's not something we could be good at, and it's obviously not something anybody's good at these days. [Laughs] It's more a situation where we now have a name for this umbrella that covers every business and artistic decision we make–whether it's Dillinger, side projects or whatever." [7]
In May 2016, Party Smasher partnered with Cooking Vinyl for global distribution. Martin Goldschmidt, Chairman of Cooking Vinyl, said: “Ben Weinman and his team at Party Smasher Inc. have evolved their own multi-faceted, unique creative universe. The world needs them and we will bring them to the world.” Howie Gabriel, from the newly launched Cooking Vinyl America, concluded: “We’re excited to have Party Smasher Inc.’s DIY ethic, along with Cooking Vinyl’s independent focus to bring both labels to a larger global audience.” [8]
The first release through the Party Smasher label was the Dillinger Escape Plan's fourth studio album Option Paralysis , the album was released in partnership with Season of Mist. [4] The second release was the Dillinger Escape Plan's fifth studio album One of Us Is The Killer, the album was released in partnership with various labels around the world, including BMG (Europe), Grind House (Japan), Remote Control (Australia) and Sumerian Records (North America). [4] The third release was a non-album single the band released titled "Happiness Is a Smile". [9] The single was only released on seven-inch vinyl and on cassette and was only available to buy on the band's North American tour in 2014. [10] Party Smasher also released the band's final album, Dissociation in partnership with Cooking Vinyl. [11]
The Dillinger Escape Plan is an American metalcore band. The band was formed in 1997 in Morris Plains, New Jersey by guitarist Ben Weinman, bassist Adam Doll, vocalist Dimitri Minakakis, and drummer Chris Pennie. The band's use of dissonance, odd time signatures, polyrhythms and unconventional drum patterns became a staple of their sound, although later albums incorporated more melody, and influences from a range of genres. The band's lineup shifted numerous times throughout its existence; by the time the group dissolved, Weinman was the only remaining founding member. The final lineup also included longtime members Liam Wilson on bass, Greg Puciato as lead vocalist, and Billy Rymer on drums, alongside then-newcomer Kevin Antreassian on rhythm guitar.
Miss Machine is the second studio album by American mathcore band The Dillinger Escape Plan released in July 2004 through Relapse Records. It is the first album by the band to feature vocalist Greg Puciato and bassist Liam Wilson. Miss Machine marks a change to a more experimental style by the band.
Calculating Infinity is the debut studio album by American metalcore band The Dillinger Escape Plan. Recorded at Trax East Recording Studio in South River, New Jersey, it was produced by engineer Steve Evetts with the band's guitarist Ben Weinman and drummer Chris Pennie, and released on September 28, 1999, by Relapse Records. Calculating Infinity is the band's only full-length album to feature original vocalist Dimitri Minakakis, who left the band in 2001.
Irony Is a Dead Scene is the third EP by American metalcore band, The Dillinger Escape Plan. It was recorded with Mike Patton and released on August 27, 2002, through Epitaph and Buddyhead Records.
Mathcore is a subgenre of hardcore punk and metalcore influenced by post-hardcore, extreme metal and math rock that developed during the 1990s. Bands in the genre emphasize complex and fluctuant rhythms through the use of irregular time signatures, polymeters, syncopations and tempo changes. Early mathcore lyrics were addressed from a realistic worldview and with a pessimistic, defiant, resentful or sarcastic point of view.
Gregory John Puciato is an American musician best known as the former lead vocalist and lyricist of the metalcore band the Dillinger Escape Plan. In addition to being a solo artist, he currently fronts Better Lovers and the Black Queen, and is a member of Killer Be Killed, in which he also plays guitar. He also performs backup vocals on Jerry Cantrell’s solo tours. In 2018, Puciato and visual artist Jesse Draxler co-founded the art collective and record label Federal Prisoner.
Benjamin A. Weinman is an American musician, most notable for being the lead guitarist and primary songwriter of the mathcore band the Dillinger Escape Plan (DEP). He is the founder and sole constant member of the DEP, he is currently playing rhythm guitar with the crossover thrash band Suicidal Tendencies and lead guitar in the progressive rock supergroup Giraffe Tongue Orchestra.
Dimitri Minakakis is an American musician and graphic designer best known as the original singer of the band The Dillinger Escape Plan from 1997 to 2001.
Ephel Duath was an Italian avant garde metal/hardcore punk band, formed in 1998 in Padua, Italy. They have had a constantly changing line-up, with guitarist and songwriter Davide Tiso being the only original member. To date, they have released one demo, five studio albums and two remix albums. Their most recent studio album, Hemmed By Light, Shaped By Darkness, was released in 2013.
Ire Works is the third studio album by American band the Dillinger Escape Plan. The album was released in the UK on November 5, 2007, in the US on November 13 through Relapse Records, and in Japan on November 28. The album was their last album on Relapse. The album is Gil Sharone's only album with the band and their first without founding drummer Chris Pennie. Lead guitarist Ben Weinman plays guitar alone on the record, due to Brian Benoit's injury. The album is described as mathcore, post-hardcore, and metalcore, incorporating a wide variety of influences including electronic music.
The discography of The Dillinger Escape Plan, an American mathcore band, consists of six studio albums, six extended plays (EPs), two split EPs, eight singles, one video album, 15 music videos and seven other appearances. Formed in Morris Plains, New Jersey in 1997, the band originally featured vocalist Dimitri Minakakis, guitarists Ben Weinman and Derek Brantley, bassist Adam Doll and drummer Chris Pennie; Brantley left after two shows and was replaced briefly by touring guitarist John Fulton, who himself left in 1998. In 1997 the band released its self-titled debut EP on New Jersey independent label Now or Never Records, after which they were signed by Relapse Records who issued their second EP Under the Running Board in 1998. The EP charted on the UK Singles Chart, reaching number 194.
Jeff Tuttle is an American musician and filmmaker, best known as the former guitarist and backing vocalist of the mathcore band The Dillinger Escape Plan, for which he played from 2007 to 2012. He is noted for his energetic live performances.
Option Paralysis is the fourth studio album by American mathcore band The Dillinger Escape Plan, released on March 23, 2010. After having fulfilled their contract with Relapse Records, the band released the album through Party Smasher Inc., their own new imprint in collaboration with French record label Season of Mist. It marks The Dillinger Escape Plan's first release to feature Billy Rymer on drums, since Gil Sharone left the band in September 2008 due to the frequent touring schedule and to focus on his brother's band Stolen Babies.
Billy Rymer is an American musician, most notable for being the drummer for The Dillinger Escape Plan from 2009 until the band played its final shows in December 2017, and again since December 2023.
One of Us Is the Killer is the fifth studio album by American mathcore band The Dillinger Escape Plan, released on May 14, 2013. One of Us Is the Killer is the band's second release under their Party Smasher, Inc. imprint. The CD was released as a standard version that can be picked up at most record stores, and a limited version with a scratch-off cover that can only be bought at Best Buy containing two bonus tracks.
Dissociation is the sixth and final album by American metal band The Dillinger Escape Plan. It was released on October 14, 2016 by Party Smasher Inc. Alongside the announcement of the album, the band revealed it would be their last, breaking up after the album's touring cycle.
God Mother is a Swedish hardcore band formed in Stockholm in 2012.
Pinewood Smile is the fifth studio album released by British hard rock band The Darkness. Produced by Adrian Bushby, the album was released on 6 October 2017 and is the first album by the band to be released by Cooking Vinyl. It is also their full first album to feature Rufus Tiger Taylor on drums, after Emily Dolan Davies left the band in 2015.
The following is a list of releases by independent record label Party Smasher Inc. The label was founded by Ben Weinman of the Dillinger Escape Plan in 2009. In May 2016, Party Smasher partnered with Cooking Vinyl for global distribution, any release after this time was released in partnership with Party Smasher unless otherwise stated.