For many fans of The Dillinger Escape Plan, the New Jersey mathcore outfit’s story effectively ended in 2017, with the group hanging up their boots after 20 years together.

A fitting end, Aussie fans were undeniably glad that the group’s ostensibly final run featured one last visit to this side of the world, however bittersweet those shows were.

But for all intents and purposes, that’s where the story would have ended had it not been for an offer a few years ago for the group to reunite in support of their debut album’s 25th anniversary.

And so it was that in 2024 the group got back together (albeit with original vocalist Dimitri Minakakis in lieu of Greg Puciato) to perform 1999’s Calculating Infinity in full along with a raft of other material.

"I never had any intention of doing this again, and I certainly didn't think I'd be doing it with Dimitri and doing this album like we did," founding guitarist Ben Weinman told The Music recently. "But it does make sense and it does feel really good to do that."

A frequent stop on their touring schedule, Australia certainly wasn’t going to miss out on another visit from the mighty Dillinger Escape Plan who, at numerous points over their career, had been named one of the best live acts in the world.

Having launched their latest Aussie trek in Fremantle over the weekend before a trip to Adelaide, The Dillinger Escape Plan made their way to Melbourne’s Northcote Theatre for a two-night stand in one of the cities which have served them best over the years.

With the crowd largely comprising longtime diehards who never thought such a show would occur, it was an eager and excited audience that showed up in droves.

Before the main event though, the evening was to open by way of fellow New Jerseyans Ho99o9, who returned to Australia for the first time in two years to launch proceedings.

A duo at heart, comprised theOGM and Yeti Bones, the group was rounded out into a trio by way of their current drummer, The Dillinger Escape Plan’s own Billy Rymer, who was pulling double duty.

To say that Ho99o9 are an energetic band worthy of occupying such a support slot is probably putting it lightly. Fusing intense elements of hardcore punk, hip hop, and metal with electronica, it’s hard not make comparisons to the likes of Death Grips, Big Black, and even Nine Inch Nails at times.

With furious vocals and an energetic performance style, the group’s set was an arresting one, complemented with a rousing condemnation of fascism (“Are we fucking up nazis, or what?”) and even a unexpected drop of Crystal Waters’ classic Gypsy Woman (She's Homeless) which led into a tempestuous circle pit.

While Ho99o9 might have been relegated to the support slot position, their status as an opener should be no indication of a lack of quality on their part, with their 13-year history having seen them grow into an act truly worthy of great things.

Given that new album Tomorrow We Escape will arrive in just a few short weeks, there’s undeniably a strong contingency of local fans (nascent or otherwise) who will be cheering on the prospect of a swift return.

As the customary changeover gave way to an atmospheric welcome to The Dillinger Escape Plan by way of a pre-recorded rendition of Calculating Infinity opener *#.., it didn’t take long for their legion of Melbourne fans to get whipped up into a frenzy.

Like muscle memory for both band and fans, opening track Destro’s Secret was the equivalent of opening the flood gates of of dizzying intensity. As fans jumped and writhed, Minakakis’ incendiary vocals barked out across the theatre as Weinman was himself a mesmerising mix of riffs and right angles, swinging his guitar as if the idea of having it directly in front of him caused him pain.

To watch The Dillinger Escape Plan is – at the risk of dropping an improper analogy – like watching a car crash in motion. It’s loud, its intense, and with so much going on at any one moment, it feels impossible to take in all the variables at play. Plus, when you add in the increased adrenaline, the blinding lights, and the high-pitched scream present in The Running Board, the chaos before you almost inspires a frantic call to 000.

But the beauty of a performance by this band is just that. It’s the feeling that is inspired within. You’re not going to see The Dillinger Escape Plan for ethereal melodies and atmospheric tones, you’re there for the energy, the communal ferocity, and the breathlessness you’re left with after witnessing cuts like Sugar Coated Sour, 4th Grade Dropout and Abe The Cop.

While there’s a strange sensation about witnessing such a spectacle in a gorgeous venue such as the Northcote Theatre, one does need to address the elephant in the room.

Though it’s obvious that Minakakis isn’t Puciato, whose presence undeniably helped The Dillinger Escape Plan become the famed live band they are, the set in no way suffers for it. In fact, fans are welcoming the chance to see this band in such a unique format, with this early material being given a chance to shine.

Alongside the entirety of Calculating Infinity, second EP Under The Running Board also gets a playthrough, alongside one lone track off their self-titled 1997 EP.

After the somewhat reflective nature of the instrumental Weekend Sex Change gets some love, Variations On A Cocktail Dress sees Minakakis even groove along slightly as the end of the evening comes into view.

The penultimate track of the evening is the group’s only reach into the 21st century, bringing out their cover of Aphex Twin’s Come To Daddy, originally recorded with the great Mike Patton before Puciato’s recruitment.

The menacing and admittedly strange nature of the song is expertly handled by the group, with the intricacies of the original’s eerie electronica almost proving just how talented this group of musicians are.

With a brief farewell, the evening comes to a end with the undeniable crowd favourite, 43% Burnt, their longtime set closer and the track they’re likely best known for.

Again, the contradictions are at play as this frenzied display of technical proficiency almost gives way to a sense of the bittersweet, with many fans realising this is likely the last time The Dillinger Escape Plan will ever appear before them.

As the fans roll out into the street, the moment for reflection comes. At times a show by The Dillinger Escape Plan can be messy, it can be chaotic, and to newcomers it may feel as though they’re simply playing the same song on repeat, but the feeling generated by the experience is indescribable.

Maybe it’s watching Weinman seemingly try not to let his guitar fly away? Maybe it’s watching Minakakis shout his vocals like it pains him to do so? Or maybe those are just benefits of watching one of the world’s greatest live bands, The Dillinger Escape Plan, take to the stage once more.