The growing pains of Dillinger Escape Plan

Known for his bewildering and intense on-stage presence, aggressive vocals that border on downright eye-popping fury and a set of 'guns' that would have Ron Burgundy crying over the 'deep burn', Greg Puciato gives the word 'intimidating' a whole new meaning in an extreme music genre that isn't exactly renowned for its cuddly characters. Yet the man who's known to be partial to throwing the odd bit of flaming faeces off stage is in very friendly fettle today. Dillinger Escape Plan have completed a new album, due for release on the 5th of November and the leading single Fix Your Face is receiving hundreds of hits on MySpace every day.

"It's going be a ripper basically," sums up Puciato on his feelings for the track. The tune features plenty of the technical, time signature shredding madness that has characterised the band's existence but the vocalist is quick to point out that the album Ire Works is an expansive and varied recording. "The last record was more like growing pains," he says. "It was more like us reaching for something and I don't think we quite got what we were reaching for. In my mind I hear what we were trying to do, but I'm not sure we did it or not. On the new record everything we set out to do, on all levels- songwriters, players, everything- is exactly what we wanted to do."

Puciato's enthusiasm for this record is borne from a combination of relief at finally pressing a follow-up to Miss Machine - his recording debut with the band - and a sense of great fortune that Dillinger are still with the musical world at all. Last year drummer and founding member Chris Pennie left the band and the mathcore stalwarts were staring into the abyss. "His drumming and his style were such a big part. When we split with Chris, we really thought we were up shit creek," Puciato recalls.

Dillinger's redemption came in the form of Gil Sharone, a highly skilled and respected percussionist, but one with next to no experience in heavy music. "Gil was a guy who was recommended to us by Chris Horn from Poison the Well and he was like 'I know this guy and he's seriously one of the best drummers I've ever heard.' He came in and just basically killed it. I just couldn't be happier with him. He didn't come from a metal band or a hardcore band; a lot of his roots are in jazz and reggae. It truly adds a different element."

Sharone has committed to joining the band full-time and will tour along with fellow newcomer, guitarist Jeff Tuttle. That's if Dillinger can finally get on the road of course. In early October guitarist Ben Weinman broke his foot during a video shoot, immediately shelving the planned tours of the States and Europe, dates which have yet to be rearranged.

Playing live is what Puciato and DEP live for. It's where they made their name, playing confrontational and often controversial shows where microphone stands, instruments and body fluids were constantly airborne. Having not played since summer 2006, Puciato is desperate to get on the road again, and our own territory is a place that holds some vivid memories for the frontman. "You know what we always remember about Scotland. That club that we always play there - The Cathouse? Every single time we've played there, we've seen someone get arrested outside. We literally watched someone get run over by a car outside one time, we watched two girls get into a fist fight one time and some guys got arrested for fighting one time." Perhaps not a testimony we'll be seeing on a VisitScotland ad too soon, but Puciato certainly isn't put off. "When it happens I'm not even shocked anymore. I've come to think of it as like some kind of endearing charm about the place." Just as endearing for him is the music of Glasgow treasures Mogwai. "Oh Mogwai, I actually love them man. I haven't seen them live. We actually tried to tour with them a couple of times and it fell through but they're brilliant."

Finally, having pulled ourselves out of a lengthy and passionate discussion on the multitudinous merits of Mogwai, Sigur Ros, Pelican et al, Puciato has one message for the fans he remembers from his trips to Alba. "We really appreciate that people still give a shit and at shows we'll still see the same faces of people from like four years ago in Scotland and it's really nice to feel that it's not something people are growing out of."

And if the new record is half as infectious as Puciato's enthusiasm for it, no amount of broken bones or departing drummers will dampen the public's interest in Dillinger Escape Plan.