Option Paralysis

The Dillinger Escape Plan announced their departure from Relapse Records in 2009. They had become dissatisfied with the music industry and music media, and decided to create their own record label to release their fourth studio album. The band created their own imprint Party Smasher Inc. under French label Season of Mist. They stated that Party Smasher (which was originally erroneously reported to be called Photogenic Records)[7][8] is not technically a record label but a "creative umbrella" for all things related to The Dillinger Escape Plan. 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".[9]

In a blog on the band's MySpace profile, vocalist Greg Puciato revealed that they would be entering the studio from September 7 - October 30, 2009 to record Option Paralysis with longtime collaborator Steve Evetts.[10] The band focused on these sessions more than in previous albums and the members stayed on the studio from noon to night or more, for three months. Puciato described the process as overwhelming but necessary: "We really went as far as we could making sure that every little thing was exactly the way we wanted. How many records are you gonna be able to do in your life? It’s the one thing you can look back on and either say, 'Fuck, I wish we did that differently' or 'We did that exactly the way we were going to'. You're going to die with nothing, man. This is going to outlive any of us, hopefully".[11] Eventually, the recording lasted until November 12, 2009.[12]

The album is their second longest yet at over 41 minutes, behind Dissociation, and was described by Ben Weinman as "our most metal record yet".[13]

The title Option Paralysis is a concept referring to an individual "paralyzed" by an overload of options. Ben Weinman cited this as a general concern of the band, whose members grew up in underground scenes but by the time of the album were witnessing young people absorbed in modern technology, which they believe homogenized culture and caused "[almost a] cultural depression".[14]

During the writing process, Puciato was going through personal issues, and described Option Paralysis as one of the toughest and the most honest album he made thus far.[15] The singer was immersed in absurdist philosophy at the time, reading authors such as Søren Kierkegaard and particularly Albert Camus' work, including The Stranger, The Plague, Exile and the Kingdom and The Myth of Sisyphus.[16] The lyrics were composed in free association and Puciato believes that they unearthed subconscious issues he had, but chose to keep them private.[17]

"Room Full of Eyes" was named for the 1995 song "1,000 Eyes" by Death.[18]

Option Paralysis was very well received by the public. On Rate Your Music the album has an average rating of 3.44 of 5, based on more than 1,750 ratings,[36] and on Sputnikmusic the album has an "excellent" average rating of 4.1 of 5, based on more than 2,400 ratings.[37] The album is #19 on the list "Best Albums of 2010" on Sputnikmusic.[38]

Option Paralysis received the highest percentage of #1 votes in the 2010 Pitchfork Readers' Poll.[39]