In somewhat surprising news, mathcore pioneers The Dillinger Escape Plan have just announced, via a Vice interview with Jonah Bayer of United Nations, that they will be calling it quits after the release of their new album Dissociation and subsequent tour. Says guitarist and general mastermind Ben Weinman:

I think in some ways we wanted to pull a Seinfeld and go out while we're still on top, you know what I mean? The band has actually never been more prolific and we're as credible and popular as ever. I think whenever we're on stage, there's not another band in the world playing at that time that even comes close to us, and that's our goal. We're really excited about this new album as well, but at the same time, it's going to be our 20-year anniversary in 2017—it might be even longer because I'm not sure when I started writing songs, but the first EP came out in '97—so I think it's one of those things where we didn't want to get to the point where we're stopping because we have to or because we're old or people are kind of over it. Who knows if that would ever happen, but I feel way more empowered in making hard decisions. I don't like the idea of slowing down or doing it less often, I like to just dive in full-force and take things to the extreme because that's what this band has always been about.

This is pretty big news for the metal world, as DEP have reached a point where they're one of the most popular bands in heavy music, able to appeal to large swath of fans by virtue of their unassailable musicianship and unmissably crazy live shows. Their members will remain active in other projects, like Giraffe Tongue Orchestra for Ben. But DEP will be missed.

You'll still have a chance to catch them on their upcoming tour. They have that sold out NYC show coming up at Rough Trade on Monday (8/8). In an interesting development, particularly if you really miss 2005, the recently reunited metalcore band The Number 12 Looks Like You have been announced as openers for that show as well as a few other east coast shows in Toronto, Philly and DC. Those guys, who have new members DJ Scully and Mike Kadnar from the NYC band Black Table in the fold now, played their first show in 6 years back in May. No word on the rest of their reunion plans, but this is plenty for now. The NYC show also has support from Earworms.

DEP's Greg Puciato also made it sound in his interview with AltPress that the final tour will be much longer than what they currently have scheduled. He said they have "200 more shows" to play, and Weinman also told Noisey that includes a massive tour in Europe.

Check out a live compilation of crazy DEP show highlights, and listen to The Number Twelve Looks Like You's deeply insane 2009 album Worse Than Alone, below.