At the start of the group, Weinman considered The Dillinger Escape Plan an electronic-infused metal band as both he and Pennie were inspired by IDM music. However, the members were still knowing each other and " out what it was that we wanted to do". After their debut EP, the band was joined by guitar shredder John Fulton and, prior to composing the "Under the Running Board" EP, all the members became interested in technical extreme metal and shortly afterward progressive music and jazz fusion. They tried to adapt the use of odd time signatures and polyrhythms of these artists to a punk context, thus starting to compose pieces with these characteristics and repeat them until they could play it as fast as they could. From then until their first studio album, "Calculating Infinity", they explored more unconventional drum patterns, such as taking notes away to expand their rhythms, or Pennie playing as hard as he could and using china cymbals excessively instead of splashes. While Pennie composed from a more academic approach, working on theory books for days, Weinman had a more intuitive approach. They attribute the "tug and pull of" both personalities as a key element in The Dillinger Escape Plan development, but also as the reason for the drummer's eventual departure from it.