DAMN DICE
“THE GREAT UNKNOWN”
Album Review By Iron Mathew
9/10
Damn Dice are a hard rock/heavy metal band from the UK formed in 2011 who, in 2013 released the E.P. ‘Wild ‘N’ Ready’. 2015 sees the release of the bands’ first full length album.
Damn Dice have built a reputation for energetic, adrenaline fuelled live performances at venues all around the UK and they have managed to capture that energy on their debut album ‘The Great Unknown’. Opening with ‘Power’, an infectious, hard edged, hard rock song, the album is off to a flyer. Catchy and addictive, Damn Dice display traits from the glam/sleaze metal scene of the late eighties and early nineties, spearheaded by bands such as Ratt, Cinderella, Skid Row and Tigertailz. ‘What Now’ has a heavy, infectious groove and the chorus is so sing a long you will be singing it without realising it. Foot tappingly addictive, the melodic hard rocking ‘Driven’ ticks all the boxes…head nodding, foot tapping, jumping up and down with arms raised in the air is the order of the day here. The chorus is party rock anthemic, the guitar solo is superb and ‘Driven’ is just one of the many highlights off the album.
With a much better production than their previous (E.P.) release, ‘Down’ is a hard hitting slab of hard rock, ‘The Way To Go’ is an up tempo blast of energy while ‘Caught In The Ride’ just screams “listen to me” as it blasts adrenaline pumping rhythms at you like an out of control machine gun. Damn Dice have proven their worth with their balls out, high energy and passionate live performances, including the support slot for the recent L.A. Guns European and UK tour. Versatility is required for any band and Damn Dice show this off with the power ballad ‘Words’. With a superb vocal performance, the band are more than just “rockers”. But hey, if rock is what you’re good at, then fill yer boots…and so they do, in emphatic fashion with the up tempo ‘Bang Your Head’, which does exactly as it says! Pace, power and passion, ‘Bang Your Head’ is a top notch song that borders the metal genre as it races on majestically to its climax.
The band, for want of a better expression, show no fear as they continue with their brand of breath taking hard rock, in the shape of ‘No Fear’. Hard edged with razor sharp guitars and a pulsating back line, ‘No Fear’ is heavy, infectious and will have you jumping for joy. Reminiscent of early Kiss, ‘Take The Fight’ is a party rock anthem that romps and stomps all over you. It is melodic hard rock at its best, with excellent guitar work, superb vocals and yet another highlight off the album. If ever there was a statement to sum up what Damn Dice do, then ‘Rock (Like You Mean It)’ is it. Chugging relentlessly, ‘Rock (Like You Mean It)’ has one of the most anthemic choruses ever, and will have everyone in the crowd singing at the tops of their voices. Ending the album is ‘Home’, opening with a lighters in the air feel, vocals that push the singer to the limit and you think that it is a ballad, but how wrong you can be. Yes it has its ballad moments, but it swings to power ballad, then to hard rock, then back to ballad. A superb meandering song, that will keep you hooked right to the very end.
Overall, hard hitting, infectious and addictive hard rock, with pulsating energy and passion levels, ‘The Great Unknown’ is a breath taking hard rock album.
TRACKLIST
Power
What Now
Driven
Down
The Way To Go
Caught In The Rain
Words
Bang Your Head
No Fear
Take The Fight
Rock [Like You Mean It]
Home
http://www.damndice.com
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