DICE

I can see why people are divided over this album, and I'm sorry to say that my reaction towards this album isn't favorable. While they did have the chops to potentially make great prog, the major problem I have with these guys is Robert Holmin, the lead vocalist. I assume that's him doing the bulk of the singing, but his nasally, accented vocals really detract. This coming from someone who heard his share of Eloy albums and love many of them (Ocean and Silent Cries and Mighty Echoes are masterpieces). The problem with Dice is the vocals really sink the album. I understand the never-released-at-the-time The Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse is an all-instrumental album and for many listeners, including those not too keen on their sole album (released during their lifetime) seem to gravitate to that one. I do like the cover; it looks like a Salvador Dali painting (it's not actually him) with the band's logo done in the Disney font. I imagine that's a reference of Walt Disney and Salvador Dali actually meeting each other in 1946 to make a film called Destino (which was never finished and only to be completed in 2003 (long after Disney and Dali had passed away). I do like some of the humor involved, but this album simply left me cold. Änglagård were influenced by these guys, but I often wonder if it was The Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse that inspired them. There are lots of prog rock albums, some of them masterpieces as everyone says they are, there are overrated albums, and there are those albums that I just can't get into, and this is one of them.

The Four Riders of the Apocalypse is stronger and older than the first album officially related. It is more experimental, at times quite wild and purely instrumental. The tracks are distinguishable and well executed even if they tend to lack melody.

This is one of the less accessible progressive rock releases and only repeated listening will give you more entry points. Despite being unknown, the band is surprisingly proficient in playing and creating thrilling song sections with dominating motives.

The first track is a bit classically oriented, having subtracks like "Battle" and "Ouverture" that are a bit pompous at times.

Following tracks are closer to highly complex and sometimes disruptive and unpolished changes in the flow. Noteworthy is the symphonic mellow guitar solo in "Disease" followed by a 100mph Genesis-like run.

"Greed" is no less ambitious showcasing a deadly drum beat and keyboard soloing at full strength. They keyboard player is skillful enough to provide a rock'n'roll piano solo

"Death" is quite dramatic and quite inspired by King Crimson but bringing its own sense exploration. Its last part, "Heaven" showcases inspired chord sequence that is elegant and keyboard-friendly at the same time and provides climax to the entire suite.

A one-of-a-kind progressive rock album with the best Swedish ingredients.

Dice generated a uniquely complex body of work that absorbs influenced by most typical progressive rock bands and respects Swedish spirit trends. We have a mediocre vocal here, certainly not singing false but much below the instrumental prowess of the band players. It reminds me of Andrew Belew or Hatfield & the North a bit. Fortunately, the tracks on the album are still strong and have astonishing complexity mainly when the vocal is switched off.

The interplay between keyboards and guitar is splendid and the guys don't play it safe even though it's 1978. Nowhere else is the Swedish melancholy and Focus/Finch influence more evident than on the romantic instrumental "Annika". Crazy and adventurous playing is heard on "The utopian suntan" which is set into the 20's-30's but ready to escalate into the prog-rock workout at any time. We hear a "Genesis" like mellotron and Crimson-like dynamic fight.

"Venetian Bargain" is a keyboard workout with beautiful drum beat. Piano, synths, clavinet, Hammond and the frequent rhythmic changes make it the most consistent track on the album.

The long epic track is a mash of everything, at times very symphonic, thoughtful. While there are nice developments and gradations, it's a bit tough to get focused for the entire 22 minutes.

This is almost an excellent addition to a prog collection, certainly when looking for hidden champions.

Of all the great progressive bands to come out of the fertile soil of the 70's not many were swedish. But the great that did come from Sweden were amazing. Kaipa, Trettioåriga kriget, Samla Mammas Manna are some names that ought to be familiar to a lot of prog heads. There is one name I'd like to add to the list: Dice.

The Disney-like logo and the Dali-type cover might raise some eyebrows, wondering what the hell is going on. Well, quite alot. Listening to this album you hear echoes of other bands from the 70's. Yes, Cathedral, England, Gentle Giant... But that's allright. How could you not be influenced by other bands?

I really had no real knowledge of Dice before buying this album. I knew of them but not not their music. So, was I intrigued? Amused? Disgusted? First and foremost I was delighted. And still am. The music is very delightful, playful and enjoyable. Symphonic, epic, complex and very much sporting a peculiar swedish nature, which is clearly audible in the beatiful "Annika".

There are many things that endears me to this album. The rumbling Squire-bass, the addition of the roaring 20's (The utopian suntan), the thick keyboards and, if nothing else, the sheer length and brilliance of "Follies", the center piece of the album.

I think that this album really deserved more back in the day but coming out in a time dominated by other scenes than prog it wasn't, perhaps, surprising why it sank without a trace, It sounds as a part of the glorious past but provides a glimpse into the ever present brilliance of bands and musicians, forming a link between then and now. It's a great album and I enjoy it immensely.

Symphonic Rock Swedish band, formed in early-70's by two friends, keyboardist Leif Larsson and guitarist Orjan Strandberg.As a duo they had already started writing original material, influenced by the likes of Procol Harum, Gentle Giant, The Nice and King Crimson, before meeting drummer Per Andersson and finding also bassist Fredrik Vildo through an ad.Dice recorded material for a full-length release already from early 1977 at the Frescati Studios, what was actually to become the ''Four Riders of the Apocalypse'' album, released only some 15 years later by Belle Antique.

At this point Dice had no lead singer and focused on writing complex and progressive all instrumental material with a dense and pompous sound, influenced by the likes of E.L.P., KING CRIMSON, KAIPA, FOCUS and GENESIS.I am pretty sure that you find every note in this album like if played previously by a Prog legend, so in terms of originality Dice had not much to offer.But musically their ideas were pretty nice, complicated, intricate, romantic and definitely out of fashion, when talking about 1977.They made proper and continuous use of the Hammond organ and Mellotron and had a deep sense of Classicism in their arrangements, which ended up to sound quite melodramatic with bombastic, laid-back and pompous passages.Guitar work appears to land somewhere between ROINE STOLT, JAN AKKERMAN and ROBERT FRIPP and the keyboard parts are coming straight out of a GENESIS or KING CRIMSON album.The arrangements are mostly impressive with symphonic overtones and some light jazzy pinches, going from organ-drenched fanfares to melodious themes and from rich, powerful interplays and sudden tempo changes to fairytale-like tunes and harmonies.Belle Antique made a great work on refining the sound and the recording quality sounds pretty fine to my ears.

Do not expect a personal style by this Sweidish band.Be ready though to listen to some well-crafted Symphonic Rock with Classical variations and grandiose musicianship all the way.Warmly recommended.

'The Four Riders of the Apocalypse' - Dice (63/100)

Barring the band logo (did Disney ever see fit to sue their butts?) the cover to The Four Riders of the Apocalypse was enough to get me interested in Dice. Though technically a 1977 album, the album apparently didn't get a substantial release until '92, long after the original progressive zeitgeist had died down. With that sort of enigmatic history, Four Riders is practically begging to be called an obscure gem of prog rock, and prior to listening to it, I was begging right along with it- after all, there's nothing like discovering a lesser-known masterpiece. Indeed, Dice were onto something interesting with their concept-based instrumental prog. The fact that there are shades of excellence in Four Riders of the Apocalypse makes it all the more disappointing that so much of the album underwhelms me.

There's something about the classical bombast of symphonic prog that suits it to images of battle. Yes' "The Gates of Delirium" (from 1974's Relayer) was a perfect example of what Dice tried to accomplish here; it was tense, chaotic, and formed a distinct arc outlining the beginning, middle and end of a battle. Dice certainly nail the rising action of a battle in "War" (complete with a martial whistle and marching rhythm during "Fronts", but they have a tougher time capturing the energy and violence of the battle itself. The "Battle" itself is distinctly less pretty than the rest of the suite (it sounds like an impression of ELP's "Toccata") but never once do Dice ever reach the heights of energy so much of the album seems to hint at.

While I'm most sold on the diegetic charm of "War"'s marching sequence, "Disease" is arguably Dice's best composed and performed track. It has a firm basis in Genesis' pastoral beauty, but jumps time and again into chaotic "Toccata"-esque forays. "Greed" is the most jovial of the four compositions, led by Örjan Strandberg twangy electric guitar in a way that puts them somewhere in the neighbourhood of Yes. Even though "Death" should have had more stopping power than the other 'Riders', the album's longest track feels like a mess compared to the first three. Some blatant musical references to King Crimson's "Larks Tongues in Aspic II" aside, there's little that stands out in the album's last chapter.

Dice echo the pomp of classical composers well enough, and the idea of writing a progressive mini- epic for each of the riders of the apocalypse is a great idea in theory, but the way Four Riders of the Apocalypse has turned out feels anything but consistent. The production is middling at best, and the two longer pieces lose steam before the end. These are black marks on an album that had the potential for greatness; as tends to be expected for bands of the genre, Dice are great musicians who sound well at home in the instrumental format. Sadly, like so many of the obscure gems that lay hidden in wait for prospective listeners, they weren't active long after the album was made, fading to the status of a footnote, to be admired by some of progressive rock's more adamant fans.

I feel compelled to reflect on effort here - in place of achievement. So, what's wrong with this album? Nothing really, but everything. Let me explain.

These rather talented cats have obviously been inspired by ELP and to a lesser extent perhaps Gentle Giant. Their combined skills appear to be very credible, but sadly, the same is not reflected in the structure of the compositions. Pretty much every piece here suffers from being repeatedly fragmented, falling apart in mid-flight. Spirited runs abruptly change to pastoral images, before resuming wild runs again, yet to fall apart ad nauseum over the entire work. One may perceive an Avant approach - something I can relate to in small doses, but this work fails to reach Avant territory - only irritation in place of such.

Ambitious and fairly credible effort that has missed the mark. A real pity, but I could not recommend it for anyone looking for quality enjoyment. 2.5, rounded up to 3 - if only for the well intended effort.

Swedish prog group DICE released one album in 1978 and disbanded, but one year before the album they had recorded this work that saw the light of day in 1992. My first impression, listening to the 11- minute opener 'War': a bit muddy production but very powerful, ambitious and dramatic symphonic instrumental prog with lots of organ. ELP reference is therefore obvious but maybe the compositions remind me more of YES and GENESIS, with some Scandinavian touch à la KAIPA. Oh, now the guitar got very Steve Howe-ish! Followed by Emersonian organ fireworks.

'Disease' starts in a more careful manner but the tension increases along the way. Indeed there's an Apocalyptic feel in this hectic music. Again, some Foxtrot-era Genesis type of sounds. Good melodies, and apart from slight sense of less natural cut-and-paste progress in multi-part composition, the dramatic, narrative feeling stays pretty well in balance. 'Greed' has a fast tempo and by now I'm getting a bit frustrated at the ELPish, virtuotic approach. Tiresome prog in large doses to me. Happily there are delicate piano interludes, more in the style of Wakeman than Emerson. Hmm, it's soon followed by a hilarious, jazzy section that makes the ELP side stronger again.

The four-part 'Death' starts very doomily with sinister organ joined soon by the whole band. I like the creepy, quieter part with Mellotron's flute sounds. Death approaches, help us dear Lord! The final section ('Heaven') has a cathartic grandiosity.

Could have been nice to hear some occasional vocals too, but I respect their decision to stay instrumental. The musical talent in this quartet is very notable. The named influences are rather clear along the way but still this is a worthy addition to a prog collection, so I'll round my 3½ stars up.

Ambitious and dynamic second entry from these unsung Swedes, Four Riders of the Apocalypse is a dense mass of musical energy not unlike A Passion Play in its bold attempt to fit with the skill of a mortician and finesse of a four-star chef every loose scrap of edible meat and passable backfat into a single delicious galantine. The result is a most imperfect but uniquely satisfying affair. The nausea accompanied by illusions and frequent trips to the toilet later that night are well worth it. You only go around once.

Forget the even then passé arranging in four "suites" (it was a demo from the '70s), the album wouldn't sound any different if it'd been one long piece; 'War' full of military references, marches, fanfares, cadences, salutes, ruffles, and other quotes from martial music. And mid-period ELP, of course. Despite its title, 'Disease' is not sickly but bucolic mixed with wonderfully aimless prog rock led by Leif Larsson's more than capable keys, and reminds somewhat of American proggers Happy the Man. The rhythm section of Fred Vildö & Per Andersson must be commended for holding this potential mess of a record together, turning it into a reality and not just a band having fun. The cut closes on a single organ chord which in turn opens lively 'Greed' overflowing with polyhedral lines and deft playing, these four showing the unmistakable signs of a team committed to, more than anything, playing together. Great track.

Finally big and funereal 'Death' hallows the bitter end with its overdriven mics and near mayhem, and for a moment King Crimson's Red flashes through the synapses. The mix on Four Riders is not great, which is a shame. On the other hand, a perfect recording might have diminished this explosion of marvelous if rushed and deeply flawed rock energy. Who knows. I do know I'm glad they never re-recorded it. Here's hoping they never will.

Other than being a wonderful set of music, it is the "unfinished" quality of Dice's first that makes it so good and so unlike much of the over-groomed product that was coming from the Scandinavian prog scene. In fact it reminds me more of the raw excitement in the tiny but edgy U.S. scene around the same time; think Yezda Urfa, Cartoon, et al. Sure Robert Holmin's vocals are subpar and they're playing with the urgency of a band on a very tight studio schedule and small budget, but that doesn't mean this ain't prog rock of the utmost ambition and sincerity. The compositions are developed beyond the call of duty, the group dynamics are solid, and the fun but serious attitude is just right. For a debut, the quintet did a marvelous job.

A roll of the bones crackles open 'Alea lacta Est' crammed full of sudden but perfect changes as the band keeps us guessing, finally settling on a narrative about war, peace and politics. But the music, not the message, is the centerpiece, sloppy mistakes and all. Bass player Fredrik Vildo is extraordinary and Leif Larsson's keys provide gorgeous layers of texture and emotion as on 'Annika', with Orjan Strandberg's muti-tracked guitars filling in space with volume swells and chiming harmonies, even funny 'The Utopian Suntan' has room for great elaboration. And I suspect 'The Venetian Bargain', though resembling Yes, in turn had an impact on the very band it was emulating. Listen to this cut with Yes' Drama in mind ~ an album that came out two years later ~ and you'll hear what I mean. It is a beautiful track and the disc finishes with twenty-two minute operetta 'Follies', a baroque-rock epic lush with synths and the inspiration of a great, great musical unit.

If you ever see this one at a good price, nab it. Someday you'll be glad you did. At least I hope so.