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VERSUS WITHOUT VERSUS - END PARTDiceCrossover Prog |
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![4 stars](static-images/4stars.gif)
The anchor for this ambitious undertaking is the 23 minute "Hold the Spirit", which offers so much more than quantity. While I personally have been convinced of the group's skill and adventurousness, this track has the capacity to silence those more demanding listeners. It giddily floats from vocal theme to instrumental theme, using hooks to enhance rather than signify its pedigree, nearly establishing a genre in the process. More than anything in the DICE discography, "Hold the Spirit" sets the group apart in progressive rock for their own style and for their beguiling range of influences both modern and classic. The flute dominated section in the latter part is particularly worthy of mention for its dancing quality, and Alex Klimentov, dedicated to the use of acoustic guitar, adds a more organic quality to some of the relaxed atmospheres.
The album's opener "Who Inflames the Universe Tonight", is a more typical offering but includes fine sax and mellotron. As we have heard before from DICE, we can detect a certain gentle swing like affect. The Moody Blues' "The Other Side of Life" might be a good comparison as a starting point, although here we find much more expansive soloing by the returning Peter Viertel. "Secret Sun" is another fine wind-enhanced song with the most catchy chorus but also cool diversions that remind me of circus music, and Nove's talking on tune style. Both Viertel and Nove (who now handles keyboards and bass), shine in their melodic soloing to set the spine a tingling. Nove seems to deploy the mellotron heavily as a background for fluid guitars and flutes. While "When Darkness Comes" is somewhat less captivating, the final curtain on the main theme manages to impress more than usual perhaps because it is slowed down and some plaintive brass is added.
Not much to complain about here. While the first installment of the trilogy had me worried that the group was going to fold into the neo prog morasse, I needn't have been concerned. Right now, I wouldn't want to pit anyone else versus Christian Nove's group.
![4 stars](static-images/4stars.gif)
I must say it didn´t grab me at first. The opener, Who Inflames The Universe Tonight? and the second track When The Darkness Comes took a long time to sink in. And still I don´t think they are the best ones in this CD. They are very good, ok, but there are better things on the record. However, from the third track on everything just clicks! The highlight of the album is the long and excellent 23 minute epic Hold The Spirit: an amazing roller coaster of great melodies, shifting rhythms and moods, terrific solos and perfect arranged instrumentation that gives you the impression that this tune is quite short, really. Secret Sun is another fine example of this group greatness, specially the second part.
All the musicians are very good. I found Jens Lubeck´s sax playing is a bit cliche, but his flute is just amazingly beautiful. Thre are few guitar solos but in general I liked the guitar work on this album a lot. Leader and vocalist Christian Nove handles all the bass and keyboards duties this time and he does a very good job on them. His voice is not one of the greatest on earth, but his emotional interpretation is quite strong and convincing. It fits well into this kind of music I guess.
Conclusion: it took me quite some time to fully digest and enjoy this album, but it was worth it. it also made me curious about their previous (and latter) releases. if you like space rock with good melodies and excellent modern production then you should not miss this one. A very interesting band indeed! 4 stars.
DICE Versus Without Versus - End Part ratings only
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Redy60 (Radoslav Glushkov)
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krotik111 (Bill)
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brig64 (Igor)
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sole-survivor
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pars (Valeriy)
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Yandr (Andrianov)
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OneOpinion (Steve C.)
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bobyor
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Krass
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Yrman
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Epitaph847
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lagos
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evolver1
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ed14 (ILDAR)
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Pieromcdo (Pierre McDonald)
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texmarq
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medienwurm (Der Medienwurm)
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uomoerrante (corrado)
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captainjest (Joe Peterson)
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crimsogenes
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puzart (Artur)
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Speetrak (Malebog)
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Jihnik1958 (Evgeniy)
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mitarai_panda (sunjunfei)
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bangkokfreak (Morris Scott)
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Dopeydoc (Pierre Nory)
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vick (Victor)
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