DICE

Not achieving to sign a contract with a label, Dice started rehearsing on new compositions, but now they had also added singer Robert Holmin to the line-up.Eventually the band signed with the obscure label Marilla to release their self-titled debut in 1978.

Very much influenced by compatriots KAIPA as well as FOCUS, GENESIS and YES,Dice offer some excellent Symphonic Rock arrangements often with a humurous edge but far from something trully personal.The compositions are quite grandiose, based on Larsson's talented keyboard playing,including mellotron,organ,piano and synths, and Strandberg sensitive guitar playing,sometimes though reminding also of STEVE HOWE's nervous approach.At moments they even flirt with the complex nature of GENTLE GIANT or even YEZDA URFA with sudden breaks and unusual changing themes with complicated keyboard parts on the forefront.The band decided to hire a vocalist in order to make their sound more accesible,but I do not see any signs of accesibility in here.The whole material is definitely far from commercial with complex time signatures and changing moods in a blink of an eye.The highlight is of course the 22-min. exciting suite ''Follies'',actually pieces of music written between 1972-1975 and stuck nicely together to deliver this grand opus.Classical-influenced pianos, romantic flashy moog synthesizers, warm electric guitars, orchestral mellotron passages and some schizophenic fast interplays offer a great Symphonic Rock experience,spoiled only by the mediocre vocal exercises of Holmin.

Another fine work of the Symphonic Rock scene of Sweden along the lines of KAIPA, ATLAS, BLAKULLA and AUTUMN BREEZE.Complex musicianship, sensitive passages, bombastic moments but little originality.Strongly recommended...3.5 stars.