DICE: Within vs.Without CD. Holes in booklets hence the cheap price. Progressive rock a la early IQ or Marillion. Check audio

Description

punch holes in booklets hence the cheap price

Studio Album, released in 2007

Songs / Tracks Listing
1. More Worth Than Gold (8:00)
2. DICE Cosmic-Blues (9:30)
3. The Ladder Of Dreams (6:09)
4. In This Life (8:43)
5. So Asked The Moon (7:57)
6. Never The Darkness (2:44)
7. The Same Shadows (6:35)
8. Without And Within, Pt. 2 (10:17)

Total Time 60:00

Line-up / Musicians
– Christian Nove / lead vocals, guitars, bass, mellotron
– Henry Zschelletzschky / keyboards, background vocals
– Peter Viertel / guitars
– Yugenji / guitars
– Dirk Zorn / bass
– Thomas Bunk / drums

CD Scene Records 4623-3

German prog, be it Krautrock or the country’s own brand of symphonic progressive rock, is often accused of coldness and general lack of emotion. While some of these charges are valid, particularly when one thinks of KRAFTWERK or NEU!, and even some aspects of the more melodically oriented groups like ELOY or RAMSES, in the case of DICE the theorem breaks down mightily, especially on this the second instalment of their Without/Within trilogy. Here we find more real romance and comfort both in the lyrics and arrangements than can rightly be expected on the pop charts let alone in a genre known more for pyrotechnics. But please don’t assume the instrumental fireworks are toned down, because they are not, in the least.
Virtually every track oozes warmth and soft colours, such that it is hard to pick out highlights on that basis. Even a glance at the titles reveals a philosophical and poetic inspiration, from the Italian symphonic inspired “”More Worth than Gold”” to the fantasy-laden “”Ladder of Dreams”” to the rousing vocal harmonies of “”So Asked the Moon””. Even when they pay homage to themselves as in “”Dice Cosmic Blues””, the blend of inspired lead guitar and keyboards is the stuff of nights in the hot tub under the full moon. “”The Same Shadows”” is a simple plea for greater awareness of our similarities as people, and the chorus is catchy even for DICE, with Nove in fine voice throughout. He also contributes plenty of mellotron strings without stealing the show from Henry Zschelletzschky and the guitars of Peter Viertel and his replacement Yugenji (who fits like a glove).

“”In this life”” and the reprise of “”Without and Within”” are the album’s weak moments but they show plenty of strength especially in the former, which provides a valid counterpoint to the generally romantic melodies elsewhere. I just prefer the more textured and “”lighter”” DICE sound, if you will.

This is space rock for those who pine for home wherever one may be relative to that elusive place. It is music of the soul, mind and heart, and one of this group’s as well as German prog’s strongest efforts. 4.5 stars out of 5 stars.

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DICE:
Origin Gütersloh, Leipzig, Germany
Genres Progressive rock
Art rock
Space rock
Years active 1974-present
Members: Christian Nóvé
Peter Viertel
Thomas Hanke
Ramona Nóvé
Tom Tomson
Dennis Lee Small
DICE is a German progressive rock band that was founded in 1974 in Gütersloh/Eastern Westphalia, West Germany by Christian Nóvé (vocals, guitar), Andreas Schattschneider (guitar), Gerd Brummel (drums) and Norbert Schulze (effects). After several regroupings the band moved to Frankfurt am Main in 1977, and released 2 LP albums.

In 1992, the band’s composer and lead singer Christian Nóvé revived the group in Leipzig. DICE have released a record every year since 1997, the band attained a somewhat iconic position in the progressive rock genre.

To date, the band has released 21 studio albums, as well as 4 live recordings and 2 DVDs.

Biography
DICE was founded by Christian Nóvé and has been in existence with its original band members since 1974.

In 1979, the first DICE record was released. Its musicians included Alto Pappert (former member of Kraan) and George Kochbeck (formerly Joachim Kühn). Live-DICE followed in 1983; an additional release in picture disc format.

Since 1997, DICE has been releasing a longtrack CD annually. The music of DICE is characterized by intelligent arrangements of catchy melodies, a foundation of complex rhythms underneath seemingly floating keyboards, and guitar sounds. The music is often compared to that of Pink Floyd, Hawkwind, Eloy, IQ, as well as Marillion and Flower Kings.

DICE become known in the sophisticated, melodic prog scene; extremely complex metric again meets perfectly harmonious arrangements. It is almost normal for DICE, that they have compositions reaching beyond the 10-minute limit.

In addition to the release of their 8th CD, Waterworld, the largest live performance in the history of DICE was made in 2002. During the THEATRON-Musiksommer Open-Air-Festival in Munich, close to 3000 fans celebrated the band. Live recordings of this concert have been released in CD and DVD format.

Since 1999 Dennis Lee Small from Des Moines, Iowa, USA has been part of the line-up as the standard lyricist for DICE.

Since 2013 the superb German harp player Thomas Hanke plays with DICE. Especially in the over 20 minutes long “Flowing River Rain” his wonderful harp solos brings more than just a new musical color to the DICE sound.

Discography:
Studio albums
1979: DICE 1979-1993 (vinyl, re-released in CD format in 1993)

1997: DICE Nightmare

1999: DICE Silvermoon

2000: DICE Dreamland

2001: DICE 2001 – Dice In Space

2002: DICE Waterworld

2004: DICE If The Beatles Were From Another Galaxy

2005: DICE Time – In Eleven Pictures

2006: DICE Without vs. Within Pt. 1

2007: DICE Within vs. Without Next Part

2009: DICE Versus Without Versus – End Part

2010: DICE Eternity’s Ocean

2011: DICE Newborn

2012: DICE Comet Highway

2013: DICE Para-Dice

2014: DICE Twentaurus

2015: DICE Son.Sister.Sun

2016: DICE X Is Double Two On The DICE Map

2017: DICE Chance For The Link Of A Chain

2018: DICE What, If My Black Cat Is An Alien

2019: DICE YES-2-5-Roger-Roger