With the release of their debut album The Great Unknown the London-based Damn Dice are expanding on their 2013 Wild ‘N’ Ready EP by developing 4 out of the 6 existing tracks while adding another 8 originals to whet your appetite. Their second release since forming in 2011 sees them follow in the stylistic footsteps of Heaven’s Basement, Hardcore Superstar and Buckcherry.
Opening track ‘Power’ leads you to expect a straight-up metal track with it’s military-precision double-bass but Alex Davidson soon squashes any expectations of a typical metal album with his Gene Simmons-style vocals. Strap in for a fast-paced album which slows only for the classic rock ballad ‘Words’ featuring a guitar solo worthy of being played aloft a breezy mountaintop in an epic, stereotypical fashion. Service is resumed as they up the ante tenfold for ‘Bang Your Head’, verging on thrash metal, before bringing the album to an end with head-bangers ‘No Fear’ and ‘Rock (Like You Mean It)’, which you can easily hear being played to a packed arena with fists in the air. The rocking hair metallers come into their own with ‘Home’, a slower but more grandiose offering than the majority of the record whilst showing the most potential of the overall opus.
The mix of styles gives the band a slight identity crisis, as the vocals clash with the vibe of ‘Driven’ but fit perfectly on ‘Down’ with the lower range of vocals complimenting the gritty hard rock, so it’s a case of the quartet finding the right balance between the two unique genres. While the vocal range is impressive, the lyrics are sometimes inaudible as they’re lost in the falsetto reminiscent of a younger Vince Neil. ‘Take The Fight’ and ‘Caught In The Ride’ add little to the album and feel more like filler tracks but 10 out of 12 ain’t bad.
While it’s understandable that the group wanted to make an impression on their debut, it seems like they’ve put everything they’ve got out on display and could do with reining it in a bit to refine their sound. Nevertheless, it’s a strong entry and a ballsy blend of styles to kick off with as well as bringing something slightly different to the current UK rock music melting pot.
