Bloody Dice: ‘Bloody Dice’

BLOODY DICE
BLOODY DICE
Released on April 28, 2023 (Eönian Records)

Review:
Denmark’s Bloody Dice have unleashed their debut full-length album on the unsuspecting public and they get things off to a fine start with the opening band title track which is a sturdy, atmospheric rocker that if it isn’t already a single, then it probably should be. This promising beginning is followed by the hard edged boogie of “Machine” that comes complete with lyrics about “fighting the man” and today’s technological world and its ensuing problems.

“Live For Today” channels the bands inner Lovehunter-era David Coverdale and that’s where things descend into rather generic territory with “Thorn In Their Side” “The Conflict” and “Road To Ruin” all falling into that particular category. Nothing inherently wrong with any of them apart from the fact that it’s difficult to discern one from another, until “Slave” redresses the balance a little and is another potential single.

The sprawling, eight minute long “Hangover” is obviously very personal and passionately delivered but doesn’t really seem to actually go anywhere and outstays its welcome by at least a couple of minutes. The bouncy, harmonica-led “My Own Way” offers another glimpse of what the band members are obviously capable of before another misstep with “Evil Desire” offering lyrics about wizards and goblins that just had me reaching for the off switch. The seedy “Vigilante” and “Backdoor Man” are a pair of fairly neat blues rockers that end the album in a similar way that it began — on a high.

The production is crisp and the band members are in fine form. Nickie Jensen’s guitar is impeccable throughout, as are the rhythm section of Kenneth Olsen on drums and UK bass player Stuart O’Neill. Vocalist Dagfinn Joensen — who some may remember from his tenure with Fate — is stirringly impassioned on every song but it really is the songs that are the main problem here, in that they just aren’t memorable enough on the whole.

Bloody Dice certainly don’t follow the “less is more” maxim as most of the tracks pass the four minute mark and, despite the very best efforts of the band to instill quality into each and every one of them, the majority of their songs just don’t leave a lasting impression. This is a real shame as the performance of Bloody Dice as an entity deserves far better material.

Track List:
01. Bloody Dice
02. Machine
03. Live For Today
04. Thorn In Their Side
05. The Conflict
06. Road To Ruin
07. Slave
08. Hangover
09. My Own Way
10. Evil Desire
11. Vigilante
12. Backdoor Man

Band Members:
Dagfinn Joensen – vocals
Nickie Jensen – guitar
Kenneth Olsen – drums
Stuart O’Neill – bass

Band Websites:
Facebook
Instagram
Eönian Records

Reviewed by Rockney Colin for Sleaze Roxx, August 2023

Bloody Dice‘s “Road To Ruin” live at Sweet Silence Studios video:

Bloody Dice‘s “Bloody Dice” live at Sweet Silence Studios video: