Roll the Dice – Until Silence

Until Silence’s lingering power stems from its galvanising contrasts. For instance, the way the uncompromising Coup De Grace (a visceral combination of infrasonic bass, abrasive clatters and slashing Psycho-strings) is succeeded by the celestial sighs of Aridity, or how Aridity in turn yields to the coldly mechanical Where I Go, Darkness Follows.

‘Darkness’ is certainly an operative noun on Stockholm-based duo Roll the Dice’s third album, as Peder Mannerfelt and Malcolm Pardon venture into increasingly dusky territory with the aid of a 26-piece string ensemble – a forefront addition that adds levity and beauty to some pieces, density and menace to others.

Casting a particularly formidable shadow is Assembly – a brooding, 10-minute colossus that builds from bare, purposefully monotonous percussion to an intensely dramatic climax. A similar dynamic appears in condensed form elsewhere, and, regrettably, overuse slightly dulls its impact. But the album’s moody undertow is persistently felt, keeping the synapses and nerves alert and alive. [Chris Buckle]