Jesse Mach - The Dice of Doom

Review by Karl Magi

Overall Album Impressions

Jesse Mach’s The Dice of Doom tells the story of a group of American teenagers in the 1980s playing a fateful game of Dungeons and Dragons—a game that will forever alter their world. This is an album that creates an evocative atmosphere, mingling nostalgia, a sense of adventure and fantastical worlds. Jesse Mach reveals this world to us through engaging guitar performances, atmospheric synth sounds and melodies that capture all of the drama and danger of the tale which unfolds across these tracks.

It’s the sense of atmosphere and mood that first stands out to me on The Dice of Doom. Through the use of melody, harmony and sound, Jesse Mach weaves a story full of hope, camaraderie and unbelievable danger. All of the different musical elements evoke an exploration across a threatening and beautiful world, telling the story of this band of teenagers facing a quest they could never have imagined.

Of course, no Jesse Mach album would be complete without gripping, skillful guitar performances. He has mastered his instrument and uses it to express a full range of emotion and feeling. Between his soloistic skill and choice of guitar tones, Jesse Mach lays out the world he's imagined through thrilling and complex solos and melodies.

Speaking of melodies, The Dice of Doom showcases more excellent melodic writing from Jesse Mach. He writes melodies that evoke the moods and sensations of the story he tells, capturing danger along with triumph and tragedy. Each track serves as a chapter in the story and the melodies within that chapter reflect the tale being told.

I also enjoy the choices Jesse Mach has made with the synths on The Dice of Doom. He combines all of the different sonic capabilities of synths to further deepen the feeling of immersion he creates in this album. I enjoy the way he uses synths like a film director uses shots and angles—to help convey the world revealed in the album.

The artwork choice reflects the mood and emotion of the album, but it would be nice to see a collaboration with one of the many talented artists in the scene to deepen the imagery’s human touch.

My Favourite Tracks Analyzed

"The Last Game Night" comes into being as a tenderly hovering synth slowly undulates into open space. Pulsating bass moves with muscled vigour as the huge drums rebound and the synth oscillates with glowing light. A sense of dreamy melancholy flows from the synth as it climbs upward. The drums are hard-hitting and shaping, while a tide of lucent notes washes past.

The main melody slips by, captured by the scintillating synth, exuding wistful nostalgia. The touching emotion that rises in me is deepened by the sparkling guitar, carrying a soothing melodic pattern. The drums rebound, the softly waving synth floats and Jesse Mach’s guitar moves with an emotive spirit—crying out in a melody that mingles hope and a sense of change as it circles through the music.

Below it, the drums throb and the bass surges. Jesse Mach’s solo is richly intertwining and full of feeling as the bending, glimmering synth rises and the guitar strums through the music with easy warmth—before soaring to the sky as the track ends.

Wildly racing, digitized-sounding notes speed past to commence "Trial by Steel." The rushing note pattern creates tension while a steadily swelling glow fills the background. Now, the drums and bass launch. An effulgent synth rebounds rapidly as the drums touch the music and Jesse Mach’s guitar carries the rousing and uplifting melody.

The bass is angular and powerful while the drums rebound and the guitar flies out with hope and dynamism. I enjoy the exhilarating liveliness in Jesse Mach’s guitar performance as smoothly flickering notes dance in the background. The low end has a guiding weight as the guitar is doubled with a trumpeting synth that blasts out with sunlit verve.

The guitar sings out with motivating energy while the drums continue to press on. Smoothly eddying synth shines as the guitar carries a solo that reaches for the sky, exuding a sense of triumph and forward motion while the track drives on. The arcing, madly intertwining motion of Jesse Mach’s fingers draws out even more abandoned strength as the round-sounding synth notes spin. We return to the main melody as it jumps outward with an indomitable spirit before the track ends.

“Barbarian’s Awakening” launches as a roughly swelling synth undulates while a pounding kick drum moves underneath. Jesse Mach’s guitar cuts in with ferocious energy as twirling arpeggios sparkle and the drums rebound. Now the victorious melody rises with nobility and honor, carried on the richly toned guitar. A bending synth echoes the melody, unfolding a sense of adventurous strength and the will to fight.

The way the track represents the story the artist wants to tell fits perfectly. Distant sounds hover and twist as the rumbling bass begins to pulse quickly again. The bass swells and Jesse Mach’s guitar flies once more, howling with intense strength, lending an unstoppable warrior spirit.

An entangling, swirling, bending synth moves along with gnarly electric bass while the guitar wheels and climbs through tightly interlocking notes above the pounding drums. The guitar evokes a madly fought battle—warriors struggling with each other for supremacy. The main melody returns with the feeling of a fight won.

Colossal drums pound as a dark bass cuts with angular motion to kick off “The Path Unwritten”. Swirling, razor-edged synth sweeps past as warmly echoing notes wind around it above the steady drum beat. A ticking hi-hat adds rhythmic motion while the bass oscillates and the raised notes exude a mysterious light, shaped by the driving percussion.

A sneaky synth creates a feeling of careful movement through dangerous territory. A fluting sound flows with serene delicacy while the heavy drums and bass throb. Washing notes flow in a scintillating tide as a worshipful synth carries a meditative melody. lapping notes in the distance underpin the enigmatic guitar as it moves with enchanted grace.

Jesse Mach’s guitar calls out, carrying me away as we travel down this strange and twisting path together. Mingled muscle and a hint of tentative caution fill the guitar lines before the track ends.

“Dice of Doom” comes into being as intensely charging bass moves with a gliding synth while sharply string-like sounds echo. The undulating drums and bass accelerate with unrelenting force into the openness around them. Glittering synth with a cutting edge twists through the music.

The rapidly rippling notes are rounded and intense as a cold wind sweeps through the soundscape. Spinning notes are joined by the heaving, dangerous-feeling low end while the crystalline synth rises. Refulgent notes leap with a sense of foreboding above the crushing drum and bass heartbeat.

Crackling, shivering notes move with spectral voices as the drums accelerate for a moment and Jesse Mach’s guitar rises above the music with adventurous nobility tinged by a sense of threat. Darkness surges around the incandescent notes, filling the shadows with light. The guitar solo is raging and dramatic, calling to me with its feelings of ominous portent. Slightly rough-edged, feverishly radiant notes glide past as the thunderous low end fades to silence.

“Trapped Into the Game” begins with rapidly pounding drums and an angular, tumbling synth that leap to kick off the energy. Towering bass thunders as the broadly dazzling synth carries a dramatically energetic melody, while the drums form an unstoppable heartbeat. A trumpeting synth creates a sense of unending action, while piano-like notes flash above the propulsive low end.

Darkly gleaming synth carries the victorious, shadowy melody while the drums continue to burst. Surging strength fills the music and urges it onward, while effulgent synth chords glide, tinged by threatening sounds. The way in which this track conveys lurking danger is enjoyable for me.

Lushly echoing, trembling synth fades into silence and strangely bending sounds wobble along with the massive drums and bass. The fierce low end batters unstoppably before the track ends on the arcing melody.

Conclusion

The Dice of Doom is a stirring and entertaining adventure told through music. As I listen to the album and read the story that accompanies it, I can feel myself in the place of the characters. The music fully immerses me in the storytelling and transports me to a magical world full of high strangeness and danger.