Greg Dulli, whose resume includes Afghan Whigs, Gutter Twins and Twilight Singers, scores music for films that only exist in his head. Dynamite Steps rings out as prime Dulli. A strong cast of guest characters — fellow Gutter Twin Mark Lanegan, Joseph Arthur, Petra Haden, Ani DiFranco — gives the album’s black hues subtle shifts in tone. But make no mistake, this is an album of noir-ish nightmares, where keyboards resemble a ticking time bomb and backing vocals resemble witches at black masses. The terror is palpable. “Last Night In Town” is the sound of a man hiding in a motel room with his blood and adrenaline pumping in anticipation of putting someone underground. “Waves” takes that attack and turns up the volume. “Get Lucky” settles down at the piano where Dave Rosser’s guitar intrudes with violent swaths. “On the Corner” releases the tension with a pure rhythmic drive. Dulli’s voice is perpetually a desperate cry, nearly unable to handle the weight of the situation. Only “Blackbird and the Fox” with Ani DiFranco is rooted in the pretense of a modest folk ballad before the instruments take it elsewhere.