01	The Fatal Impact						03:21
	02	The Trial						03:42
	03	Frontier						03:13
	04	Fortune						03:47
	05	Ocean						03:21
	06	East Of Eden						03:23
	07	Threshold						03:34
	08	A Passage In Time						04:03
	09	Wild In The Woods						03:46
	10	Musica Eternal						03:51
	11	Carnival Of Light						03:32
	12	In Power We Entrust The Love Advocated						04:11
	13	The Arcane						03:49
	14	Flowers Of The Sea						03:29

Dead Can Dance
Date of Release 1984

AMG EXPERT REVIEW: Early punk backgrounds and the like behind them, Perry and Gerrard created a striking, dour landmark in early-'80s atmospherics on their first, self-titled effort. Bearing much more resemblance to the similarly gripping, dark early work of bands like the Cocteau Twins and the Cure than to the later fusions of music that would come to characterize the duo's sound, Dead Can Dance is as goth as it gets in many places. Perry and Gerrard's wonderful vocal work — his rich, warm tones and her unearthly, multi-octave exaltations — are already fairly well established, but serve different purposes here. Thick, shimmering guitar and rumbling bass/drum/drum machine patterns practically scream their sonic connections to the likes of Robin Guthrie and Robert Smith, but they still sound pretty darn good for all that. When they stretch that sound to try for a more distinct, unique result, the results are astonishing. Gerrard is the major beneficiary here — "Frontier" explicitly experiments with tribal percussion, resulting in an excellent combination of her singing and the rushed music. Then there's the astonishing "Ocean," where guitar and chiming bells and other rhythmic sounds provide the bed for one of her trademark — and quite, quite lovely — vocal excursions into the realm of glossolalia. Perry in contrast tends to be matched with the more straightforward numbers of digital processing and thick, moody guitar surge. The album ends on a fantastic high note — "Musica Eternal," featuring a slowly increasing in volume combination of hammered dulcimer, low bass tones, and Gerrard's soaring vocals. As an indicator of where the band was going, it's perfect. — Ned Raggett

1. The Fatal Impact (Dead Can Dance)
2. The Trial (Dead Can Dance)
3. Frontier (Dead Can Dance)
4. Fortune (Dead Can Dance)
5. Ocean (Dead Can Dance)
6. East of Eden (Dead Can Dance)
7. Threshold (Dead Can Dance)
8. A Passage in Time (Dead Can Dance)
9. Wild in the Woods (Dead Can Dance)
10. Musica Eternal (Dead Can Dance)
11. Garden of the Arcane Delights: Carnival of (Dead Can Dance)
12. Garden of the Arcane Delights: In Power We (Dead Can Dance)
13. Garden of the Arcane Delights: The Arcane (Dead Can Dance)
14. Garden of the Arcane Delights: Flowers of... (Dead Can Dance)


CD 4AD 45546
1984 LP 4AD 404
CD Warner Brothers 452
1994 CS Warner Brothers 45546
1994 CD Warner Brothers 45546

Dead Can Dance
The Fatal Impact . The Trial . Frontier . Fortune . Ocean . East of Eden . Threshold . A Passage in Time . Wild in the Woods . Musica Eterna
Garden of the Arcane Delights
Carnival of Light . In Power We Trust the Love Advocated . The Arcane . Flowers of the Sea


Garden of the Arcane Delights
Carnival of Light . In Power We Trust the Love Advocated . The Arcane . Flowers of the Sea


Dead Can Dance [UK]

Dead Can Dance (84), The Garden of Arcane Pleasures (84, EP), Spleen and Ideal (85), Within the Realm of a Dying Sun (87), The Serpent's Egg (88), Aion (90), A Passage in Time (91, comp.)

Very middle-eastern sounding band featuring both male and female vocalists. Will not be everyone's cup of tea. However if you are willing to take a chance it can and will grow on you.

There seems to be a raging debate as to whether this band is progressive or alternative or what. Whatever it is, the sound is very odd, like some folk themes from the dark ages with modern pop overtones. Two vocalists (male and female) and medieval instruments, with some modern instruments in the mix too, make this a very unique sound - I've never heard anyone else that comes close. The compilation A Passage In Time is a good starting point.

Very mellow music with a medieval feel to it, with lush synths and vocals. The female singer sounds great, almost gives me goosebumps. Other than the rich harmonies and vocals theres not much else, the music can get very simplistic and boring at times.

The music draws on styles and instruments from many cultures and many times, from 15th Century Italian dances to eastern European polyphonic chants. The timelessness of their sources, coupled with heavy use of atmospheric synth sounds and lots of reverb, generates an overwhelming sense of scale in both space and time. The lyrics, when they're not in Gaelic or some other mysterious tongue, are grand, tragic, and sung with deep confidence. If you liked Anne Rice's "Interview With a Vampire," this music may appeal to you. It also shares some elements with the Cocteau Twins, especially the enchanting female vocalist's talent for glossolalia.

One of the most original bands of the past ten years, if not of all time. From their 1984 post-punk Joy Division-esque first album to their highly-acclaimed 1990 Aion, this Irish band has voyaged on uncharted waters no one else could even conceive of (let alone creatively execute). Ethereal and transcendental beyond belief, DCD's music transports the listener not to other worlds, the way Floyd and Tangerine Dream do, but to the ancient times of *this world* - Ancient Greece, Spain during the 14th or 15th century, even the land of Galilee. The music is potently religious (in a pagan rather than orthodox fashion) and very very vocal, though it is supplemented by highly varied (although almost exclusively acoustic) instrumentation: church bells, bagpipes, small string ensembles, and an assortment of percussion from every corner of the earth (all channeled through harmonic modes retrieved from the Middle Ages and Renaissance). The two singers, Brendan Perry and Lisa Gerrard, trade off lead vocals, but in addition Lisa often multi-tracks a forest of backup vocals. Brendan usually sings in English, but Lisa prefers anything but (Latin, Italian, wordless keening, you name it); some songs resemble a liturgical mass or Gregorian chant. Many people despise Brendan's at times pretentious-sounding vocals (he has been compared unfavorably with Sinatra), but if you like Morrissey at all you shouldn't have a problem. Only the very first album contained rock-rhythm-section-driven tracks, so listeners preferring the comfort of bass and drums will be disappointed. This music is *very* serious, rarely joyous, and never humorous (though they draw the line at angst). Not for the faint at heart. Although they have released six or seven albums, many of which are on CD (though mostly as imports on the 4AD label), the following three CDs are arguably the highmarks of their catalog: Within the Realm of a Dying Sun (heavily orchestrated, dark and moody, lean on percussion, Joy Division/Mahler/Wagner- influenced, superbly produced); Aion (representing the band's style finally coming to full maturity, a near-perfect integration of all the elements honed on their preceding albums); and the Ryko compilation Passage in Time (probably the best CD for newcomers).

The Dead Can Dance (DCD) are a difficult band to characterize. Their first two albums not withstanding, the DCD sound depends greatly on who wrote or arranged the particular piece. The DCD consists of Brendan Perry and Lisa Gerrard, plus other studio musicians. In general, I would say that the sound has an ancient feel to it. Lisa is attracted to chants, Reniassance, and Mediterranean music; she sings in many tongues (even when it's English :-). Brendan has a flair for the darker side of life; "doom and gloom" as a friend of mine has said. Compositionally he uses a lot of deep resonant drums/percussion; lyrically, his themes that reflect personal as well as social fears and traumas. In "Anywhere out of the World," in Spleen and Ideal, we hear: "And maybe it's easier to withdraw from life/ with all of its misery and wretched lies/ away from harm" as the chorus; the final verse warns: "In our vain pursuit/ of life for one's own end/ will this crooked path/ ever cease to end?" This is typical of his work. Their first, self-titled album is a dark and foreboding trip through a netherworld. This mood is matched in the (purposefully) muddy and distorted sound quality. For example, both Brendan's and Lisa's vocals are heavily augmented, not unlike those of the Cocteau Twins' Elizabeth Fraser. The second album, which is an EP that is now reproduced on the CD version of the first album, is very similar to the first album -- nothing particularly unique. I just recently bought Spleen and Ideal, so I can't faithfully review its content. Suffice to say that this album begins to lighten up compared to the first two. Lisa's vocals have been greatly lifted out of the quagmire of the swirling sound effects of Dead Can Dance (or The Garden...). One can also begin to hear and recognize the ancient and third world influences and melodic modalities that became increasingly important in their later albums. As I have not heard Within the Realm of a Dying Sun, I will not comment on this one. The Serpent's Egg is their best effort in my opinion. Brendan's poetry is both refined and deep: (last verse) "Indifference/ the plague that moves throughout this land/ Omen signs/ in the shapes of things to come.." These lines from the song "Severance" talks of our lack of concern for the Earth, the global community, and our own well-being. He is right on the mark! Lisa's vocals continue to improve; both her range/tonality and style(s) expand with each album. Aion is a joyous album. It would surprise me if there is anyone who could listen to "Saltarello" and not want to get up and dance. This album continues the rich vein that DCD has tapped into in the last three albums. Brendan and Lisa have a marvelous nack for exploring and expounding on ancient genres. "Saltarello" is an Italian 14th century piece and "The Song of the Sibyl" is 16th century Catalan. The brillance they bring to these pieces, and others inspired by ancient works, is breathe-taking. A Passage in Time is a collection album produced (for RYKO) for the American market. Oddly enough (or maybe not so odd), it only covers the "ancient sounds" albums. There are two new songs on this album. Both are remarkable and optimistic; Brendan has finally choosen to write a positive poem. This album is a very good introduction to the Dead Can Dance -- it is also the only non-import album they have released.

I have Aion and it is a rather unique album. While not Progressive in the traditional sense, this album may be of interest to some of you who just like things a bit out of the ordinary. Dead Can Dance are essentially two musicians (male and female) with a couple of guests on a few tracks. Aion shows *very* strong Celtic tendencies but with a bit of rock sensibility. Both musicians contribute to the vocals that is very rich and full. Aion is very well produced with wonderful sonics which makes it a very pleasurable listen. Nicely done and highly recommended for something out of the ordinary.

I've got most of the Dead Can Dance albums. The style varies considerably from album to album. The core musicians remain the same: Lisa Gerard and Brendan Perry, who share singing duties. Gerard is superb IMHO, with a dextrous Indian-like voice. Perry is a bit variable, sometimes rich and menacing, but sometimes not so good. Dead Can Dance has a fairly standard UK "alternative" sound, with poorer singing from Perry. My least favourite but hints of what comes later. Spleen and Ideal was the first really DIFFERENT album. Slow and grand textures, with eastern influences, with wind instruments and strings replacing a lot of the ususal "rock" instruments. Quite good, but some of the album is still kind of "standard alternative". Within The Realms of A Dying Sun is my second favourite. Lush strings make dreamy textures for some great vocals. Even Perry sounds quite good on this album. He sings for the first half, and Lisa Gerard on the second half, which is more Eastern; in fact Dead Can Dance are always more Eastern and otherworldly when Gerard is singing. The Serpent's Egg was the most "Eastern" sounding of all DCD, fused with a lot of percussion. However, I find this album less satisfying than Within The Realms of A Dying Sun because it seems a bit lifeless and lacking in energy. Aion my favourite. A (one-off) change of direction, with a very medieval sound, yet otherworldy. I think it sounds like Middle Earth music, containing all the elements of that world: battle, sorrow, yearning, celebration etc. Both singers are excellent here. The a capella vocal tracks are especially haunting. Into The Labyrinth Most recent. A step backward to a more contemporary sound has resulted in a poorer, duller album IMHO. -- I.H.Cornwell