nimmysnv

Hi,

Exactly, it is so well appreciated and it is a very nice album no doubt, I simply like this album and I am true fan of this.

The songs takes me to the different world of music.


Thanks!!

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Bulldog

Just wrapped up a first listen of this, and I totally agree with your review, it's an absolute stunner of an album. I liked Spleen and Ideal and Into the Labyrinth (the two I already had, plus Spiritchaser which I'm yet to listen to) a lot, but I think this might just be the album that's officially converted me to an obsessive fan. There's just such a unique elegance and grace about this, to the point that I'm actually a bit ashamed it's taken me so long to find it.

Personal favourites from this album - Host Of Seraphim, Chant Of the Paladin, Echolalia and Ulysses.

Anyone who might be reading this post and has no idea who DCD are, get this album for chrissakes.

4ZZZ

Top album hey. If you ever get to see a 1992 docu movie called Baraka it made brilliant use of Host Of Seraphim. This was the first time I had ever heard the song. I went to see the film on release on the silver screen and the scene along with the song was utterly spellbinding. One of those goose bump moments that live with one forever. After that I had to explore the world of Dead Can Dance and the rest is history as they say. One thing we never mention when praising this album is the album cover. Somehow right.

If you are going to explore the world of DCD I would actually recommend that you start from the beginning in chronological order. Spiritchaser is a better album to finish with. It has something very final about it that feels correct to the hardcore fan. It could be construed as a weaker album when played side by side with Spleen And Ideal and The Serpents Egg and that would be doing it a disservice.

Also IMO Zarks is a tad harsh on Aion. I actually rate it side by side with The Serpents Egg, Into The Labyrinth and Spleen and Ideal. But then I am just a hardcore DCD fanatic so really my opinion counts for diddly squat haa haa!

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Bulldog

I think I've actually seen that Baraka clip when I was looking for Host Of Seraphim on youtube. If it's the one I'm thinking, you're right, it is a very spellbinding piece, especially when it's coupled with footage like that. I agree the cover's a brilliant piece of work too. From what I've seen of them, DCD are one of those artists who used such consistently great sleeve art throughout their whole discography (the Future Sound Of London are another one that instantly spring to mind, who sometimes I think of as a more kind of urban, English version of DCD, if that makes any sense). Makes me wish I could get hold of the 12" copies instead of scrounging around for MP3s as I have done

I did listen to Spiritchaser last night. There are some beautiful songs like Song Of the Nile and Song Of the Dispossessed on it, but I agree it seems weaker considering I heard it after getting through the Serpent's Egg twice in a row. I definitely need some more albums from this lot though, so I think I'll do as you suggest and at least fill in the gaps from them in chronological order.

And Zarko, I'll be looking forward to your next update of this, whenever you can manage it

zeppy111

I'm convinced. Just went out and bought one of their albums, the self-titled, and am listening to it now. Very impressed so far.

Top, Top thread here. Dead Can Dance have a new fan

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My Blog (album of the day): http://musicfromthesouth.blogspot.com

Zarko

Self titled ey, risky decision but one I can't fault

Grats on joining in the fun.

Zarko

Hey I love the album really, but I was trying to be objective here Don't want every review to come off as pure wank, but the ratings are probably more in comparison to each other rather than albums in general.

Zarko

Dead Can Dance released Into The Labyrinth in 1993, however at this point in time there were some key factors in their personal lives that affected the creation of the album. Given the pair had separated pre-Aion, they were no longer writing music together. Perry worked his craft in Ireland, having recently purchased Quivvy Church and converting it into a recording studio whilst Gerrard went home to Australia. The duo moved from a heavy medieval influence seen in their previous albums to a more tribal and ethnic influence. The album runs for over 55 minutes, unlike the normal ~35-45 minutes due to the increased popularity in CDs rather than LPs.

As per normal, the dup kick off proceedings with a Lisa Gerrard epic, this time in Yulunga. Dark and ominous is its early minutes, Gerrard’s elongated tones open up the world to a mixture of ethno-percussion and instrumentation, emoting a seductive, snakelike substance. Perry follows this up with what was to become one of DCD’s very very few radio hits, The Ubiquitous Mr Lovegrove, one of my personal favourites. Popular with the alternative/gothic crowd of the early 90’s, Perry summons a slow beat, mixed with worldly instruments and sounds. Perry’s deep basslines control proceedings along with an assortment of Indian wind instruments and tribal drums, with fantastic lyricism sprawled throughout.


The mood is quickly changed with a Gerrard interpretation of a traditional folk song, The Wind That Shakes The Barley. Calm and collected, the result is one of sadness and isolation, in one of my favourite Gerrard songs away from glossolalia. The Carnival Is Over is yet another Perry track, this time recollecting memories of his childhood and a carnival. Light string plucking accompanied by a string ensemble lead the way with Perry’s poetic voice calling upon emotions of magnificence, splendour, amazement and yet, sadness in yet another great track. Some may also note a homage of sorts to Joy Division in the lyrics.


The song leads into Ariadne, a short song using a basic level of percussion and Gerrard’s vocals the change the tone to one of hope. It is followed by an even shorter track in Saldek, which encompasses the ethnic style of the album best from the album so far, as Gerrard produces high pitched and paced tribal vocals. Towards The Within sees both performers offering their vocals, initially chanting leading into Gerrard’s glossolalia high points. Middle-Eastern percussion springs forward sporadically, lush drumming ever present. Gerrard begins a subdued solo roughly half way through the song before various whimsical sounds and percussion become more prevalent to create a fleshed out world.

Tell Me About The Forest has some quiet tendencies throughout with some occasional outbursts vocally from Perry, as well as some horns and brass, not yet seen in the album so far. The Spider’s Stratagem carries a funky groove throughout for a Dead Can Dance track led by tribal drumming and flute work, with Gerrard’s ethereal and haunting vocals overlaid, the result is a fairly passive track that doesn’t really do much.

Emmeleia is a poignant vocal track by the duo, light echoing vocals existing in an empty space for two minutes. The album ends with a grand nine minute track, How Fortunate The Man With None. Using the translated words of famous German lyricist Bertolt Brecht, Perry ends the album on the perfect note that words don’t do justice to.

Into The Labyrinth symbolled some dramatic changes in the band, both on a personal level and on a stylistic level. Swept with grandeur, the recurring themes of sadness and distrust make it a reflective album, much more so than previous albums. Sometimes its duration can be a bit much in comparison to their earlier LP creations, but unlike its earlier compatriots, the album is full of songs that can be taken as single doses and still be fully appreciated. In the end, it is one of the Dead Can Dance albums that can either sit on top of the pile consistently. It is a must-experience album as far as I am concerned.


In a Few Words: Top of the pile material
Best track/s: The Ubiquitous Mr Lovegrove, The Carnival Is Over, The Wind That Shakes The Barley, Emmeleia and How Fortunate The Man With None
Running time: ~55 minutes
Favourite Lyrics:
“Dream on my dear
And renounce temporal obligation”

Rating – A ‘Returning to form’ 9/10

Bulldog

I said before in this thread that Into the Labyrinth was the first DCD album I ever got, and I had it for months without ever listening to it (such is the flaw of downloading from blogs like some kinda junkie eh). I'm really glad I did eventually though, as it's an absolutely spectacular album (spot-on review, as per norm). It's a testament to the sheer talent of Perry and Gerrard that they can take a new artistic turn of sorts and make such a beautiful album out of it, which is something a very precious few manage to do successfully.

I'll admit Into the Labyrinth wasn't quite the slap in the face the Serpent's Egg was for me (at least not on the first listen), but it's still an album I've grown to really love since. Although I'd add Tell Me About the Forest to them, I agree with your picks of album highlights too - How Fortunate the Man With None is a stunner!

Cheers for the review anyways. Top stuff, as always.

Zarko

It's why one got a 10 and one got a 9 Both top of the line stuff, its just dependent on how much it knocks you off your feet.

Danke btw

The first paragraph is half the reason I just haven't been 'into' music for the last month. Too much, got sick of scrounging for new stuff and just decided to crank the classics I love for a while (Which then encouraged me to make this thread). Still DL the occasional album though, should have a few interesting reviews later on, after I get the base of this done (Plan to go through some solo stuff and bootlegs/live albums)

BTW, totally friggin' awesome to see I converted someone to such an extent