Dead World [Import]

Dead World [Import]

Track Listings

1. Deadworld

2. Stepping Outside The Circle

3. Crushing Belial (Live)

4. The First Noble Truth (Live)

5. Fleshold (Live)

Editorial Reviews
Product Description
Japanese exclusive EP for the U.S. metal act. Tracks, 'Deadworld', 'Stepping Outside The Circle' & three live tracks, 'Crushing Belial', 'The First Noble Truth' (both from WERS Boston, MA) & 'Fleshold' (CBGB's NY, NY). 2001.

Tracks:

Yulunga (Spirit Dance)
The Ubiquitous Mr Lovegrove
The Wind That Shakes The Barley
The Carnival Is Over
Ariadne
Saldek
Towards The Within
Tell Me About The Forest (You Once Called Home)
The Spider's Stratagem
Emmeleia
How Fortunate The Man With None

Amazon.com

Their goth-sounding name and dour visual image aside, the prolific duo of Brendan Perry and Lisa Gerrard produce wildly eclectic but utterly unique music. Their painstakingly crafted albums encompass numerous arcane genres, from European classical music to ancient Celtic and Middle Eastern folk styles, often employing authentic antique instruments to achieve their ambitious, emotive soundscapes. The 1993 effort Into the Labyrinth found Dead Can Dance mixing their medieval leanings with more exotic Eastern influences on "Saldek" and "Yulunga," while exploring Celtic balladry on the traditional "The Wind That Shakes the Barley" and theatrical songcraft in their interpretation of Bertolt Brecht's "How Fortunate Is the Man with None." --Scott Schinder

Album Description

Out of print in the U.S.! Import pressing of this classic 1993 album from one of the 4AD label's most popular and influential bands. At the core of Dead Can Dance is guitarist Brendan Perry and vocalist Lisa Gerard, who created a body of work that remains invigorating and uniquely their own. Into The Labyrinth was the first DCD album to gain a major label release in the U.S and features the Alternative radio hit 'The Ubiquitous Mr. Lovegrove'. This was also the first album that Perry and Gerrard completed on their own without the aid of guest musicians. 11 tracks. 4AD.

Customer Reviews:

5 stars!.......2007-05-22

This is a great CD...go get it if you are into Dead Can Dance! This is their greatest album.

Their commercial breakthrough, but not their best.......2007-04-15

After an absence of three years which saw the release of a best of collection, Dead Can Dance achieved their commercial and U.S. breakthrough as well as yet another stylistic shift with this, their sixth studio album. Unlike previous albums which featured backing musicians, this one saw the DCD duo of Brendan Perry and Lisa Gerrard handling all the instruments and vocals themselves in their new private studio. While this mostly works, occasionally the synthesizers sound a bit thin and one wishes they had employed musicians playing actual instruments for certain passages.

Stylistically, DCD moved on from the medieval arrangements of their previous album, Aion, towards more middle eastern influences alternating with dreamy pop sounds. This album also marks an increasing estrangement of the duo's individual musical styles. Lisa's dramatic opener, Yulunga, sets the tone with her chilling multi-octave wordless singing over building percussion, followed by what was to become one of the unlikelier alternative radio hits, Brendan's The Ubiquitous Mr. Lovegrove, a bitter rebuke to an unfaithful lover delivered over a crisp background of tablas and period bagpipes. Lisa then startles longtime fans by delivering the next track, the Wind That Shakes the Barley, an actual traditional song with lyrics (as opposed to her usual wordless glossolalia). Brendan's song of dreamy nostalgia, The Carnival Is Over, was another minor hit thanks to its being featured as the theme of MTV's Real World, and is as close as the group had come so far to mainstream pop. Less successful is his third original song on the album, Tell Me About The Forest, which lyrically strays into preachiness and musically provides little interest. His closing piece on the album is an arrangement of Berthold Brecht's How Fortunate The Man Who Has None, which achieves a kind of gloomy dignity musically but strains to sustain interest throughout its full nine minute length.

The rest of the album is heavier on middle eastern and eastern European influences. Lisa's Ariadne is a brief but lovely piece featuring multitracked vocals over organ, while her even briefer Saldek sounds like it came straight from a National Geographic special on traditional Bulgarian music. The title track is a meandering and ultimately not very interesting set of passages of middle eastern styled singing and drumming with synthesizer; the similar Spider's Strategem features the same musical elements but actually comes together as a more interesting and compelling whole. The medieval a capella choral piece Emmeleia sounds like an outtake from Aion.

This album marked a watershed in several ways for the group, and for many fans was their initial introduction to DCD and hence defined their sense of the duo's musical identity, but I can't give it more than three stars. Though it features some terrific songs, much of it sounds like filler, and the stripped production pales in comparison to their best earlier work. To get a sense of what this duo is really capable of, find a copy of Within the Realm of a Dying Sun, Spleen and Ideal, The Serpent's Egg, or Aion.

Dead Can Dance - Labyrinth look-over.......2007-04-03

Jim morrison did not die - he sings with these guys

Superb!.......2006-10-22

Dead Can Dance "Into the Labyrinth." Beautiful, ethereal, trancendental, hypnotic, an absolutely classic!

Multi-culturalism and Cross-culturalism.......2006-10-15

The work of Dead Can Dance, Brendan Perry and Lisa Gerrard, might be best described as cross-cultural. Some songs sound like Celtic songs from the middle ages while others sound like Islamic chants from the desert countries. On "Into the Labyrinth", I found that The Ubiquitous Mr. Lovegrove; The Wind That Shakes the Barley; The Carnival is Over; Tell Me about the Forest; Ariadne; and HOw Fortunate the Man with None were my favorite 6 selections. Perry's voice has a dreamy quality that is hard to describe, kind of like Dean Martin does Lebanon. I certainly like the multicultural blending of musical traditions that Dead Can Dance offers.

Average customer rating:

Great western soundtrack
a very memorable cd
a very memorable cd
a very memorable cd
Truly Incredible

All the Pretty Horses (2001 Film)

Manufacturer: Sony
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Similar Items:

All the Pretty Horses
The Straight Story: Music from the Motion Picture Soundtrack
Street Talk
Think a Second Time
Gladiator: Music from the Motion Picture

ASIN: B000056KYJ
Release Date: 2001-01-16

Tracks:

Cowboy's Dream
Canyon Sonata
All the Pretty Horses
Purty Dad Gum Good
After the Rain
Mild Cello Blues
Malarki Opus in D Major
John Grady's Angel
Edge of the World
Get My Boots
Strawberry Tango, Pt. 1-2
King of Horses
Far Away (Alejandra's Phone Call)
Porque
Love Montage
Ain't That a Drag
My Last Days on Earth/What's It Like to Be Dead?
Long Journey Home
Candles and Lies
Rainy Room
Far Away
Far Away (Reprise)
Cowboy's Dream/All the Pretty Horses [Medley]

Amazon.com

Novelist Cormac McCarthy's literary vision of the wild west is given wide-screen treatment by maverick director Billy Bob Thornton and a cast that includes Matt Damon, Penelope Cruz, and Bruce Dern. Professional country music journeyman Marty Stuart has performed with father-in-law Johnny Cash, Earl Scruggs, and Doc Watson, in addition to a successful solo career. In his soundtrack scoring debut, he provides short, meditative instrumental pieces that are subtly explosive--rife as they are with strains of old-school country and bluegrass. Cinematic strings and orchestral percussion add a welcome menacing edge, augmenting the rustic approach without crossing over into a compromised "countrypolitan" sound. If anything, it might be nice to hear these themes extended. As it stands, the 23 listed tracks are covered in a little under 50 minutes, with many of the cuts barely lasting more than a minute or two. They stand as a new genre of cinematic country minimalism. --Rob O'Connor

Customer Reviews:

Great western soundtrack.......2004-02-28

This is a must buy for fans of western soundtracks.It mixes beautifully symphonic music with Guitar music and spices it up all together with a south of the border flavor. Haunting music that will make you want to never take it out of your cd changer. It also
Features two vocal pieces, the first a spanish song sung by the very talented Raul Malo of the country group the mavericks, the second song is a beautiful ballad sung by Marty Stuart. Though I never owned any cd's of Marty Stuart he earns my respect with composing this film score.(cowboy hats off to you Mr.Stuart)

a very memorable cd.......2003-07-04

I thoroughly enjoyed this soundtrack cd. It soars high on ambiance, romance, and easy listening.

a very memorable cd.......2003-07-04

I thoroughly enjoyed this soundtrack cd. It soars high on ambiance, romance, and easy listening.

a very memorable cd.......2003-07-04

I thoroughly enjoyed this soundtrack cd. It soars high on ambiance, romance, and easy listening.

Truly Incredible.......2003-03-12

This album is a masterpiece. Within the first strums of the guitar, you feel as though you are among the southwestern hills. It has immediately become one of my favorites of all-time. The songs are filled with beautiful imagery, enchanting tunes, and haunting melodies. The shortness of the songs in unnoticable, as each song blends into the next, and the album itself serves as one epic journey. It is not meant to be listened to a song at a time, but as a whole. As I said, it is truly incredible. I would recommend it to absolutely anyone.

Average customer rating:

The best album yet in my eyes
A mediocre end to a great group
A Monument of Music
Spiritchaser Digital Bongo
Worst DCD album

Spiritchaser
Dead Can Dance
Manufacturer: 4ad / Wea
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Similar Items:

Into the Labyrinth
Talking Timbuktu
Toward the Within
Aion
Within the Realm of a Dying Sun

ASIN: B000002N74
Release Date: 1996-06-25

Tracks:

Nierika
Song of the Stars
Indus
Song of the Dispossessed
Dedicace Outo
Snake and the Moon
Song of the Nile
Devorzhum

Amazon.com

Listening to Dead Can Dance is a transcendental experience. Enriched with dedications to the living Gaia, their creations subsist in natural and other worldly realms. Initially crafting songs which augmented their Australian roots with Gothic and Renaissance traditions, the group have since grown to encompass a hybrid of global sounds. On Spiritchaser the enchanted souls of founding members Brendan Perry and Lisa Gerrard shine in this, their most ethereal LP to date. Whereas earlier endeavors succumbed to genres grounded in eras of the past and non-Western present, it's immediately apparent that this album has loftier aspirations. Hypnotically threaded with traditional and electronic instruments, the exorcism of each song touches upon the universal essence beyond. While Gerrard's heavenly vocals are used primarily for instrumental effect, Perry's fertile lyricism both compliments her efforts and expresses the spiritual associations related to the album's title and meaning. Intrinsically delivered with shamanistic connectivity, the sensations ritualize the modern mortal. --Lucas Hilbert

Album Description

Out of print in the U.S.! Import pressing of this 1996 album, the final release from one of the 4AD label's most popular and influential bands. At the core of Dead Can Dance is guitarist Brendan Perry and vocalist Lisa Gerard, who created a body of work that remains invigorating and uniquely their own. Eight tracks. 4AD.

Customer Reviews:

The best album yet in my eyes.......2007-07-05

This is by far in my opinion the best album DCD has put out. I heard that it's out of print, but I could be wrong. If so I wouldn't waste time not buying it. I think anyone who likes DCD would be extremely satisfied with this piece of work. The sound is similar to the other albums, but much more more dynamic, dark, etheric sounding, yet calmer at the same time. Great for those who are really into trance music!

A mediocre end to a great group.......2007-04-15

Spiritchaser is Dead Can Dance's seventh and last studio album, and sees them forging deeper into realms of ethnic music. Unfortunately, this is also their least successful album musically, and is a bad place for anyone unfamiliar with the group to start their explorations.

One criticism leveled at recent prior albums by the group was that the duo of Brendan Perry and Lisa Gerrard appeared to be getting more and more disconnected from one another musically, with albums featuring a succession of "his" and "her" songs. The two appear to be attempting to rectify that failing throughout this album, with more integrated vocals and more of a group feel throughout. There is a greater emphasis on percussion and drumming, as well as the reintroduction of some electric guitar, mostly unheard on the duo's albums since their second album some 11 years earlier.

Alas, most of the percussion is uninspired, and although several songs begin with promise, almost all outstay their welcome: the opening track, Nierika, ultimately becomes repetitive and boring, the exciting opening four minutes of Song of the Stars (featuring Brendan reading an Iroquois invocation over drones and native drumming), gives way to an interminable six more minutes of guitar noodling and chanting, the initially catchy The Snake and The Moon devolves into repetitive vocal refrains, and even the addition of gamelan to the instrumentation of the eight minute long Song of the Nile can't save it from tedium. Worst of all is Brendan's cringe-inducing stab at Caribbean music in Song of the Dispossessed; one keeps waiting for him to burst out in a chorus of "Day-O!"

Along with the beginning of Song of the Stars, two tracks save this album from wretchedness: the middle eastern flavored song Indus, which at over nine minutes is a bit long, but Lisa's vivid singing carries the listener along, and the absolutely gorgeous closing track by Lisa, Devorzhum. This wordless song has been used in at least two movies, and it's easy to see why. Lisa's singing is at its sweetest and most achingly beautiful here, and drifts atop a layer of drones and gentle guitar strings. By itself this song almost justifies the purchase of the album.

An instrumental outtake from the Spiritchaser recording sessions, Sambatiki, was released as part of the 1996 concert tour souvenir book, and also appears on the DCD box set. It features the same drumming, twangy electric guitar and ethnic instrumentation as much of the rest of the album, but somehow works better than most tracks that unfortunately made it on to the final release.

For those just beginning to explore Dead Can Dance, move on now and come back to this album later if you know you love the group and have to have everything they ever produced. A better starting point for beginners would be the live album Toward the Within, the early collection A Passage In Time, which features their pre-1990 work, or the career spanning two disc retrospective, Wake, though this last has some rather odd choices in the track listing.

A Monument of Music.......2006-08-18

Their last one - and one of the best, for sure. This duo has single-handedly created a genre of its own which they inhabit almost by themselves. And at the last moment they gave as yet a new direction, more into tribal and latin spheres. Nevertheless, this IS Dead Can Dance: Their mood, their melodies, their voices are ever present. Listen to it more than once, more than twice - and you will find them. From "Within the Realm of a Dying Sun" to "Aion" to "Into the Labyrinth" to "Spiritchaser" they have conquered the world and will forever stay with us.

Spiritchaser Digital Bongo.......2006-08-16

It seemed like it took a long time for this one to come out. I don't think this is their BEST album but there are a few winners. The production is crispy and digital like Labarynth but that can make them come off a little dry as on this one. A change in focus to African, Native American, Latin and Aboriginal ideas is cool in pricipal as Dead Can Dance was always revered for moving on with their awesome journey. I do agree with the reviewer that says that maybe some actual Africans or Latins to listen to might be better. Perhaps. This is an overall hot-weather sounding album but very digital in it's quality. I think their handeling of Native American and Aboriginal concepts goes over well as does Perry's lyrics and Gerrard's "stairway to the spheres". This probably would have been a transitional record as Spleen and Ideal bridged them from a spooky murky post punk experimental band to their most well known period. This would have bridged the more technological production and drum heavy period with whatever came next. But...this was supposed to be the last one. No more Dead Can Dance. But..then..in 2005 they go on a huge world tour and release live albums that turn out to be half full of new songs...this time..almost political (if you can believe that) with the great Joy Division influced post-punk lyrical classism that not so many can pull off. I do hope they play some more together and that this Spiritchaser is NOT the actual last official studio record by this amazing band. It may be said that perhaps a lesser record by this band is far far better than the best material of so so many. This is one of their more pychedelic offerings though. Strange though...you may notice their studio records are never very long in duration.

Worst DCD album.......2006-03-13

If you are new to Dead Can Dance, please do yourself a favor and don't buy this album, which is by far the worst album they have ever recorded. It shows DCD's lack of new ideas and reworking of tired ones. You should start with _Within the Realm Of A Dying Sun_ or _The Serpents Egg_ instead.

Average customer rating:

A transitional album -- and a good one
Brendan Perry's brooding romanticism makes him the modern Lord Byron
Baudelair! not spleen
Esophagus and Disenchantment
Immacculate Cat-Head Music for Toddlers and Thizz Kids

Spleen and Ideal
Dead Can Dance
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Similar Items:

Within the Realm of a Dying Sun
Dead Can Dance
Serpent's Egg
Aion
Into the Labyrinth

ASIN: B00002428M
Release Date: 2006-11-07

Tracks:

De Profundis [Out of the Depths of Sorrow]
Ascension
Circumradiant Dawn
Cardinal Sin
Mesmerism
Enigma of the Absolute
Advent
Avatar
Indoctrination (A Design for Living)

Album Description

Out of print in the U.S.! Import pressing of this classic 1985 sophomore album from one of the 4AD label's most popular and influential bands. At the core of Dead Can Dance is guitarist Brendan Perry and vocalist Lisa Gerard, who created a body of work that remains invigorating and uniquely their own. Nine tracks. 4AD.

Customer Reviews:

A transitional album -- and a good one.......2007-04-14

Made up of the duo of Lisa Gerrard and Brendan Perry, Dead Can Dance melded their own unique and changing sound from a variety of influences. Spleen and Ideal, Dead Can Dance's second full album, can be best seen as a transition from their 80s new wave/dark pop beginnings towards the more orchestral/operatic sound of their next album, Within The Realm of a Dying Sun. As such, it features some of the best of both these worlds.

The two opening tracks feature strings, horns, and spine-tingling vocal work from Lisa, conjuring up associations of medieval liturgy, classical dirges and dark opera, and on Enigma of the Absolute, Brendan sounds a bit like a goth Frank Sinatra, crooning mythically-tinged lyrics over a background of harpsichord, thundering tympani and pulsing string section. By contrast, his songs The Cardinal Sin and Advent utilize more standard drums and bass backing, and the combination of crashing 80s backbeat, wailing vocals and shimmering Yang Ch'in (Chinese hammer dulcimer) turn Lisa's track Avatar into a thrilling dark wave headbanger anthem.

If you think you may be interested in the group's early sound and/or their rich and distinctive middle period, this CD not a bad place to start your explorations.

Brendan Perry's brooding romanticism makes him the modern Lord Byron.......2006-10-15

This CD has a great mix of the voices of Brendan Perry with his masculine seductive baritone and that of Lisa Gerrard, whose voice reminds me of what ancient Greek and Roman priestesses must have sounded like as they chanted to the gods.

The instrumentation is very well done with African drums mixed with violin and cello for a mellow string sound. However the trombones are powerful and strategically placed and the timpani adds a sense of the Mediterranean.

Brendan Perry at times sounds brooding, romantic, and passionate like a contemporary Lord Bryon. His lyrics are usually more easy to understand that Lisa Gerrard whose voice is strongest when she evokes the Middle Eastern traditions.

The five strongest works on the CD are De Profundis, Ascension, The Cardinal Sin, Enigma of the Absolute, and Indoctrination.

Baudelair! not spleen.......2006-09-15

Spleen et Ideal is the title of a section of XIXth century poet Charles Baudelair's Flowers of Evil (Les fleurs du mal).

Esophagus and Disenchantment.......2006-09-13

I never understood the title of this album. A spleen is an internal organ no matter how much poetry you read.
Nevertheless...: This album from way back in 1985 was a big underground hit in England at the time which I'm sure was a big help for them. A credit to British forsight and taste if not humility. Usually this is thought of as a transitional album for them as while they still had some post-punk..or...um...goth?..elements going on with the bass guitar and the doom doom dish dish dish drum machine (they would use drum machines latter but the "world" sense would be dominate)..drum amchines DO have soul by the way, esp. here. This release also streched foward...and more so than I thought when I first heard this back in '89 or so. I just got this again in 2006 and it has been a lot of fun to rediscover. The group here are stretching further forward than I thought atb the time with the big timpanai drums and the trombones.
I turns out to be a very fun listen and the dramatic intensity of the first two tunes shows that this group had an extra level of talent and was destined for great things.
This album has a foggy, mukery and sombre quality. It takes alot of listenings for me to pick out the lyrics. It almost gives me a headache..bu the kind of headache one might get if a spirit was entering ones' body which I think might even be happening here. This group is THAT amazing. That said..I listened to this album 9 times in a row yesterday as if I was starving for some aspect of it. I expected this to be a pretty-cool transitional album bya great band..but it is kind of an underrated masterpiece. It's just that on the next record they would really explode....

Immacculate Cat-Head Music for Toddlers and Thizz Kids.......2005-12-06

Dead Can Dance's 1985 effort "Spleen and Ideal" is a collection of solid jams from the original Australian lords of thizz..Brendan Perry and Lisa Gerrard..it is groovy cult music for all generations and must be listened to carefully, and obsessively..it is best in the wee hours of the morning, after a long day/night i.e. 4-5am..expensive speakers or headphones are highly recommended for this particular musical journey..i implore you all to get this bad boy under your belt QUICKLY, time is running out.

-Dr. Gonzo, PHDizzle

Average customer rating:

DcD, another great album
A Classic Album
If Death were as beautiful as this....
A dark masterpiece
Passionate and romantic yet brooding and mournful

Within the Realm of a Dying Sun
Dead Can Dance
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Similar Items:

Aion
Serpent's Egg
Into the Labyrinth
Spleen and Ideal
Spiritchaser

ASIN: B00002428O
Release Date: 2006-11-07

Tracks:

Anywhere Out of the World
Windfall
In the Wake of Adversity
Xavier
Dawn of the Iconoclast
Cantara
Summoning of the Music
Persephone

Amazon.com

Lisa Gerrard and Brendan Perry actually manage to out-shimmer the Cocteau Twins on this 1987 release, which finds their beautiful minimalism adorned with increasingly developed compositional genius. The cascading melodies that grace "Summoning of the Muse" and "Persephone" are tailor-made for that next Christmas or Winter Solstice celebration, while more conventional (albeit somewhat somber) pop tracks like "Xavier" and "Anywhere Out of the World" keep the going from getting too arcane. All in all, more fun than a barrel of goths. --Billy Grenier

Album Description

Out of print in the U.S.! Import pressing of this classic 1987 album from one of the 4AD label's most popular and influential bands. At the core of Dead Can Dance is guitarist Brendan Perry and vocalist Lisa Gerard, who created a body of work that remains invigorating and uniquely their own. Eight tracks. 4AD.

Customer Reviews:

DcD, another great album.......2007-06-13

Well if you like them this is a must have. Lots of that mind stretching harmonies and melodies.

A Classic Album.......2007-06-01

Every track an absolute classic, which just grows and grows on you on each hearing. This is definitely recommended, especially after a hard day in the office. It just fits. The lyrics, as usual, are laconic philosophical poetry, and the music flies you away to the farthest sanctuary of reason, far from the madding social mess us Westerners are growing up (down?) in. Definitely buy this - it's great!

If Death were as beautiful as this...........2007-04-16

and as beautiful as the cover. It was on this cd the Dead Can Dance really fell into thier own, although the previous works were masterpieces in their own right. Highly recommended for it's chilling beauty.

The entire work captures death in it's beauty, not it's horrifficness. And Lisa Gerrard's vocals are other worldly and haunting. Brendan Perry's smooth resonant tennor wili haunt you as he spins his ancient tales of trechary and deceit.

This is what Gothic is all about!

A dark masterpiece.......2007-04-15

Dead Can Dance's third album is arguably their masterpiece. Even though they continued to explore some of this album's sonic elements in future recordings, they never quite equaled the consistent excitement and richness featured here. Clocking in at a terse 39 minutes, the album delivers a complex and thematically integrated aural tapestry that stands up favorably in comparison to many classic works of orchestra and opera.

Having said all this, if you are a fan of their later work, when they incorporated more world music, drumming, and acoustic pop styles, you may possibly find this album not to your taste. It can be slow to grab the listener - the pace is generally deliberate and stately, and it took repeated listenings on my part to really appreciate the genius of the work.

Comprised of the duo of Lisa Gerrard and Brendan Perry, Dead Can Dance on this album took the approach of dividing it evenly between the two principals, with the first four tracks featuring Brendan, and the final four showcasing Lisa. By this time in their career, DCD had completely abandoned the 80s new wave roots evident in their two previous albums, in favor of a sound much closer to opera or chamber music than to mainstream pop. The overall tone is archaic and ominous, with sepulchral backing choruses, chilling Bulgarian-style wailing vocals from Lisa, chiming bells, moody strings, and dreamy, soaring vocals from Brendan.

Brendan's opener Anywhere Out of This World echoes and surpasses the mood of Enigma of the Absolute from their previous album, building to a shimmering climax. This then shifts to the dark and hypnotic instrumental Windfall, one of the best tracks on the album, followed by what is arguably the weakest track, In The Wake of Adversity, which establishes a brooding mood but never really goes anywhere with it. Brendan achieves his pinnacle on his final track, Xavier, a mythic tale of tragedy delivered over a deep soundscape of keyboards and climaxing in soaring romantic strings.

If Brendan's first half of the album is inspiring, Lisa's second half is dazzling. Her ethereal vocals were made for this kind of orchestral arrangement, and she displays a remarkable range on these four tracks, from spine-chilling operatic declamation on Dawn of the Iconoclast, to wailing middle eastern diva on Cantara, to angelic multi-tracked chorus on Summoning of the Muse, and finally to the amazing showcase of Persephone, which finds her running the gamut from gutteral alto to sweet soprano.

Those who like the sound of this album may want to check out Lisa's later solo work, The Mirror Pool, which also uses some orchestral arrangements, as well as her amazing collaboration with Irish classical composer Patrick Cassidy, Immortal Memory.

Passionate and romantic yet brooding and mournful.......2006-10-15

The arrangement of selections on this CD are somewhat different from other Dead Can Dance arrangements in that the voice of Brendan Perry dominates the first selections while the voice of Lisa Gerrard dominates the last selections.

The mixture of Celtic, African, Middle Eastern, and other musical traditions always makes Dead Can Dance a great bet for a good CD. On this CDC Anywhere Out of the World, Windfall, In the Wake of Adversity, and Xavier are my favorites. Windfall is an instrumental piece. Xavier combines the voices of Perry and Gerrard.

Brendan Perry's voice has somewhat of the tone or sound of Tony Bennett, Dean Martin, or Frank Sanatra yet the presentation is more mysterious, existential, and brooding. He brings somewhat a tone of anxiety into his smooth presentation. I am sure Perry could probably do a great version of "I left my heart in San Francisco' with his dark, smooth, masculine voice but in Dead Can Dance the emphasis is mythical not current as well as transpersonal rather than personal.

Average customer rating:

A great live album, and a great place to start
Music To Live To
Well integrated influences from a vast range of musical sources
Enchanting Vocals w/ a fusion of world music
One word....WOW!!

Toward the Within
Dead Can Dance
Manufacturer: 4ad / Wea
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Similar Items:

Into the Labyrinth
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Serpent's Egg

ASIN: B000002MV0
Release Date: 1994-10-25

Tracks:

Rakim
Persian Love Song
Desert Song
Yulunga (Spirit Dance)
Piece For Solo Flute
The Wind That Shakes The Barley
I Am Stretched On Your Grave
I Can See Now
American Dreaming
Cantara
Oman
Song Of The Sibyl
Tristan
Sanvean
Don't Fade Away

Album Description

Out of print in the U.S.! Import pressing of this 1994 live album from one of the 4AD label's most popular and influential bands. At the core of Dead Can Dance is guitarist Brendan Perry and vocalist Lisa Gerard, who created a body of work that remains invigorating and uniquely their own. 15 tracks. 4AD.

Customer Reviews:

A great live album, and a great place to start.......2007-04-15

One thing to bear in mind when choosing Dead Can Dance albums is that the duo of Lisa Gerrard and Brendan Perry went through at least four distinct stylistic phases, so you may find that certain albums appeal much more than others. This live album is a wonderful starting point, because it straddles a broad range of their musical styles and abilities. Also, while most artists' live albums simply rehash their existing popular work, of the 15 tracks on this album, only four (Yulunga, The Wind That Shakes the Barley, Cantara, and Song of the Sybil), have appeared on previous DCD releases, making this an individual album in its own right. (Studio versions of two of Lisa's tracks, Persian Love Song and Sanvean, later appeared on her solo Mirror Pool release.) Both performers have never sounded better vocally, and are backed by a band of multi-instrumentalists with impeccable musicianship.

The album opens with one of DCD's all time best tracks, Rakim, long a staple of their live shows but making its first official recorded appearance here. Brendan and Lisa work as an integrated team here, melding her shimmering yang ch'in (Chinese hammer dulcimer) and lilting vocals with his rich Sinatra-like baritone over a driving percussion beat. Percussion is also used to great effect on a later track, Oman, which has a somewhat African and middle eastern flavor. Lisa shines on her vocal showpieces of Persian Love Song, Yulunga, Cantara and Sanvean, demonstrating her amazing multi-octave vocal range. Haunting flutes feature prominently on Desert Song, Piece for Solo Flute, and I Am Stretched On Your Grave; the last is a masterpiece of gloomy goth stylings resonantly delivered by Brendan over an ominous drone. Tristan and Song of the Sybil feature the group in its traditional medieval mode.

The most surprising tracks on the album, which have no stylistic counterparts in DCD's studio work, are three original songs by Brendan: I Can See Now, American Dreaming, and Don't Fade Away. These find Brendan in a singer/songwriter mode, primarily accompanying himself on acoustic guitar, conjuring up comparisons to Tim Buckley and some of Bruce Springsteen's more introspective work. The last two tracks mentioned are among the best songs on the album, but if there is any criticism of them it is that they really don't fit stylistically with the rest of the album or the group's overall oeuvre. In fact, these songs foreshadowed the musical directions Brendan would pursue in his later solo album, Eye of the Hunter.

Listeners finding that they like the medieval styled tracks on the album should check out Aion. Those drawn to Cantara, I Am Stretched On Your Grave, Persian Love Song, and Sanvean should check out Within The Realm of a Dying Sun, Spleen and Ideal, and The Serpent's Egg, along with Lisa's solo album Mirror Pool. Those drawn to Yulunga and the more middle eastern tracks may want to check out Into The Labyrinth, which also features some more straightforward pop songs by Brendan, as of course does his solo album Eye of the Hunter.

Music To Live To.......2007-02-01

I was without the internet/cable for several days and I don't own a radio, so I popped this cd in to listen to. I expected that I would tire of it after two or so repetitions, but I didn't. There's such a wonderful variety of styles of music on the cd that it never feels redundant. From start to finish you travel a wonderful journey that never gets old. Not even when you're playing it on constant repeat for 24 hours straight.

Well integrated influences from a vast range of musical sources.......2006-10-15

Sometimes they sound like cloistered monks, at other times like Druid nature worshipers, and at others like North African nomadic tribes. Their range is amazing as you hear the sounds of Palestine, Ireland, and Libya combined with a very contemporary existential presentation of dark brooding, mournful loss.

Brendan Perry and Lisa Gerrard seem like contemporary priests of the earth goddess mourning the end of the harvest and the coming winter. At other times Brendan Perry's dark masculine smooth baritone seems to be romantic and passionate, as if we mourning the loss of a lover.

The instrumentation is excellent with a broad range of world instruments. In this CD, which was made from a live performance in Santa Monica California, the power of a live presentation with its required spontanaeity heightens the work.

There were many strong selections on this CD, but some of the best are: Rakim, Piece for solo flute, The wind that shakes the barley, American dreaming, Oman, and Don't fade away. Some of these works are on other CDs but the live performances have an immediacy that is very nice.

Enchanting Vocals w/ a fusion of world music.......2006-04-20

About the Band:
Dead Can Dance is considered the seminal example of the ethereal (in the US) or heavenly voices (in Europe) genre. In fact, the name of the label, 4AD, which carried many of the 1990s DCD releases, is sometimes also used to describe this genre of music, which is a fusion of subtle electronics, vocals, drums, world music, and a near limitless count of instruments. Brendan Perry sometimes has been described as a gothic Frank Sinatra. Lisa Gerrard's enchanting vocals are often sung in a language only known to Lisa. I count myself among the many that hold these two musicians in the highest esteem.

About the Album:
Toward the Within is a live album from 1994, and though many music fans will often prefer the quality associated with a studio recorded album, I personally feel that heavenly voices music is designed to be emotional and moving ... and this album has a sincerity that will touch any listener. Toward the Within is one of my favorite albums. Fans of Brendan Perry's vocals will likely be more pleased by this album, as he provides the lead on the majority of the tracks.

Recommended Tracks:
- I Can See Now
- Don't Fade Away
- Rakim
- American Dreaming
- Desert Song
- The Wind that Shakes the Barley (I like this live version better)
- Cantara

In contrast to two very popular DCD offerings that are also worth checking out, Aion (which is very medieval sounding) and Into the Labyrinth (which is a bit remorseful and dark), I found this entire album extremely uplifting and inspirational. I can't stress enough how much I wish I could sing like Perry, and the truth is that I find myself doing so with this album. Fans of folk and romantic music will absolutely love this album.

Similar Artists:
If you love DCD because of Lisa's and Brendan's vocals, then I am confident you'll enjoy the following heavenly voices artists:
- Impressions of Winter (hard to find) - considered better than DCD, by many DCD fans lucky enough to hear them!!!
- Das Zeichen
- Love is Colder Than Death
- Deine Lakaien
- Qntal
- Helium Vola
- Corvus Corax
- Soil & Eclipse

One word....WOW!!.......2005-09-19

I wish so much I could have been there when they were touring America...It sounds so much like your right there listening to them.

Dead Can Dance is one of the most talented artists I have ever heard. I love their music, and I feel this album is a great piece to add to the collection.

Music for a Darkened Theatre, Vol. 2: Film & Television Music

Average customer rating:

Priceless, at any price
Good overview
Great Music!!!!!!!!!
Very nice for a Danny Elfman collection
Bring on Volume 3

Music for a Darkened Theatre, Vol. 2: Film & Television Music

Manufacturer: Fontana Mca
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

Movie Scores | Soundtracks | Styles | Music

Movie Soundtracks | Soundtracks | Styles | Music

General | Soundtracks | Styles | Music
Similar Items:

Music for a Darkened Theatre, Vol. 1: Film & Television Music
Serenada Schizophrana
So Lo
Sleepy Hollow: Music from the Motion Picture
Edward Scissorhands: Original Motion Picture Soundtrack

ASIN: B000002P4P
Release Date: 1996-12-03

Tracks:

Edward Scissorhands Suite: Main Titles
Edward Scissorhands Suite: Storytime
Edward Scissorhands Suite: Suite
Edward Scissorhands Suite: Suburbia-Barber
Edward Scissorhands Suite: The Grand Finale
Dolores Claiborne Suite: Main Titles
Dolores Claiborne Suite: Vera's World
Dolores Claiborne Suite: Flashback
Dolores Claiborne Suite: Sad Room
Dolores Claiborne Suite: End Titles
To Die For Suite: Main Titles
To Die For Suite: Suzie's Theme
To Die For Suite: Busted
To Die For Suite: Wheepy Donuts
To Die For Suite: Finale
Black Beauty Suite: Main Titles
Black Beauty Suite: Baby Beauty
Black Beauty Suite: Jump For Joy
Black Beauty Suite: Frolick-Sick
Black Beauty Suite: Bye Bye Jerry
Black Beauty Suite: Memories
Black Beauty Suite: End Titles
Batman Returns Suite:Birth Of A Penguin
Batman Returns Suite: Trouble Suite
Batman Returns Suite: The Finale
Batman Returns Suite: End Titles

Tracks:

Mission Impossible Suite: Trouble
Mission Impossible Suite: Looking For Job
Mission Impossible Suite: Betrayal
Sommersby Suite: Main Titles
Sommersby Suite: Return Montage
Sommersby Suite: Finale-End Titles
Dead Presidents Suite: Main Titles
Dead Presidents Suite: Daughter
Dead Presidents Suite: Montage
Dead Presidents Suite: Nam
Dead Presidents Suite: Nightmare
Nightmare Before Christmas Suite: Overture
Nightmare Before Christmas Suite: Jack And Sally Suite
Nightmare Before Christmas Suite: Christmas Eve Montage
Freeway Suite: Main Titles
Freeway Suite: On The Road
Freeway Suite: Back In The Car
Shrunken Heads Suite: Main Titles
Television Odds 'N Ends Suite: Amazing Stories 'Family Dog'
Television Odds 'N Ends Suite: Amazing Stories 'Family Dog'
Television Odds 'N Ends Suite: Amazing Stories 'Mummy, Daddy
Television Odds 'N Ends Suite: Barkley Superhero 'Nike Commercial'
Television Odds 'N Ends Suite: The Flash 'Theme'
Television Odds 'N Ends Suite: Pee Wee's Playhouse
Television Odds 'N Ends Suite: Beetlejuice - Animated Tv Series 'Theme'
Untitled
Untitled
Untitled
This Is Halloween (Original Demo For Nightmare Before Christmas)

Amazon.com

A delightfully buoyant, mock-creepy collection of film scores from Hollywood's first and best call for quirk, strangeness, and charm. Focusing on Elfman's post-1992 work (much of it for director Tim Burton), this 2 CD set features excerpts from Edward Scissorhands, To Die For, and Batman Returns, among other lesser items. -- Jeff Bateman

Customer Reviews:

Priceless, at any price.......2007-07-06

Years ago, watching peter Jennings cover the funeral procession of Princess Diana, my soul was captured by some hauntingly beautiful music that at times played in the background. So began my mission to find out what it was, who wrote it and how I could get it. After some correspondence with the network I was put in touch with the woman who "put together" that part of the programming. All she could remember is that it came from the movie "Black Beauty". THEN I found out how many versions of that had been made lol. With determination, I finally found it, and had a local music store order it for me.
There are no words to describe what this music does to me. I did try listening to some of the other tracks, but they didn't even come close. I rate this music right up there with the 1971 score for "Jane Eyre" by John Willams... and that's pretty high :D

Good overview.......2007-04-18

Very nice overview of Elfman work. Insufficient by itself but worth having along with the full soundtracks. Bonus disc is a nice extra.

Great Music!!!!!!!!!.......2005-09-08

I Love Danny Elfman's music so much that I have started my own collection of the soundtracks that he composed. For a while, I was trying to find the "Beetlejuice" theme song from the TV show, but thanks to this release, I finally have it!!! Keep up the good work Elfman!

Very nice for a Danny Elfman collection.......2005-08-02

Music For A Darkened Theater, Vol.2 is a great cd!!! I love all of the tracks on both cd's,but my fav. ones are the t.v. scores and the This Is Halloween demo!!! If you love this,then i recomend looking at all the actually albums on this cd and his other works!!!! good job,Danny Elfman.

Bring on Volume 3.......2005-05-04

The liner notes and "This is Halloween Demo" on this compilation are well worth the CD price by themselves. Danny comments on each of the tracks on the CDs which is a rare and ego-free look at what a composer thinks of his own work.

Edward Scissorhands is magical, Black Beauty is a rollercoaster of emotion, and Dolores Claiborne makes me want to find the nearest piano. This is not a "Most Popular" compilation, rather it aptly showcases Danny Elfman's (and Orchestrator, Steve Bartek's) brilliance and wide range of style.

Every suite has an Elfman signature, such as the layered complexity which never sounds overdone, or the use of a choir as an instrument.

This (and Volume 1) are examples of the work of a modern day composer who consistently stands out as one of the best.

If you like this and have the spare cash, grab the individual scores from some of the movies he has worked on, including "Men In Black", "Spiderman", "Batman", "Batman Returns", "Nightmare Before Christmas", "Edward Scissorhands", "Mars Attacks" and so many more.

Average customer rating:

Dead Can Dance does medieval
Garden of Arcane Delights
One of my favorites!
Mysical Renaissance Magic
Historical Soul

Aion
Dead Can Dance
Manufacturer: 4ad / Wea
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Similar Items:

Serpent's Egg
Within the Realm of a Dying Sun
Into the Labyrinth
Spiritchaser
Toward the Within

ASIN: B000002MQ7
Release Date: 1994-02-15

Tracks:

The Arrival And The Reunion
Saltarello
Mephisto
The Song Of The Sibyl
Fortune Presents Gifts Not According To The Book
As The Bell Rings The Maypole Spins
The End Of Words
Black Sun
Wilderness
The Promised Womb
The Garden Of Zephirus
Radharc

Amazon.com

Long before No Doubt brought back ska and Big Bad Voodoo Daddy resurrected swing, Lisa Gerrard and Brendan Perry were making music that recalled an earlier time. How early? Try the Renaissance. Everything old--really old--is new again on Aion, the band's fifth and arguably finest album. Like DCD's other discs, Aion revolves around the interplay between Gerrard's soaring glossolalia and Perry's baritone crooning. A range of styles are explored, from the polyphonic choral heights of "The Arrival and the Reunion" to the smooth balladry of "Fortune Presents Gifts Not According to the Book" to the Middle Eastern sensuality of "Radharc." Other standout tracks include the playful "Saltarello," a traditional 14th-century instrumental dance piece, and "As the Bell Rings the Maypole Spins," a strikingly melodic song carried by bagpipes and Gerrard's angelic voice. --Steve Landau

Album Description

Out of print in the U.S.! Import pressing of this classic 1990 album from one of the 4AD label's most popular and influential bands. At the core of Dead Can Dance is guitarist Brendan Perry and vocalist Lisa Gerard, who created a body of work that remains invigorating and uniquely their own. 12 tracks. 4AD.

Customer Reviews:

Dead Can Dance does medieval.......2007-04-15

The cover of Aion (a detail from Bosch's Garden of Earthly Delights) provides a strong clue to the stylistic theme of this disc, Dead Can Dance's fifth album. With the exception of one track, the songs on this album are modern interpretations (often quite faithful) of medieval vocal and instrumental music. And therein lies the rub - if you dislike medieval or period music, you are likely to find the album slow and dull, whereas if you do like it, this may quickly become one of your favorite discs.

My own tastes fall somewhere in between the two extremes, with the result that I find my favorite tracks on the album are those where Dead Can Dance's Brendan Perry and Lisa Gerrard provide some interesting modern spin on the period sound. The brief opening track, The Arrival and the Reunion, offers a thrilling take on medieval choral singing, quickly followed by a reworking of a lively dance tune, Saltarello, which is performed on period instruments but features an added modern punch in the production that pushes it into the realm of greatness. The marvelous centerpiece to the album are Brendan's Fortune Presents Gifts and Lisa's As The Bell Rings. The former features a crystalline production of a traditional Spanish poem on the vagaries of fortune, delivered in Brendan's rich baritone over an atmospheric backdrop of lute and drone, while the latter combines a modern drum machine with period bagpipe and Lisa's marvelous singing.

A couple of the album tracks, Mephisto and The Garden of Zephyrus, are brief musical sketches which come and go without registering much of an impression. Of the more traditional medieval tracks, The Song of Sybil is stately and lovely, while The End of Words, Wilderness and The Promised Womb require a deeper love of traditional medieval music than I possess. The album closer, Radharc, punches up the tempo and explores some of the middle eastern influences in medieval music; it might not sound out of place blaring from a radio in Cairo.

The one oddball track on this album is Brendan's Black Sun. Though it is one of his best songs, it bears little resemblance stylistically to the rest of the album; its horns, plucked strings, and goth lyrics place it more in the genre of their previous albums, particularly Within The Realm of A Dying Sun. It doesn't exactly clash with the rest of the album, but it also doesn't fit very well either.

Garden of Arcane Delights.......2007-03-04

If you know DCD, you know how wonderfully literate and just spectacular their lyrics can be. This album is no different. It has "Black Sun" which I was blessed enough to see live in 06, and "Radharc", both stand the test of time. This is not a good "My first DCD" cd only because the music is very genre specific, and if you have never heard their stuff before you may get lost in the tangles of myth and legend. I'm sure some will disagree, but I don't find this album to be a good `get to know me' album - I suggest starting with DCD, "Into the Labyrinth" a sort of Best Of, without the corny-ness of being a Greatest Hits. It gives a wide breadth of styles and lets you hear all of the creamy goodness the band has offered up in the years gone by. Id say this album has a definate "Arabian flair" and not everyone is open to that. I however am a huge fan of World Music, and this is right up my crooked dimly lit alley.
BTW, when you see H. Bosch on the front cover of an album, you know its going to be good!

One of my favorites!.......2007-03-02

This was actually the first thing I ever heard from Dead Can Dance, I fell in love with them right away, Both there voices are incredible in this album, the music, the instruments are all so amazing in this album.

Beautifuly written, beautifuly done..

Mysical Renaissance Magic.......2006-10-15

Dead Can Dance never lets you down, especially if you are into multicultural influenced music. Here the influences come from Turkey, Egypt, Palestine, Crete, and Celtic Ireland. It seems that Brendan Perry's smoothly dark baritone voice, very masculine and sexy, contrasts nicely with Lisa Gerrard's which is a powerful voice of the priestess, a voice that can chant in any tradition or language.

Some may feel the work is sad, but it is more intraspective than tragic, unless the turning of autumn to winter could be called tragic. This CD harks back to the Renaissance with references to love songs, celebration songs, and religious chants from monks and nuns.

There are many great selections. Some of my favorite were: Saltarello, an Italian 14th century song done with all instruments, Mephisto, Fortune Presents Gifts Not Acording to the Book (which has odd lyrics from a poem by Luis De Gongora) and presented wtih full integrity to the poem even if the piece seems long. There is also As the Bell Rings the Maypole sings, evoking the town fairs of the Remaissance. Also a series of dark works; The End of Words, Black Sun, and Wilderness that work great in sequence.

Always great mystical magic from Dead Can Dance.

Historical Soul.......2006-06-09

By far, the most historical work of Dead Can Dance. I rememebered well when I listened for the first time: Saltarello and Black Sun. Unbeliavable!!!

Average customer rating:

One of the GREASTEST bands ever!!!!!!!!
Brilliant Music in a Dead World
????
The genesis of a metal band
Friggin amazing

Dead Heart, in a Dead World
Nevermore
Manufacturer: Century Media
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Dreaming Neon Black
This Godless Endeavor
Enemies of Reality
Nevermore
Into the Mirror Black

ASIN: B00004YLH6
Release Date: 2000-10-17

Tracks:

Narcosynthesis
We Disintegrate
Inside Four Walls
Evolution 169
The River Dragon Has Come
The Heart Collector
Engines Of Hate
The Sound Of Silence
Insignificant
Believe In Nothing
Dead Heart In A Dead World

Album Description

2000 & fourth album from this Seattle metal band born from the ashes of Sanctuary. Standard jewel case.

Customer Reviews:

One of the GREASTEST bands ever!!!!!!!!.......2006-07-02

If you don't like this band then go slap yourself. All the members of this band are great. Alot of bands that people now listen to sound all the same, this is one of the bands that sticks out. People go out and buy all of Nevermore's cds.

Brilliant Music in a Dead World.......2006-04-23

When I was first getting into metal, this was one of my first 'real metal' CDs I ever bought (i.e. not poppy nu-metal like Korn, Skinlab and ilk.) As such, my review might be a bit biased in favor of Nevermore, but nonetheless, this album rules. I'd argue that either this (or maybe Dreaming Neon Black) is Nevermore's musical apex thus far. And since Nevermore is one of my favorite bands, that this is one of the best metal CDs ever made. And it is with good reason that I say this.

With so many bands vying for attention, there's a lot of unoriginality in music. It's rare for bands to draw from so many influences that their music defies logical classification. Yet Nevermore does just that (Iced Earth is also one of the few to do so.) They brilliantly combine the best of progressive metal, power metal, traditional metal, gothic metal as well as other subgenres. Dead Heart in a Dead World (a.k.a. DHDW) is not only the result of Nevermore 's unique style, but their varied songs as well.

This is the best feature of DHDW. Each song has its own combination of levity, seriousness, darkness, mellowness, heaviness, etc. For instance, the songs 'Evolution 169,' 'Inside Four Walls,' and 'Sound of Silence' all have some degree of levity in their lyrics (if only because one has lyrics from a Simon and Garfunkle song), yet 'Inside Four Walls' also has a degree of political seriousness about it that neither of the other two has.

Likewise, 'Dead Heart in a Dead World,' 'The Heart Collector,' and 'Believe in Nothing' all have a degree of darkness in them, yet 'Dead Heart in a Dead World' has a musical heaviness in it that neither of the other two (which are more ballad-esque) have.

It is hard to overstate the uniqueness of each song. Some songs will make you smile, some will make you think, and others will make you despair. And there is never any point where one has to skip tracks because every song is excellent. All of this while Nevermore performs interestingly original music that, while not always the most technical in metal, is so beautiful that it doesn't even matter.

Unfortunately, Nevermore's followup albums aren't as good because they lack the emotional variance that DHDW has. They are increasingly misanthropic, and while there are traces of that on this album, it is not overdone as it is on the followups. That's not to say they are bad because they're still very good, but it lacks the depth that DHDW and Dreaming Neon Black have.

If you have any appreciation of metal music, you will buy this CD. Then you'll buy Dreaming Neon Black.

????.......2006-03-13

alright.I was expecting a little bit better, i guess i am gonna stop buying CD's and start buying just songs:)

The genesis of a metal band.......2006-02-24

This is Nevermore's turn towards concept albums...they established themselves with the first two albums and worked out the small issues that all bands start with and it comes together in this, the beginning of their signature sound. The whole album has a strong push from start to finish. I personally find their album Dreaming Neon Black to be their best to date, lyrically, musically and general feel. They flex some lyrical muscle and show off with the musical pyrotechnics in this album though. I believe in liking a band through and through, and no collection would be complete with only a few of their albums. Seeing them live at Gigantour was also a real treat. They are ever the critics of their own music which means they care about what they put out. The sound tech was pretty bad until someone kicked him halfway through the set...and they admitted it. Few bands will do that, admit that something went wrong. But they pushed through and kicked some serious ass. All in all, get anything with their name on it. The lyrics are deep, the sound is unique (especially for something coming from Seattle) and they seem to be a humble group of musicians.

Friggin amazing.......2005-11-16

God I love Nevermore. They are one of the best bands that formed in the 90's. After having plenty of strong material under its belt before, Nevermore enter the new millennium with their best album yet. Here, you've got soaring vocals from Warrel Dane, great bass from Jim Sheppard, and awesome drumming from Van Williams. Towering over everything, however, is the guitar work of the one and only Jeff Loomis. How good is this album? Read on for the tracks.

1. Narcosynthesis - Very good song. I love the opening riff. "How did it come to this? Narcosynthesis!" 5/5

2. We Disintegrate 5/5

3. Inside Four Walls - The lyrics on this song are exellent. Warrel shows how great his lyrics are. "Inside four walls/Inside four walls my friend/They took away your freedom/and the pigs still preach their lies!"

4. Evolution 169 5/5

5. The River Dragon Has Come - THE bets song on the album! Don't let the clean intro fool you, this is possibly the heaviest song on the album, featuring an amazing 7-string riff. 6/5

6. The Heart Collector 5/5

7. Engines Of Hate - One of the heaviets songs on the album. 5/5

8. The Sound Of Silence - The S&G cover. Better than the original! 6/5

9. Insignificant - The better of the two ballads! 5/5

10. Believe In Nothing - Possibly Nevermore's most well-known song. 5/5

11. Dead Heart In A Dead World - Great closer to this album. 5/5

So, if you're a metalhead, you'll love this.