Aion

Editorial Reviews
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

Aion,Dead Can Dance,4ad / Wea,Alternative Pop/Rock,Dream Pop,Ethnic Fusion,Pop,Popular Music,Rock,Rock/Pop,World Fusion

Aion

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:

Not just another gothic metal album
A BEAUTIFUL PEACE OF WORK!
Gothic "Hardcore"?

Noia
Aion
Manufacturer: Pavement Records
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Rock | Styles | Music

General | Hard Rock & Metal | Styles | Music

Hard Rock & Metal | Imports | Stores | Music

Rock | Imports | Stores | Music
ASIN: B00000IJUD
Release Date: 1999-04-20

Tracks:

Killing Time
Holies Unholies
Innocent Pictures
Nightmares
Bad Place
The Prayer
Into The Abyss
Before Dawn
O Fortuna Carl Orff - Carmina Burana (Fortuna Imperatix Mundi)

Customer Reviews:

Not just another gothic metal album.......2007-04-10

Aion (from Poland, not Norway) released their second album - Noia - in 1999. The gothic metal genre is prone to repetition, hence the untold legions of bands that rely on the whole "spooky death metal male vocalist alternating with beautiful opera female vocalist" theme, so it's always nice to see a band break free of the conventional approach and try something different. Don't get me wrong, Nioa is very much a gothic metal album, but with the emphasis on symphonic and choral elements plus a relentless aggressive approach, you're getting something more interesting than usual.

I see this album as the logical halfway point between Paradise Lost and Hollenthon (look them up, you won't regret it). It has the catchy song arrangements and tasteful keyboard use of the former and the epic symphonic touches of the latter, though not at Hollenthon's extreme level. The vocals are aggressive without venturing into death metal territory, and the guitarist has an almost industrial approach at times. There really isn't a weak moment on this album, but the highlight has to be the band's cover of Carl Orff's "O Fortuna", which is something I'd expect only Therion to pull off so well.

Overall, this is a very solid album that should appeal to most metal fans. It's probably closer to 3 stars than 4, but I'll give Aion extra points for crafting their own sound instead of simply imitating Theatre of Tragedy.

A BEAUTIFUL PEACE OF WORK!.......2000-06-01

In the music world ( mostly metal), where an onslaught of new bands R 4-ming, and the imitation of Rage Against The Machine/KoRnesque styles is getting headway (FINALLY;) AION from Norway comes along and gives TRUEMetaL fans a treat....GOOD MUSIC! Nothing BETTER! And VERY HEAVY 2. Aion is just 1 of those band that can just put out good musci 4-Ever. This album is just absolutely beautiful, the beginning w/ 'Killing Time' is (like the title), killer. The re-make of the Classical piece by Karl Orff is just a work of art. The amazing fact about this album is that it's heavy, but is still able 2 gain the attention of a mainstream audience. GET THIS ALBUM! U'LL ENJOY IT,and I promise U WON'T GET BORED OF IT.

Gothic "Hardcore"?.......2000-05-11

I bought this album after seeing the Pavement bio, which touted the band as "Gothic Metal." O.k., there are some standard synth choir samples used, and some female vocals--but this album is definitely not what you would expect at all of "Gothic Metal" . First, the music: It ranges from mid-paced deathish metal to your typical aggro fare. Second, the male vocals are done in an unmistakably aggrorock/hardcore fashion that is not even remotely goth. My initial reaction was disgust and disappointment. Then, subsequent listens had me warming to this odd album--Aggro metal with synths, sampled choirs, and female vocals (and a metal version of O Fortuna.) I dont know what audience this unorthodox album will appeal to. Fans--like me--of bands like Tristania and Trail of Tears might likely be turned off by the heavy aggro content, and im willing to bet die-hard aggro fans wont appreciate the orchestral synth. Certainly a unique album--for those looking for something 'different.'

Average customer rating:

Midian
Aion
Manufacturer: Massa
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Hard Rock & Metal | Styles | Music

General | Classical | Styles | Music
ASIN: B0000085DI
Release Date: 2003-03-16

Tracks:

Overture
Bleeding Heart
Land Of Dreams
The Anthem Of Victory
Temple Of Love
Collapse
The Lord
Birth
The Night

Album Description

German release on the Massacre label for this dark gothic/metal act's latest. A full color picture CD, amongst thenine tracks featured is a smokin' cover of The Sisters OfMercy's 'Temple Of Love'.

Average customer rating:

Cosmic Sound Explorations
eccentricity and the marketplace

Scelsi: Aion/Pfhat/Knox-Om-Pax

Manufacturer: Accord
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music
ASIN: B000004CA9
Release Date: 1997-02-18

Tracks:

Aion
Aion
Aion
Aion
Pfhat
Pfhat
Pfhat
Pfhat
Konx-Om-Pax
Konx-Om-Pax
Konx-Om-Pax

Amazon.com

Giacinto Scelsi developed philosopher Rudolf Steiner's awareness of the single tone into a new art form, shaping post-1970 music from the French spectralists to John Zorn. Here we have the world-premiere recordings of unsuspected masterpieces written in 1961, 1974, and 1969. Pfhat is Scelsi's last orchestral work, subtitled "A flash ... and the sky opened!" and scored for orchestra, organ, and choir. Aion, for orchestra alone, concerns "Four episodes in one day of the life of Brahma." These works embody inner calm, yet present it with powerful emotional drama. Scelsi's orchestration is masterful, wringing simultaneous joy and sadness from a single pitch looked at as if through a microscope--but here that microscope is the Hubble telescope turned in on itself, with the vast forces of chorus and orchestra providing a richness unobtainable in Scelsi's chamber music. As pianist Cecil Taylor said on hearing Scelsi, this music sticks with you. --Robert Reigle

Customer Reviews:

Cosmic Sound Explorations.......2002-06-11

This was the CD that introduced me to the world of Giacinto Scelsi. Scelsi was a precusor of the explorations of 60's composers like Ligeti and Penderecki by several years. Initially trained as a 12 tone composer, Scelsi endured a period of intense emotional crisis in the early fifties, brought about he said by his involvement with 12 tone music. His work after this crisis was intensely concentrated, exploring a limited variety of notes through tone color and microtonal shifts in pitch.

Though it is hard for people to hear initially, much of the wildly dissonant music of the late 20th century is as spiritual in it's questing as the more obviously spiritual music of Part or Tavener. Scelsi's music fall into this category. In works like Konx - Om - Pax, Scelsi is exploring deep into tone to find is primal vibrations. It is amazing to hear the wealth of interest and tone color that the composer can wrest from single tones. The final movement's choral mantra almost resembles an out of body experience, albeit one that could set your teeth on edge a bit. And the final movement of Phat is a stroke of genius - all of the instrumentalists except for the high winds ring sleigh bells. Truly it sounds as if the sky is opening!

This CD was part of a collection of most of Scelsi's orchestral works, which was widely available in the early '90s. Unfortunately, this is the only one left of this series and I see that it's availability is limited. Snap it up if you are a fan of the avant-garde, or anyone interested in sonic exploration.

eccentricity and the marketplace.......1999-08-22

I listened to this cd at the home of a famous conductor, and was entranced by it. I am not by any means an expert on classical music, but I have been trying to locate the cd since hearing it, without luck. It is extraordinary in that it connects the earth energy of Tibetan culture to western classical. In our conversation about this album, the conductor (who had met Scelsi in Italy) said that the music has been ignored or dismissed by most classical critics. He, however, likes it very much. Now, if there was a music store large enough to be stocking it ....

Average customer rating:

One of 5
Aion
Manufacturer: Metal Mind
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Hard Rock & Metal | Styles | Music

Hard Rock & Metal | Imports | Stores | Music
ASIN: B0002CX698
Release Date: 2006-03-30

Tracks:

Perhaps We Could
I Won't Be Different
About Survival
But It Won't Be A Dream
Peace And Anxiety
Show
Little Jafe
Res Publica
Lies

Album Description

UK release of Polish metal band's fifth full-length album features nine tracks with new singer Marcin Patyk. Metal Mind Productions. 2004.

Average customer rating:

Midian
Aion
Manufacturer: Import [Generic]
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Rock | Styles | Music

Rock | Imports | Stores | Music
ASIN: B00006AWG4
Release Date: 2002-09-24

Pop Music:

Pop Music

pop music

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