hink of it all - of the life that is! Study your friends and foes!
Study the past! And answer this: "Are these times better than those?" The life-long quarrel, the paltry spite, the sting of your poisoned pride! No matter who fell it were better to fight as they did when the world was wide.
Dead Can Dance {1981-1998}
Dead Can Dance ~The Serpent's Egg (1988)
I. The Host of Seraphim {6:19}
II. Orbis De Ignis {1:36}
III. Severance {3:22}
IV. The Writing on my Father's Hand {3:51}
V. In the Kingdom of the Blind the One-eyed are Kings {4:12}
VI. Chant of the Paladin {3:48}
VII. Song of Sophia {1:25}
VIII. Echolalia {1:17}
IX. Mother Tongue {5:17}
X. Ullyses {5:09}
Total Length ~ 36:16
Dead Can Dance released The Serpent's Egg in 1988, the title being an allusion to ancient creation myths. The album is an epic collection of partial and full blown period pieces from various cultures, played on modern instruments. This 'timeless' musical setting is appropriate for what may possibly be described as the timeless or 'classical' symbolisms presented to varying degrees of abstraction in the lyrics: of self-discovery, perceptual refinement, the idealistic attainment of wisdom, the human will and also its antithesis in depression, Plato-esque cave allegory, and frustration but not resignation towards humanity.
Lush synthesisers, organs and strings mix with the soaring primitive vocal performances of Lisa Gerrard (known also for scoring movies such as Gladiator) and the soulful and austere style of Brendan Perry. Both artists combine very well at various points both as vocalists and musicians, and it is no surprise that the album was produced at a time when the two were unified by much more than simply their music. Tonal organisation of instrument and voice ranges from mystery inducing polyphony (The Host of Seraphim) to the primal wale of a single melodic line (Song of Sophia), and while rhythm favours slow unravelling motion it deviates towards paces of ritualistic affirmation towards the close of the album.
These contrasts are united by the overall 'feel' of the music which is archaic and epic without being crass, evoking a powerful sense of transcendence from fickleness and fad.
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