Dead Can Dance - Aion

Released in 1990, Aion is widely regarded as a pivotal 5th album by Dead Can Dance, marking a deeper shift into medieval, Renaissance, and neoclassical influences compared to their earlier works. The 36-minute album is praised for its ethereal, dark atmospheres and the interplay between Brendan Perry's baritone and Lisa Gerrard's iconic vocal style. The album features acoustic instrumentation including hurdy-gurdy, bagpipes, and strings, with significant inspiration from 14th-century Italian dance music and troubadour songs. The album, featuring art from Hieronymus Bosch, focuses on themes of existence and destiny. Some critics noted it as a more coherent, albeit shorter, experience than their previous work, though it is occasionally described as a collection of moody pieces.  While sometimes seen as less "groundbreaking" than The Serpent's Egg, Aion is appreciated for its refined focus on early European music blended with modern, ethereal sounds. Aion is a must-hear for fans of neoclassical, darkwave, and early music, often seen as a perfect synthesis of, as DeBaser puts it, "a timeless medieval journey".

Released in 1990, Aion marks the moment Dead Can Dance fully committed to the sounds of the distant past. Recorded in a converted 18th-century church in Ireland, the album serves as a bridge between the band’s post-punk roots and a newfound obsession with the Renaissance and Medieval eras. It is a brief but potent collection that remains one of the most transportive entries in the 4AD catalogue, trading modern synthesizers for the wooden textures of the hurdy-gurdy, vielle, and bagpipes.

The album’s strength lies in its dual vocal identities, which feel more distinct here than on previous records. Brendan Perry provides the grounded, scholarly heart of the album, particularly on "Fortune Presents Gifts Not According to the Book," where his resonant baritone gives 16th-century Spanish poetry a gothic, psychedelic weight. Meanwhile, Lisa Gerrard acts as the ethereal counterpart; her performance on "The Song of the Sybil" is a masterclass in vocal control, turning a traditional Catalan chant into a haunting, otherworldly invocation that feels divorced from any specific point in time.

Instrumentally, Aion is a celebration of Early Music rhythms and textures. The standout track "Saltarello," an arrangement of a 14th-century Italian dance, showcases the band’s ability to find "the groove" in antiquity. The propulsive percussion and frantic woodwinds create a kinetic energy that balances the more somber, liturgical moments of the album. This dedication to authentic period instrumentation ensures the record avoids the "new age" trappings of the era, opting instead for a grit and resonance that feels earthy and lived-in.

However, the album is not without its flaws, the most notable being its brevity. Clocking in at just under 36 minutes, several tracks feel like sketches or atmospheric transitions rather than fully realized songs. Some critics argue that the record lacks the grand, cohesive architecture found in its predecessor, Within the Realm of a Dying Sun. While the individual vignettes are stunning, the flow can feel slightly fragmented, leaving the listener wishing for a deeper exploration of the themes introduced in the shorter instrumental passages.

Ultimately, Aion is a definitive work of neoclassical darkwave that remains a benchmark for the genre. By looking backward to the 14th and 16th centuries, Dead Can Dance created something that felt entirely new for the early 90s alternative scene. It is a beautifully curated gallery of sound that rewards focused listening, perfectly captured by the Hieronymus Bosch detail on its cover: strange, archaic, and deeply spiritual.

Ripped to MP3

1. The Arrival and the Reunion (1:38)

2. Saltarello (2:33)

3. Mephisto (0:54)

4. The Song of the Sybil (3:45)

5. Fortune Presents Gifts Not According to the Book (6:03)

6. As the Bell Rings the Maypole Spins (5:16)

7. The End of Words (2:05)

8. Black Sun (4:56)

9. Wilderness (1:24)

10. The Promised Womb (3:22)

11. The Garden of Zephirus (1:20)

12. Radharc (2:48)