Founded: 1981
Location: Australia
Dead Can Dance are an Australian neoclassical darkwave band from Melbourne. Currently composed of Lisa Gerrard and Brendan Perry, the group formed in 1981. They relocated to London the following year. Australian music historian Ian McFarlane described Dead Can Dance's style as "constructed soundscapes of mesmerising grandeur and solemn beauty; African polyrhythms, Gaelic folk, Gregorian chant, Middle Eastern music, mantras, and art rock."Having temporarily disbanded in 1998, they reunited in 2005 for a world tour, and again in 2011 to release and tour the album Anastasis. They released their most recent album, Dionysus, in 2018, and toured Europe in 2022.
MusicBrainz content provided under the terms of the Data License
Wikipedia content provided under the terms of the
Creative Commons BY-SA license
Don't miss a beat with our FREE daily newsletter
Here's what The Music's writers rated in 2018...
"'Dionysus' is garlanded with all the Dead Can Dance trademark components - chanting, antique stringed instruments, sidewinding strings and a palpable sense of mystery."
Unlike a lot of lame reunions of ‘80s bands seeking to recapture some of their former glory, Dead Can Dance manage to do this with a whole lot of style and dignity, proving that they are still at the top of their game.
Lisa Gerrard is her own toughest critic.
“I really don’t feel that the albums capture my best moments. I always feel like they are my worst moments. I have never been happy with any of the recordings I have done – I hate them!"
Each song felt like a gift; this was music held together with a delicate touch for open ears. And all those that heard it were thankful and moved.
Their first trip back to their old stomping ground in over two decades.
Balancing the great dualities of humanity in ideal equilibrium, Perry and Gerrard both remain a rare complement to each other’s exquisite gifts.
Another show added to the long-awaited tour.
They're heading to the Sydney Opera House