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Fifty-five minutes. Eight tracks, eleven years…It’s been eleven years since the first release of Brendan Perry’s solo album. Finally, we can derive pleasure from listening to the second album. Honestly, I lost my hope if this album will ever come out. After Dead Can Dance’s breakup I was following all the autonomous achievements of this extraordinary duo which delighted me. Perhaps, it wasn’t so spectacular as their shared records but full of the magic which is so characteristic of Dead Can Dance. Astonishing album "The Mirror Pool" done by Lisa as well as Brendan’s beautiful and nostalgic "Eye of the Hunter" tried to soothe the pain and console me for a newly lost paradise. And then...
Lisa Gerrard has released ten albums since Dead Can Dance split up. Not to mention the music composed to films. This wonderful artist, endowed with unusual voice and gifted for music has explored in different areas of the music world. Some time with grater and some other time with lesser success. However, in the same time Brendan Perry has only recorded already mentioned "Eye of the Hunter" and suddenly disappeared from the scene...
Of course, If I were to list all the activities in which Brendan was involved, including the reestablishment and Dead Can Dance’s tour, there wouldn’t be enough space. Unfortunately, there were hardly any songs. Until now. The first sign appeared in a form of a record "Utopia" placed on the site called MySpace which was followed by the leak from the Internet and at last! The very first minute of the very first track – "Babylon" leaves no doubts for what is going to happen next. And a lot is happening! Afterwards, the atmosphere is only more beautiful, more magical and more and more deadcandance-like.
There is no doubt that making an attempt to prove anything hasn’t even crossed Brendan’s mind, especially after all these years, however after pondering over such album as "Ark" it’s difficult to get rid of the thought that he was the one from the duet who played the leading role. The compositions are just filled with this characteristic tone, multilevel arrangements accompanied by oriental instruments and at last percussion processions in maksum, beledi or masmoudi rhythms which make the dead can dance ;-)...ah, the music ecstasy in the purest form! I humbly beg for forgiveness if anyone finds my behaviour (oscillating in the regions of gushiness) irritating. As the defence I will use the argument that the reviews are subjective as well as I’ve never hidden the fact that in my humble work I’ve used similar aesthetic qualities. Brendan Perry was and will be my mentor so it’s hard to remain cool and stay objective...
Despite the usage of drum machines, synthesizers and samplers (Brendan Perry wrote, recorded and produced all the tracks by himself) the music is extremely moving, profound, full of emotions with characteristic poetic lyrics which treat about current subjects.

Sometimes it’s hard for us to find the truth, in a world we no longer seem to understand. We live in the tours of our own creations. Sons and daughters of America, you lay down your lives for the warlords, not for your sake, not for mine. Hail Father Ubu, here comes the Grand Guignol, absurd and bloody theatre of horror.
Fifty-five minutes. Eight tracks, eleven years...and again this warm Voice sends shivers down my spine with tickle in my throat and tears in my eyes caused by the beauty lasting in sadness.

As for my opinion, it’s an absolute and indisputable number one of the year 2010. I assume it will remain in this position because I’m not expecting any artist to surprise me. When I will make out my subjective ranking of 10, the most beautiful albums of the passing decade, "Ark" will be certainly high classified.

Brendan Perry, I bow my bold head before Your Bald Majesty:-). I don’t know if you will ever record anything together with Lisa Gerrard* or solo again but anyway I ask you only for one thing – don’t make us wait for your next work so long...

* In March 2010, in the interview Brendan Perry said it’s possible that DCD may join together: "Yes, I speak about it with Lisa [Gerrard]. Maybe, at the end of the next year (2011) we will cooperate together again. We think about gathering a small chamber orchestra -10 to 15 people – and to go on a tour with them. We have to write new lyrics and compose new material – completely new – in order to create new album. Then, after tournee we would be able to enter the studio, record the material, produced it and release the album. Brendan Perry for Katehizis.com 28.03.2010

Tracklist:

1. Babylon
2. The Bogus Man
3. Wintersun
4. Utopia
5. Inferno
6. This Boy
7. The Devil And The Deep Blue Sea
8. Crescent