This is the greatest CD I have heard from Dead Can Dance and I have heard them all and yes Enter the Labyrinth was not far behind.

My main drawback from the general 5 star Amazon rating that 31 people reportedly maintain is that the music is only cold. The Renaissance songs that the band covers are much more interesting to me in their original versions, the covers they do are hectic and while technically proficient do not burn me as much as I would appreciate in a cold manner.

Mr. Perry does initiate some strong vocals in the Black Sun which do not bore me, however the lyrics are mildly tiresome, if you actually research their intent; i.e. if I wanted to be preached to, I'd think church wasn't on every street corner and subscribe to Mr. Perry's heavy world view. Lisa Gerrard is interestingly kitsch as usual in her lack of interest in singing something sensical and really brings the hammer in several of the songs. Bravo, and that song on her solo CD, the Mirror Pool, Sanvean, #4 if memory serves, well before "Gladiator," that was the billy goat's gruff.

I think the tone wears thin on Dead Can Dance as a band when the coldness is just for being cold. I would've appreciated less impasses and more awareness and understanding, beauty aside, 4 stars. Buy the thing because it's excellently moody and then hear what I am saying! (The lyrics won't be listed in the CD and due to the fact that Brendan slurs musical phrasing, you will need to look online for the real lyrics)

Matthew Hahn, www.movingtracks.com

'Aion' was my introduction to Dead Can Dance (DCD) and it has truly made a fan of me! The choral explosion on "Arrival and the Reunion" [pulled] me in fast as it reminded me a lot of neo-goth group, Mors Syphilitica. Then comes a 14th-century instrumental piece called "Saltarello", which has a great Renaissance dance beat that's really quite irresistible when it comes to swaying in your stilled position! The music slows down a bit once "Song of the Sibyl" comes on though as it features very little background noise. Instead it focuses solely on the chilling vocals of Lisa Gerrard's shaky yet affective vibrato. One of the best Dead Can Dance songs with Lisa singing on vocals however would have to be "As The Bell Rings the Maypole Spins", which features some incredible bagpipe playing!

I love both of the duo's voices so I really appreciate the fact that they trade-off after "Song Of The Sibyl" from Lisa to Brendan Perry, whom sings on the subtle Medieval tune, "Fortune Presents Gifts Not According to the Book". It's on the haunting "Black Sun", which brings to mind the dark brilliance of 'Within The Realm of a Dying Sun', that his somber baritone truly succeeds in tantilizing the listener with his seductive vocals though! And while the eastern influenced "Radharc" may arguably be the best song on 'Aion', the entire album is a delightful treat for the senses and I couldn't recommend it any higher!

.Amazing.This CD brings you into an alternative reality, a trance-like state. It brings ye back into the times of the Renaissance. Beautiful vocals, and extremely talented musicians.
.highly.reccommended.

It's very weird (to me) but it's never dull or boring, I love it.

Released in 1990, AION shows Dead Can Dance, the duo of Lisa Gerrard and Brendan Perry, exploring styles of Medieval times and the Renaissance. The production is excellent, and it ranks among DCD's best albums.

AION opens with "The Arrival and the Reunion," a short piece that shows off Lisa's amazing voice as overdubs allow her to provide her own polyphony, with David Navarro Sust (a collaborator on 1989's THE SERPENT'S EGG) providing backing vocals.

There are a number of quiet, instrumental pieces on this album which sound highly authentic, such as "Saltarello" (which really is a piece from the 14th century), "Wilderness," and "The Garden of Zephirus."

As with any Dead Can Dance album, there are songs that feature either Brendan or Lisa more heavily. Lisa provides among others "Radharc," "The Promised Womb," and "The Song of the Sibyl," although for that last one I prefer the live version on TOWARD THE WITHIN.

Brendan gives us the tragicomic "Fortune Presents Gifts Not According to the Book" and the odd "Black Sun."

It's remarkable how this album, the first after Lisa and Brendan split up (she went to Spain, he went to Ireland), features such excellent collaboration. Definitely one of Dead Can Dance's best albums, although I think the best is WITHIN THE REALM OF A DYING SUN.