Anastasis by Dead Can Dance

Anastasis’ musical world isn’t insular or sealed off; it’s the rare album meant for longtime fans that is also accessible to new listeners.

Despite the long layoff, Anastasis is a logical progression from the band's mid-90s albums as well as Brendan and Gerrard's respective solo work since.

Dead Can Dance sticks to its timeless principles, so you can’t exactly be surprised that Anastasis isn’t for the casual cultural tourist.

There's no saw toothed aggression, there's nothing incredibly different in the theme and execution from the likes of earlier albums 

Anastasis is certainly an accomplished record and one that fits well within Dead Can Dance’s output, but it is a hard listen.

While the album refines the familiar sounds of their 80s and 90s heyday, they haven’t quite walked through that door to a new world.

Anastasis is also bloated and overly precious—even at its brightest, it’s about as fun as a funeral procession.