By this point, they had run out of ideas
Caraculiambro | La Mancha and environs | 05/30/2010
(2 out of 5 stars)
"These, in order, are Dead Can Dance's original (i.e., non-compilation) albums:
1. Dead Can Dance (1984)
2. Spleen and Ideal (1986)
3. Within the Realm of a Dying Sun (1987)
4. The Serpent's Egg (1988)
5. Aion (1990)
6. Into the Labyrinth (1993)
7. Toward the Within (live album) (1994)
8. Spiritchaser (1996)
Notice they greatly changed their sound after "Within the Realm of a Dying Sun." Before that, they were an innovative, moody post-punk band. But their music wasn't much good, for my money.
But then something happened. Starting with "The Serpent's Egg," their style and rhythm changed and their music became both innovative and excellent. "Toward the Within" is a live album; they attempted to continue on the same track with "Spiritchaser," but it was clear that they had accomplished what they were going to with that approach and were pretty much out of ideas.
Thus "The Serpent's Egg," "Aion," and "Into the Labyrinth" are their three must-have albums; nobody is ever sorry to have bought them. But everything else should be carefully previewed before you buy."