Enter the Mysterium

Heavy on traditional Medieval Celtic folk instrumentation, exotic ballads and creations from the male half of Dead Can Dance, the 4AD band that launched a thousand Goths. Use of traditional instruments (none of which I know the names of except they sound like dulcimers, guitars, tom toms, flutes), and gothic dramatic male vocs, it takes a few songs to pull out a dark synth and smack of the god-like status Dead Can Dance holds for so many.

1) simple slow ballad, voice + guitar
2) upbeat “brave brave sir robin, brave sir robin ran away” feel with flute and multi traditional instruments
3) pretty dulcimer, with tom tom-like beat
4) veering from the thatched roof and returning to the present, this one has synth melodies and electro production and is on target
5) starts with howling winds, then churchlike organ and piano dominate this dramatic drumless piece
6) flute and tribal deep drum beat, synth melodies and vocs and subtle percussion, this has a Middle Eastern flare 7) tribal again, kinda cheesy though with the vocal dubs
8) slightly swingy ride cymbal beat, slow phrasing and heavy on the synth, piano synth
9) kalimba-like melody, exotic flare with tribal percussion, female backup/duet vocals don’t conjure DcD
10) hammered dulcimer tears a page from the Dead Can Dance hit book