The Lotus Eaters - Dead Can Dance tribute

[Nienerhausen]

Imperia appears on the Dead Can Dance tribute album "The Lotus Eaters" (released in 2004 via Black Lotus) with the song "The Lotus Eaters".

What do you think of this track? Same, better, worse than the original? Should it also have appeared on an actual Imperia album or single?


Info

(Black Lotus, 2004)
CD1
01. Arcana - In the Wake of Adversity
02. Persephone - Spirit
03. Danny Lilker with Lisa Sehreib - Cantara
04. Ataraxia - Bylar
05. Faith and The Muse - Mesmerism
06. Trail of Tears - The Arcane
07. Hortus Animae with Liv Kristine - Windall Introducing Summoning of the Muse
08. Amber Asylum - Cardinal Sin
09. Grido - Oman
10. Danny Cavanagh - Spirit
11. Imperia - The Lotus Eaters
12. Ephemeral Sun - Avatar
13. Sarah Jezebel Deva - The Wind that Shakes the Barley

CD2
01. Black Tape for a Blue Girl - Fortune Present Gifts Not According to the Book
02 Jarboe - American Dreaming
03. Antimatter - Black Sun
04. The Gathering - In Power We Entrust the Love Advocated
05. Nightfall - The Ubiquitous Mr. Lovegrove
06. Darkwell - Anywhere Out of the World
07. Ulver - In the Kingdom of the Blind, the One-Eyed are Kings
08. Akrabu - Desert Song
09. Noekk - How Fortunate is the Man with None
10. Imperial Black - Enigma of the Absolute
11. Secrets of the Moon & Nostalgia - The Protaganist
12. Monumentum - Windfall
13.Subterranean Masquerade - Summoning of the Muse (Deconstructed)


Imperia's version can heard on their MySpace profile.

The original song, as performed by Dead Can Dance, can be found here.

[magicmist82]

In my opinion, the song is pretty poor to start with, so it's difficult to make it amazing. I personally prefer Imperia's version because it sounds livelier than DCD original which is, let's be honest, a bore fest. Over five minutes of monotonous voice of the vocalist and instruments that are somewhat there just doesn't work for me, while Imperia brings some energy into this piece. Helena's voice makes a statement from the very start and so do instruments, which aren't just there for the sake of it.

Should it appear on Imperia's album or as a single - probably not. It's not good enough for a single and to add it just as a filler on one of the band's albums wouldn't be fair.

[Markje]

I have to agree with Marg.

Personally, I'm not drooling over Imperia's early stuff, since it's kind of 'messy' (don't even know if that's the right way to say it), but it's ok anyway, and you cannot deny the liveliness and presence of the band.

[Baufil]

the original, which i had never heard before, was way boring. the Imperia version gives it more life and Helena's voice is always wonderful to listen to.

[Nienerhausen]

Judging from a live video's always hard, but it's clear Lisa Gerrard is in a WAY other league than Helena.

I think Imperia's version is better because of better orchestral parts
and better singing due to 'Crazy' Michaelsen popping up once again. Seems as if their version has much more to it than DCD's and I think this is where Imperia beats the original.

Plus, if you have seen Imperia performing this song live you know it'll win from DCD's static performance any day...

I think it would've fit on the Ancient Dance album because it has the same sound and it would make a nice last song.