In my estimation, Arcana is the only worthy successor to Dead Can Dance. Both groups create music that draws on older traditions, yet seems otherworldly; both utilize the sounds of forgotten instruments and evocative male and female vocals. If this comparison holds true, then Le Serpent Rouge is certainly Arcana’s answer to the Serpent’s Egg: on this album Arcana have made a move away from the neo-classical Dark Ages to a sound more informed by the music of the Middle East. Exotic rhythms pound and jangle while ominous synths simmer in the background. Of course, Arcana is not simply a poor man’s Dead Can Dance; the group has always been more inclined to craft soundscapes than songs and the vocals rarely take center stage. The atmosphere of Arcana’s recordings has always been a bit cold and distant, almost as if they defy you to glimpse into their world. Le Serpent Rouge may not be inviting, but it is stoically beautiful.

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