By this time, Dead Can Dance were predominantly a duo of Lisa Gerrard and Brendan Perry, along with Peter Ulrich, after the departure of Scott Rodger and James Pinker in 1987.

[citation needed] On the sound of the album, the group commented, "We realised we had been limiting our musical visions [before], relying around guitar, bass and drums.

[3] On the making of the album, 4AD label owner Ivo Watts-Russell commented, "I think the relationship between them and [producer] John Rivers was at its peak with [Within the Realm of a Dying Sun].

[3] Gerrard's vocals featured prominently on the second half of the album, and her singing style often had mellifluous, mystical overtones, especially on "Cantara".

[4] British magazine Fact considered Within the Realm of a Dying Sun amongst the "20 Best Goth Records Ever Made"[5] All tracks are written by Lisa Gerrard and Brendan Perry