Blutengel was formed in 1998 after Chris Pohl had decided to give up the preceding project, Seelenkrank (which had released two albums), due to contractual problems. Just as its predecessor, Blutengel uses melodious electronic tunes in combination with both male and female voices. The lyrics are primarily in German or English and mixed between male and female vocals paired with electronic sounds and with songs often focusing on all aspects of love, from the tragedy of hopeless romance of vampires (all the way to the more animal aspects of desire) and aspects of death and the afterlife.
The first album Child of Glass was released in early 1999 with Kati Roloff and Nina Bendigkeit as the original female vocalists.
In 2001, the second album Seelenschmerz was released. Nina left to concentrate on photography and eventually form the band Formalin. Gini Martin joined the band as the second female voice alongside Kati. The first Blutengel gig ever took place at the Wave-Gotik-Treffen on June 1, 2001, in Leipzig, in front of 10,000 fans. At the end of 2001, the single Black Roses was released with Constance Rudert as a session singer. The band performed at the Dark Storm Festival where Constance appeared on stage with Kati and Gini. This was the last time the band would play with its original line-up. Kati and Gini left the band days later for personal reasons and founded their own project together, Tristesse de la Lune. Constance, who had originally only been recruited for the single "Black Roses", became a full time member of Blutengel. Eva Pölzing joined soon after as a second vocalist.
Angel Dust was released in 2002, placing 58th on the German Charts.The Angel Dust promotional photo-shoot and booklet was made by Nina Bendigkeit.
In 2004 their fourth album, Demon Kiss, was released, featuring the single "Forever". A DVD release Live Lines and the album-length EP The Oxidising Angel appeared in 2005, the latter of which contained new material as well as a cover of "Cry Little Sister" from The Lost Boys soundtrack. In early October Eva Pölzing decided to leave the band due to other projects. Eva was replaced by Ulrike Goldmann (ex-Say-Y).
For the following two years, the band released a couple of singles with a slightly more "pop-driven" sound until their fifth album, Labyrinth was released in September 2007. It reached 36th in the German charts, and featured the single "Lucifer", and the live favourite "Engelsblut".
In 2009 Blutengel released the album Schwarzes Eis, which featured the single "Dancing in the Light" and accompanying music video to promote the album. An extended edition of this album contained three full CDs, each with its own subtitle (Schwarzes Eis, the instrumental Behind the Mirror and Redemption). The EP Soultaker was released later that year.
In 2010, they performed at the Amphi Festival featuring Anja Milow, Maria Rehfeld and Jenny Haufe who had been hired in 2009 as a dancers for the Schwarzes Eis Tour. Days later, it was announced on the official website that Constance had been replaced by two new singers, Anja Milow and Steffi Weingarten. Both featured on the seventh album Tränenherz, released in 2011 and placed in the German charts at number 12. Two singles "Über den Horizont" & "Reich Mir Die Hand" were released to promote the album, with accompanying music videos the latter featuring Pohl's new girlfriend Viki Scarlet as the "Bloody Girl" in Reich Mir Die Hand who would later become a permanent dancer.
The EP Nachtbringer followed that same year. a music video was released for the title track featuring the complete lineup excluding Jenny for this video. Steffi was fired from the band before they began touring and on her official Facebook page, she wrote a statement claiming that she was not allowed to tour due to legal issues with Constance. Jenny left in 2012, followed by Anja to focus on her job as a model for the clothing label AMF Korsets, continue college studies and work as an independent designer with her label Madone Noire.
Monument and Black Symphonies (2012–2014) Edit
From May 12 to May 20, 2012 Blutengel toured North America for the first time. Playing in Mexico City, New York, San Antonio, San Francisco, Los Angeles, and in Montreal for the Kinetik Festival. After the tour Maria Rehfeld left the band.[citation needed]
The first single from the album Monument, "Save Our Souls", was released in November 2012 while the second single, "You Walk Away", was released in January 2013. The album Monument was released in February 2013 and placed #4 & #96 on the German and Switzerland music charts respectively. "Kinder dieser Stadt" was released on July 19, 2013, as the third single from Monument.
Blutengel released an orchestral compilation album, Black Symphonies (An Orchestral Journey), on February 28, 2014. A single and music video for "Krieger" were released to promote the album.
Omen & Nemesis: The Best of & Reworked (2014–2016)
The first single "Asche Zu Asche", from their upcoming album was released on November 14, 2014. The second single, "Sing", was released on January 23, 2015.
Omen was released on February 12, 2015.
The band then embarked on the first leg of the Omen tour in April and spanning through to August. Festival appearances include Wave-Gotik-Treffen, Mera Luna Festival, and Summer Breeze Open Air.
A new EP, In Alle Ewigkeit, was announced via the band's website in early August as well as the tour dates for the second leg of the Omen tour, which began in November and ended in early December. The new EP was released 23 October 2015, and featured a reworking of 'Weg Zu Mir' originally from 'Child of Glass' which served as a preview for the upcoming 'Best of' album.
Chris Pohl recorded guest vocals on Italian industrial group Helalyn Flowers' "Beware of Light" single which was released by Belgian label Alfa Matrix Records in October 2015.
On 26 February 2016, their 'best of' album Nemesis: The Best of & Reworked was released with re-recorded versions of BlutEngel classics. To support this release, they will be playing 'Nemesis - Open Air Festival' in July.
Due to legal issues, Omen was re-released under the title Save Us.
Leitbild & Un:Gott (2016–present) Edit
In early 2016, BlutEngel entered the studio to record a new album, set for a release in February 2017.
"Complete", the first single from the upcoming 10th album, Leitbild, was released on December 2, 2016. it featured two B-sides and a remix by British darkwave act Massive Ego. The second single "Lebe Deinen Traum" was released as a digital single on February 3, 2017.
Leitbild was released on 17 February. The album would be the band's third straight album to chart in the top 5 of the Media Control Charts at number 4. The album would also chart Swiss Music Charts at #49. BlutEngel went on Tour starting in April and ended in May to promote Leitbild, with Massive Ego as their support. On 12 May, they performed an acoustic set which was recorded for release on DVD as, A Special Night Out: Live & Acoustic in Berlin.
After the Leitbild tour ended, Chris teased that he began work on a new Mini Album or EP to be released towards the end of the year. The new Mini Album was later confirmed and entitled Black. The 2nd leg of the Leitbild tour was also announced for October through December, 2017. Live im Wasserschloss Klaffenbach will be released April 2018, with footage from their 'Nemesis - Open Air Festival' from July 2016.
In May, 2018 BlutEngel were back in the studio working on their next album, Un:Gott, which was released 15th February 2019 and was promoted with a tour, that began in February. The tour was once again supported by Massive Ego.
A new Mini Album "Damokles" was released on November 1st, 2019.
During the COVID-19 pandemic three singles were released. The first Wir Sind Unsterblich on 27th March. The second, Obscured, a collaboration with Hocico on 3rd April. The third, Nothing But A Void, a collaboration with Massive Ego was released Friday 13th of November.
Line-up
Current members
Chris Pohl – vocals, lyrics, programming (1998–present)
Ulrike Goldmann – vocals and lyrics (2005–present)
Current dancers
Viki Scarlet – Main Visual Concept (2011–present)
Former members
1998–2000: Nina Bendigkeit (now in Formalin;also female voices on Seelenkrank and Terminal Choice albums) – Vocals and lyrics
1998–2002: Kati Roloff (was in Tristesse de la Lune with Gini but left in late 2006) – Vocals
2000–2002: Gini Martin (now in Tristesse de la Lune) – Vocals and Lyrics
2002–2005: Eva Pölzing – Vocals
2002–2010: Constance Rudert (now in Cinderella Effect)– session singer then Vocals and Visual Concept
2010–2011: Steffi Weingarten – Vocals
2009–2012: Anja Milow – Vocals and Visual Concept
Former dancers
2001–2009: Sonja Semmler (now in Masters of Comedy – Live performance, visual concept (their first official dancer/performance artist to be part of the band)
2009-2012: Jenny Haufe- Visual Concept
2009-2012: Maria Rehfeld- Visual Concept
Albums Edit
1999: Child of Glass
2001: Seelenschmerz
2002: Angel Dust
2004: Demon Kiss
2007: Labyrinth
2009: Schwarzes Eis
2011: Tränenherz
2013: Monument
2015: Omen/Save Us
2017: Leitbild
2019: Un:Gött
SUNRISE
Blutengel Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Fears I can't stand.
Burning bridges, memories without demand,
Like castles in the sky,
The years are washing over me.
There was nothing to lose,
Nothing to hold
And nothing to believe.
I set my fantasies on fire,
There is magic in my veins.
I'm gonna be like this forever,
Toll a bell and spread my wings.
Sun is rising in my nights,
Nothing keeps the morning light from shining.
This time, it's right I got away,
Go on and turn the page.
Sun is rising in my soul,
Nothing keeps the morning light from shining.
Can't lock me in another cage.
I burn a torch for your sins.
All the devils start to fall,
In the brightness of my light.
Some days I felt so numb,
Like a desperate child.
All the colorless flowers,
All the doubts I left behind.
Dancing on my own melodies,
Like a bird in the sky.
Sun is rising in my nights,
Nothing keeps the morning light from shining.
This time, it's right I got away,
Go on and turn the page.
Sun is rising in my soul,
Nothing keeps the morning light from shining.
Can't lock me in another cage.
I burn a torch for your sins.
I say a prayer for the broken-hearted.
I ring a bell to get them through the lonely nights.
I say a prayer in this night.
Sun is rising in my nights,
Nothing keeps the morning light from shining.
This time, it's right I got away,
Go on and turn the page.
Sun is rising in my soul,
Nothing keeps the morning light from shining.
Can't lock me in another cage.
I burn a torch for your sins.
The lyrics to Blutengel's "Sunrise" are about moving on from a difficult past and overcoming fears and doubts. The song begins by acknowledging the presence of "cruel things" and "fears [the singer] can't stand," representing a difficult past that still haunts him. He metaphorically describes this past as "burning bridges" and "memories without demand," a weight that he carries even though it serves no purpose. Despite this past, the singer acknowledges that he has "nothing to lose" and "nothing to hold," indicating a readiness to move forward.
In the chorus, the singer declares that the "sun is rising" in his "nights" and his "soul," representing a new beginning and a sense of hope. He feels liberated by this fresh start and knows that nothing can "lock him in another cage." He mentions burning a torch for the sins of others, which could represent a desire to not make the same mistakes as those who hurt him in the past.
The final verse shows the singer's empathy for those who have been hurt and his desire to comfort them. He says a prayer for the "broken-hearted" and "rings a bell to get them through the lonely nights." Overall, the song is a message of hope and encouragement to those who may be struggling with moving on from their past.
Line by Line Meaning
There were cruel things,
The singer has experienced painful hardships.
Fears I can't stand.
The singer has fears that are too difficult to face.
Burning bridges, memories without demand,
The singer has cut off relationships and reminisces on them despite not wanting to.
Like castles in the sky,
The artist's memories and dreams seem unattainable and unrealistic.
The years are washing over me.
The artist feels the weight of time passing by and changing them.
There was nothing to lose,
The singer had nothing to lose in the face of their difficult situation.
Nothing to hold
The singer didn't have anything or anyone to cling to for support.
And nothing to believe.
The artist didn't have any hope or faith to sustain them.
I set my fantasies on fire,
The artist burned their unrealistic dreams and fantasies in order to move on.
There is magic in my veins.
The artist feels powerful and confident.
I'm gonna be like this forever,
The singer feels that their current feeling of power and strength will never fade.
Toll a bell and spread my wings.
The artist feels ready to take flight and move forward.
Sun is rising in my nights,
The singer is experiencing a hopeful new beginning despite their past.
Nothing keeps the morning light from shining.
The future is bright and full of possibility.
This time, it's right I got away,
The singer feels that their decision to move on from their past was the right choice.
Go on and turn the page.
The artist encourages others to let go of their pasts and move forward as well.
Can't lock me in another cage.
The artist feels free from the constraints of their past.
I burn a torch for your sins.
The singer seeks to atone for the mistakes of others.
All the devils start to fall,
The singer's positive energy is affecting even those who may have once been against them.
In the brightness of my light.
The artist's positivity and strength are empowering them and those around them.
Some days I felt so numb,
The artist sometimes felt stripped of feeling and emotion.
Like a desperate child.
The artist felt helpless and vulnerable.
All the colorless flowers,
The singer left behind their old life and everything that didn't bring color to it.
All the doubts I left behind.
The artist let go of their doubts and fears in order to move forward.
Dancing on my own melodies,
The singer feels that they have control of their life and path forward.
Like a bird in the sky.
The singer feels free and unencumbered.
I say a prayer for the broken-hearted.
The singer wishes well for those who have been hurt in the past like they have.
I ring a bell to get them through the lonely nights.
The artist seeks to provide comfort and support for others in their difficult times.
I say a prayer in this night.
The artist is actively hoping for better days to come for themselves and others.
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: CHRISTIAN CHRIS POHL, CONSTANCE RUDERT
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Steve
on In alle Ewigkeit
The reason i listen to Blutengel is to hear Ulricke.