Adrian Hates was originally a classically trained guitarist and pianist, and subsequently bassist of Garden of Delight. He initiated the Diary of Dreams project in the late 1980s, taking the name from one of his early classical guitar compositions, 'Tagebuch der Träume'. The first album, 'Cholymelan', appeared in 1994 on the Dion Fortune label.
Encouraged by this success, Adrian formed his own label Accession and released a string of albums over the following years, building a loyal fanbase each step of the way. The second album 'End of Flowers' was released in 1996, expanding on the darkwave sound of the debut. 'Bird Without Wings' followed a year later, whilst the more experimental work 'Psychoma?' arrived in 1998.
The first sign of consolidation came in 1999, when a compilation album 'Moments of Bloom' appeared, containing two reworked tracks from each album. The next two albums 'One of 18 Angels' and 'Freak Perfume' (plus its companion EP 'PaniK Manifesto') made greater use of electronic rhythms, resulting in greater club play and wider recognition for the band.
Their 2004 'Nigredo' (a concept album inspired by a mythology the band designed themselves) saw a move back towards the more subtle, sparse concepts of old, but still featuring bursts of their more recent, dance-oriented sound. Songs from the Nigredo tour were later released on the live CD 'aLive' and the companion DVD 'Nine In Numbers'. The next Diary of Dreams album 'Nekrolog 43' was released in 2007, offering a greater variety of moods and concepts than previous works. Adrian Hates claims to be influenced, both lyric wise and artwork wise, by the German 1909-1935 expressionism and the "beauty of ugliness" in the course of his work.
The ninth album entitled "(if)" was released on March 13, 2009.
Discography
Albums
* Cholymelan (1994) – re-released in 1999 with four bonus tracks
* End of Flowers (1996)
* Bird Without Wings (1997)
* Psychoma (1998)
* Moments of Bloom (1999)
* One of 18 Angels (2000)
* Freak perfume (2002)
* Dream Collector (2003) (originally a limited South African compilation - later given wider release)
* Nigredo (2004)
* Alive (2005) – live album
* Nekrolog 43 (2007)
* (if) (2009)
* Ego:X (2011)
* Dream Collector II (2012)
* the Anatomy of Silence (2012) - acoustic album
* Elegies in Darkness (2014)
* Grau im Licht (2015)
* reLive (2016)
* hell in Eden (2017)
Singles and EPs
* O' Brother Sleep (2001)
* AmoK (2002)
* PaniK Manifesto (2002) – EP/mini-album
* Giftraum (2004)
* Menschfeind (2005) – EP/mini-album
* The Plague (2007)
* King of Nowhere (2009)
DVDs
* Nine in Numbers (2006)
Congratulations
Diary of Dreams Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
At times i regret ...
When my tongue is in rage
I tend to forget
but life remains the same
but life remains the same
What have we become?
Sarcastic and tempted
Why are we so proud?
but life remains the same
but life remains the same
Congratulations - you're so pitiful
Congratulations - you're so immature
Congratulations - you wasted my life for yours
There are things in life you just can't forsee
Incidents and accidents
You blame the world for your pain
but life remains the same
but life remains the same
There are people that try to manipulate
They want you to believe ...
to follow their path
but life remains the same
but life remains the same
The lyrics of Diary of Dreams's song "Congratulations" speak to the experience of feeling frustrated with the state of the world and the people around us. The singer begins by acknowledging that sometimes their words can be harsh, but notes that in moments of anger it can be difficult to control what is said. Despite this, the singer recognizes that life remains constant, regardless of what they say or do.
The chorus of the song, with the repeated phrase "Congratulations - you're so pitiful" underscores a sense of cynicism and disappointment with the world. The singer notes that people can be sarcastic and prideful, and may waste the time and energy of others with their immaturity. There is a sense of frustration that despite the things that happen in life, like accidents and incidents that can cause pain and suffering, the world remains the same.
The final verse touches on the idea of manipulation - that there are people who may try to convince us to follow their path, but ultimately life remains constant. The song expresses a sense of resignation, recognizing the flaws and shortcomings of the world, but also recognizing that sometimes it can be difficult to change things.
Line by Line Meaning
My words may seem cruel
Sometimes what I say may come across as harsh
At times i regret ...
I feel remorseful sometimes
When my tongue is in rage
In the heat of the moment, when I'm angry
I tend to forget
I can forget to be considerate
but life remains the same
Despite personal changes, life continues as is
What have we become?
Reflecting on the state of things
A cynical crowd
People who are distrustful and pessimistic
Sarcastic and tempted
Indulging in mockery and desire
Why are we so proud?
Questioning the value of self-congratulation
Congratulations - you're so pitiful
Sarcastic remark aimed at someone else
Congratulations - you're so immature
Another sarcastic remark aimed at someone else
Congratulations - you wasted my life for yours
Blaming someone else for detriment to one's own life
There are things in life you just can't forsee
Acknowledge the unpredictability of life
Incidents and accidents
Things can happen unexpectedly
You blame the world for your pain
One can blame external causes for personal suffering
There are people that try to manipulate
Some individuals attempt to control others
They want you to believe ...
They try to influence one's thoughts and actions
to follow their path
They desire control over others' choices
but life remains the same
Despite external influences, life continues as is
but life remains the same
Despite external influences, life continues as is
Contributed by Annabelle P. Suggest a correction in the comments below.