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)
Painkiller
Diary of Dreams Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
And who was the last one?
No word to disturb this endless beauty,
a single thought will prove me wrong!
A single thought will prove me wrong
as if it was my last one!
Come see, without the color
there`s nothing left to love.
Don`t ask me why!
I count my yesterdays.
Soul surgery, electric dream treatment,
eyes turned blind that once could see...
Es gibt kein zweites wiedersehen
im schlaf, mein bruder
Wirst du mich schon verstehen
bevor ein neuer tag vergeht, nur du...
Fangst du mir einen traum.
So please be quiet in this room,
this is a place of silence.
The lyrics to Diary of Dreams's song Painkiller have a dark and mysterious tone throughout. The opening lines, "Tell me who is next? And who was the last one?" seem to indicate a sense of confusion and uncertainty about life, and possibly even a sense of foreboding or doom. The singer then goes on to contemplate the idea that "a single thought will prove me wrong", suggesting a sense of doubt about one's own thoughts and beliefs.
The lines "Come see, without the color there's nothing left to love. Say good-bye to all your memories, don't ask me why!" hint at a loss of hope and perhaps even a sense of despair. The singer seems to be urging the listener to let go of the past and move on, even if it means sacrificing cherished memories and emotions.
The lines "Soul surgery, electric dream treatment, eyes turned blind that once could see..." suggest a situation in which the singer has undergone some sort of traumatic experience, possibly involving medical procedures or a loss of vision. The final lines of the song, "So please be quiet in this room, this is a place of silence" suggest a sense of isolation or abandonment, as if the singer is alone and struggling to cope with their inner demons.
Overall, the lyrics to Painkiller offer a bleak but thought-provoking commentary on the human condition, exploring themes of loss, uncertainty, and self-doubt.
Line by Line Meaning
Tell me who is next?
Asking who will be the next victim or sacrifice
And who was the last one?
Questioning about the previous victim or sacrifice
No word to disturb this endless beauty,
The beauty of the silence is not to be interrupted with words
a single thought will prove me wrong!
A contradicting thought could challenge my beliefs
A single thought will prove me wrong
Even a single thought can make me question my own beliefs
as if it was my last one!
As if this is the last thought I ever have before dying
Come see, without the color
Without color, things lose their value and appeal
there's nothing left to love.
If there's no color, there's nothing to love
Say good-bye to all your memories
Suggesting to forget the past memories and move forward
Don't ask me why!
No explanation or justification is necessary
I count my yesterdays.
Reflecting or contemplating on the past events or experiences
Soul surgery, electric dream treatment,
The soul is being repaired, and dreams are explored and treated
eyes turned blind that once could see...
Indicating a loss of sight or insight that was once there
Es gibt kein zweites wiedersehen
There will be no second meeting
im schlaf, mein bruder
In sleep, my brother
Wirst du mich schon verstehen
Will you understand me already
bevor ein neuer tag vergeht, nur du...
Before another day passes, only you...
Fangst du mir einen traum.
Catch me a dream
So please be quiet in this room,
Asking for silence in the room
this is a place of silence.
Emphasizing the need for silence in this location
Contributed by Owen I. Suggest a correction in the comments below.