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)
Requiem 4.21
Diary of Dreams Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Es lebt sich leichter ohne Ziel
Ein Ringen ist jeder Tag aufs Neue
und jeder Schritt zuviel
Verloren die Anmut deiner Nähe
Mein Leben schläft mit dir
Und Perlen löschen Worte
das Augenlicht ist grau
Du bist immer hier
und ich bei dir
Du bist immer hier
Nur ich muss bleiben
Unsagbar gern wär ich jetzt bei dir
dort unten in der Kälte
die Jahre teilen wir
denn du bist bei mir
und ich bei dir
und das ist alles, was uns bleibt
Komm, sprich deine letzten Worte
damit dann endlich Stille herrscht
Unendliche Tiefe und doch leer
Ich lass dich los, mein teurer Freund
The lyrics of "Requiem 4.21" by Diary of Dreams convey feelings of longing, emptiness, and grief that come after the loss of a loved one. It explores the complexities of human emotions and the struggle to find meaning and purpose in life after experiencing such a significant loss. The lyrics suggest that living can become easier when one doesn't have any specific goals, but every day can feel like a battle with each step being a struggle.
The verses talk about the loss of someone close and the pain that comes with it. The lines "Lost is the grace of your presence, my life sleeps with you" convey the deep sense of loneliness and loss that the persona feels without the loved one. The chorus repeats the phrase "You're always here, and I'm with you. You're always here, only I have to stay" which represents the idea that even though the loved one is gone, their memory and presence will always remain with the person left behind.
Overall, this song is a tribute to the memories of someone who was deeply cherished, offering a glimpse into the emotional turmoil that can come with loss, and the bittersweet comfort found in holding onto the memories of those we love.
Line by Line Meaning
Lautlos sind all die Menschen
All the people are silent
Es lebt sich leichter ohne Ziel
Living without a goal is easier
Ein Ringen ist jeder Tag aufs Neue
Every day is a struggle
und jeder Schritt zuviel
And every step is too much
Verloren die Anmut deiner Nähe
The grace of your presence is lost
Mein Leben schläft mit dir
My life sleeps with you
Und Perlen löschen Worte
Words are erased by tears
das Augenlicht ist grau
The eyesight is gray
Du bist immer hier
You are always here
und ich bei dir
And I am with you
Nur ich muss bleiben
Only I have to stay
Unsagbar gern wär ich jetzt bei dir
I would love to be with you right now
dort unten in der Kälte
Down there in the cold
die Jahre teilen wir
We share the years
denn du bist bei mir
Because you are with me
und ich bei dir
And I am with you
und das ist alles, was uns bleibt
And that is all that is left for us
Komm, sprich deine letzten Worte
Come, speak your last words
damit dann endlich Stille herrscht
So that there can finally be silence
Unendliche Tiefe und doch leer
Infinite depth yet empty
Ich lass dich los, mein teurer Freund
I let you go, my dear friend
Contributed by John H. Suggest a correction in the comments below.