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)
Sin Skinner
Diary of Dreams Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
you don`t listen to what I say.
Give me permission to enter.
I`d like to understand,
let me hold your hand.
Let me be your sin skinner...
My liberty in isolation,
my fingertips in consolation.
Let me be your friend,
I`m here to heal the sand.
Keep my integrity intact,
I want to base my life on facts.
Whatever comes, I never know,
but life will ultimately show.
Still very silent
I even hear your breath.
What have I come for?
I know I wanted more...
Have you not understood?
It is your life they took,
And all you do is cry,
Don`t tell the world good-bye!
The lyrics of Diary of Dreams' song Sin Skinner address the singer's desire to understand and alleviate the pain of someone who has retreated into a secret world of isolation. The first couplet sets the tone for the whole song, with the singer lamenting their inability to connect with this person. They ask for permission to enter their world, to be allowed to understand, to hold their hand. The repeated refrain "Let me be your sin skinner" plays on the concept of sin as something that needs to be expunged, something that stains and corrupts. The singer is offering to take on this role for the person they are addressing, to help them rid themselves of their pain and guilt.
As the song progresses, the singer describes their own sense of isolation and sadness, but ultimately positions themselves as a friend and healer to the other person. They want to keep their own "integrity intact", to base their life on "facts", which suggests a desire for clarity and honesty that may be lacking in the other person's secret world. The final lines of the song take on a more urgent tone, begging the other person not to give up, not to "tell the world good-bye".
Overall, Sin Skinner is a deeply empathetic and compassionate song that speaks to the universal need for connection and understanding. It touches on themes of isolation, guilt, and the difficulty of building authentic relationships in a world of pain and chaos.
Line by Line Meaning
Your secret world is far away,
You keep your thoughts and feelings hidden; I cannot understand you.
you don`t listen to what I say.
You are indifferent to my words and advice.
Give me permission to enter.
Allow me to get to know you and your true self.
I`d like to understand,
I am curious and eager to comprehend the reasons behind your behavior.
let me hold your hand.
Let me offer my support and comfort to you.
Let me be your sin skinner...
Allow me to help you acknowledge your flaws and imperfections.
My liberty in isolation,
I value my freedom, but being alone is lonely and confining.
my fingertips in consolation.
I take comfort in the sense of touch when no one is around.
A sad condition, my intuition.
I feel saddened by my current state of solitude and disconnectedness.
Let me be your friend,
Let me offer companionship and support to you.
I`m here to heal the sand.
I am here to make things better and smooth out rough patches.
Keep my integrity intact,
Preserve my honor and trustworthiness.
I want to base my life on facts.
I want to be guided by truth and honesty.
Whatever comes, I never know,
I am uncertain of what the future holds for me.
but life will ultimately show.
Time will reveal what is in store for me.
Still very silent
You continue to remain quiet and aloof.
I even hear your breath.
You are so close and yet so far away; I can hear every sound you make.
What have I come for?
Why did I bother coming here seeking your attention and understanding?
I know I wanted more...
I feel dissatisfied with what I have gotten from this encounter so far.
Have you not understood?
Do you not realize that you are the cause of your own misery?
It is your life they took,
You have let others control and manipulate your life for their own gain.
And all you do is cry,
You are consumed by sadness and sorrow.
Don`t tell the world good-bye!
Do not give up on life and let yourself be defeated by your struggles and hardships.
Contributed by Dylan D. Suggest a correction in the comments below.