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)
The Scream
Diary of Dreams Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
What was?
Where is that vivid look?
We came, we saw what all these visions took!
They cry in fear hoping for mercy
and how you scream, you beg for silence
Whatever happens please foresee,
Whatever happens please foresee,
only trust your memory
Confront me with this sort of madness,
unkind indeed to be this helpless
I know, I want my little world back,
this place of light where life is intact
No heart, no pain
I think I am insane
So still my shell
One step closer to hell
My rage, my hate have a rendezvous with fate
My fear stays here, you needles come too late
The lyrics of Diary of Dreams's song, The Scream, explore the turmoil and devastation of losing control over one's life. The first few lines question the reality surrounding the singer, calling out for an explanation for the chaos that has taken hold of the world around them. The next verse further elaborates on the situation, where people are crying out in fear with the hope of mercy, and yet there is only screaming and a plea for silence.
The chorus serves to remind the singer, and by extension the listener, to trust only themselves and their memory, for it is the only true and reliable source of guidance one has. The second verse shows a sense of frustration with the current state, wishing to return to the simplicity of their old life where light and wonder existed. The final lines show a sense of despair, where the singer feels lost, broken and on the brink of self-destruction, consumed by their own mind.
Line by Line Meaning
What is?
The singer is questioning the current state of existence.
What was?
The singer is questioning the past and how it has led to the current state of existence.
Where is that vivid look?
The singer is questioning the absence of something that used to bring life and vibrancy.
We came, we saw what all these visions took!
The artist and their companions have experienced and witnessed the consequences of their dreams and desires.
They cry in fear hoping for mercy
The victims of the artist or their companions are pleading and hoping to be spared.
and how you scream, you beg for silence
The singer may be tormenting someone who is begging for the pain and noise to stop.
Whatever happens please foresee,
The singer is asking for foresight and preparation for whatever may come.
only trust your enemy
The artist is suggesting that one should expect deceit from those who appear as an enemy.
Only trust your memory
The artist is suggesting that even one's own memories may be unreliable or untrustworthy.
Confront me with this sort of madness,
The artist is challenging someone to come forward and face the results of their own madness.
Unkind indeed to be this helpless
The singer acknowledges their own vulnerability and helplessness in a harsh situation.
I know, I want my little world back,
The artist recognizes their past life and desires to return to it.
This place of light where life is intact
The singer remembers a place where life was peaceful and complete.
No heart, no pain
The singer feels empty and devoid of emotions.
I think I am insane
The singer is questioning their own sanity.
So still my shell
The artist is describing themselves as lifeless.
One step closer to hell
The artist feels as though they are approaching a hellish existence or afterlife.
My rage, my hate have a rendezvous with fate
The singer believes that their anger and hatred will inevitably lead them to their fate.
My fear stays here, you needles come too late
The singer is suggesting that their fear remains even after an attempt has been made to alleviate it.
Contributed by Joshua F. Suggest a correction in the comments below.