In 1996, EMI decided to place Die Allergie under contract with their industrial sublabel, Spin Records. After an intensive 2 years of working together, the band decided to go their own way and leave Spin Records, which dissolved a short time later anyway.
In the beginning of 1998, the band released their self-produced MCD, "Demokratie", which was well received by fans and press alike, and resulted in many labels showing an interest in the band. It takes time to do something well, so Die Allergie took plenty of time to examine the numerous offers in depth. In July of 1998, the decision was made in favor of Rise Up, a sublabel of Last Episode Productions founded especially for Die Allergie.
Rise Up offered the up and coming quintet act, through keyboarder Danny Böhm, every possibility to resume their own path. In February of 1999, the label released Die Allergie's second album, "Dunkelgraue Lieder für das Nächste Jahrtausend", which, through aggressively ironic lyrics and the brutal, painfilled dark wall of music, held a mirror up to humanity showing the ugly face of daily reality. 10,000 copies were sold across Europe.
In the beginning of 2000, the band spent 3 months in the Roth Recordings Studio in order to produce their album "Virus III" under the direction of Dieter Roth. Musically, the band had lost none of their hardness, and the song material also appeared more mature and tighter than ever before. Various journalists showed euphoric "allergic" reactions based on the band's studio report in March 2000.
After the recording of "Virus III", bassist Markus Knapp (ex-Atrocity) left the band due to personal reasons. Die Allergie found a new comrade in arms with Jan Beckmann, but due to his professional career, he had to leave a short time later. Markus Knapp decided to take the bass in hand once again with Die Allergie, and he has been a solid component of the band ever since.
Die Allergie parted ways with Rise Up because the sales numbers of "Virus III" did not meet the expectations that the label had imagined. The band also felt that they did not have full support from the label which should have recognized that "Virus III" was a first class album from the start!
The singer, Albi, was arrested by the police due to false evidence and sat in jail until September 2001. Because he had drug problems at this time, he had to go through a drug rehab program which he successfully completed.
The members close to Albi were unsettled and brought to a halt. No one quite knew what would happen next. Once again, they found themselves without a label or tour. Once it was known how long they would be without a front man, they decided to use the time as creatively as possible in order to have some new songs to work on after his return. Albi is again walking free and clean!
In their lyrics, Die Allergie deals with the deviancies that exist in all of us such as egotism, megalomania, greed, obsession, and destructive urges even as far as necrophilia. Musically, Die Allergie is hard to categorize. The wide range goes from Pantera or Pro Pain (with whom Die Allergie completed a successful 4-week European tour in the Spring of 1999, along with Temple of the Absurd) to Fear Factory and Crowbar, through all shades of the extreme, without allowing themselves to fit into a definitive classification. The term Industrial Metal-Core is the most fitting category that comes straight to mind.
Maschinenträume
Die Allergie Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Tag für tag
Brennt deinen willen aus
Jede gegenwehr versagt
Über folter
Auf zum höchsten punkt
Zum perfekten soldaten
Und deine waffe ist dein mund
Sag mir wie fühlt es sich an
Wenn man leer ist und un scheisse versinkt
Sag mir woran denkt man
Wenn man das leben mit füssen tritt
Und in die braunen fluten springt
Machinen träumen nicht
Machinen denken nicht
Machinen leben nicht
Machinen wehren sich nicht
Träum nicht, leb nicht, denk nicht
Machinen träumen nicht
Machinen denken nicht
Machinen leben nicht
Machinen wehren sich nicht
Wie ein borg im kollektiv
Willenlos - seelenlos
Maschinen träumen nicht
An der nadel des kollektivs
Fällst du langsam aber tief
Träum nicht, leb nicht
Machinen träumen nicht
Machinen denken nicht
Machinen leben nicht
Machinen wehren sich nicht
Träum nicht, leb nicht, denk nicht
Es kommt schleichend tag für tag
Brennt deinen willen aus
Jede gegenwehr versagt
Doch wie ein borg im kollektiv
Fällst du langsam aber tief
The lyrics of Die Allergie's song Maschinenträume reflect the bleakness of a life devoid of any individuality, creativity or emotion where people are reduced to mere machines in a society that places a premium on conformity and obedience. The song starts by talking about how this transformation is insidious and happens slowly, day by day until one's will is completely burnt out, leaving them defenseless against the torture that they face. The only way to survive in this world, according to the song, is to become the perfect soldier, climb to the highest point and make your mouth your weapon. The lyrics then go on to ask some existential questions such as what does it feel like to sink in emptiness and what does one think of when they trample on life and drown in brown waters.
The chorus, with its repetition of the phrase "Machines don't dream, machines don't think, machines don't live, machines don't resist," reinforces the idea that in this world, human beings are just like robots or machines - devoid of any dreams, thoughts, life or resistance. They are like the "Borg in the collective," without any will or soul, falling slowly but inevitably under the needle of the collective.
Overall, Maschinenträume is a poignant critique of the dehumanizing effects of conformity, oppression and alienation in contemporary society. It highlights the importance of individuality, creativity and resistance in the face of such forces and urges people to break free from the chains of the system and live life on their own terms.
Line by Line Meaning
Es kommt schleichend
The feeling of numbness and detachment grows slowly over time
Tag für tag
Every day, the weight becomes heavier and harder to bear
Brennt deinen willen aus
The fire inside of you that once drove you has been extinguished
Jede gegenwehr versagt
Resistance to the oppressive system is futile
Über folter
Through torture and conditioning
Auf zum höchsten punkt
Rise to the highest point of the system
Zum perfekten soldaten
Become the perfect soldier, completely obedient and loyal
Und deine waffe ist dein mund
Your only means of rebellion is through your words and voice
Sag mir wie fühlt es sich an
What does it feel like
Wenn man leer ist und un scheisse versinkt
When one feels empty and sinks into despair
Sag mir woran denkt man
What does one think about
Wenn man das leben mit füssen tritt
When life is treated with disrespect and contempt
Und in die braunen fluten springt
And one jumps into the abyss
Machinen träumen nicht
Machines do not dream
Machinen denken nicht
Machines do not think
Machinen leben nicht
Machines do not live
Machinen wehren sich nicht
Machines do not resist
Träum nicht, leb nicht, denk nicht
Do not dream, do not live, do not think
Wie ein borg im kollektiv
Like a Borg in the collective
Willenlos - seelenlos
Without will or soul
An der nadel des kollektivs
Addicted to the system
Fällst du langsam aber tief
You fall slowly, but deeply
Contributed by Mackenzie T. Suggest a correction in the comments below.