Founded in 1996, the band has progressed in style from black metal on their first album, Nicht um zu sterben, to what the band describes as “a vision beyond (black) metal, neofolk and ambient” on their latest works. The music on their second album, Bitter ist's dem Tod zu dienen, released in 1997, can be described as symphonic black metal with some folk and some gothic influences. With their most modern-sounding 2001 album Her von welken Nächten they reached a point where deep sentiment and contemplation of life and death induces a very own style of music that was critically acclaimed by all metal magazines. After that album, drummer Moritz Neuner (also in Leaves' Eyes, Darkwell, Atrocity) left the band due to some differences with the two remaining members. Shortly after, an upcoming album with the name Hexenwind was announced, with which the band would return to a more pure black metal style. However, during the track-writing period the band’s progression took a new direction towards a more calm and mature approach, and Hexenwind was not released until 2005.
In 2006, Valñes left Dornenreich to start a new project called Eyas and Evíga found a new Dornenreich member in 2006 as Inve, who had already contributed as a violinist on Her von welken Nächten. By the end of the same year, the fifth album Durch den Traum was released, and the band used a session drummer after Moritz left. Their last release, In Luft geritzt (Carved in air), released in 2008, shows a complete departure from previous styles, where Dornenreich has chosen to play completly unplugged, with only acoustic guitars and violin as instruments and bells as percussion.
Notably absent from their poetry and interviews are allusions to controversial spiritual and ideological issues common with many other bands of similar musical genres.
Current line-up:
Evíga (Jochen Stock) - vocals, guitar, bass
Inve (Thomas Riesner) - violin
Former members:
Valñes / Dunkelkind (Thomas Stock) - keyboards, vocals
Dragomir / Gilván (Moritz Neuner) - drums
Discography:
Mein FlügelSchlag (demotape), 1997
Nicht um zu sterben, 1997
Bitter ist's dem Tod zu dienen, 1999
Her von welken Nächten, 2001
Hexenwind, 2005
Durch den Traum, 2006
In Luft geritzt, 2008
V
Dornenreich Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Sie bleibt - vom Rausch der Weltlichkeit
Und ist mir ständiges Geleit
Vom Nichts mich auch kein Schrei mehr freit
Meine Leere webt sehr dicht
Hält stumm in mir allein Gericht
Das Urteil dann: Ich kenn' mich nicht
... Auf nächtlichem Berg... Tiefes strömt hoch...
... Mein ältester Blick erkennt sich in Stern...
... Doch Sturm bricht los... Kein Anker in mir... Treibe fort...
... Doch ritt ich den Sturm...
... Eins mit der Flut...
... Tropfen... Stern... Kind... Alles ist Eins...
... Licht... Fee... Kind... Alles ist Eins...
... Alles riese-lt... Sturm und Stille...
The lyrics to Dornenreich's song V evoke feelings of emptiness and detachment from the world. The vocalist expresses how far their emptiness carries them, and how it remains a constant companion. They are unable to find solace in screaming or their surroundings. The emptiness is all-encompassing and isolates them, leaving them alone to face judgment. The vocalist does not understand themselves, as the emptiness leaves them without a face, making it impossible for them to smile or express emotions.
The lyrics then transition into metaphoric language, describing a scene where the singer is atop a mountain at night. They recognize themselves in a star, but suddenly a storm hits, and they are adrift without an anchor. Despite this, they ride the storm and become one with it. The final lines speak of the interconnectedness of everything, where raindrops merge with stars, and all is one. The song's theme is about finding oneself and understanding the interconnectedness of all things.
Line by Line Meaning
Meine Leere schweift sehr weit
My emptiness wanders very far away
Sie bleibt - vom Rausch der Weltlichkeit
It remains - unaffected by the excitement of worldliness
Und ist mir ständiges Geleit
And is my constant companion
Vom Nichts mich auch kein Schrei mehr freit
From nothing, no scream can free me anymore
Meine Leere webt sehr dicht
My emptiness weaves very tightly
Hält stumm in mir allein Gericht
Holds a silent judgment on me alone
Das Urteil dann: Ich kenn' mich nicht
The verdict then: I do not know myself
Wie lächelt man ohn' Angesicht?
How does one smile without a face?
... Auf nächtlichem Berg... Tiefes strömt hoch...
... On a nightly mountain... Deep things rise...
... Mein ältester Blick erkennt sich in Stern...
... My oldest gaze recognizes itself in the star...
... Doch Sturm bricht los... Kein Anker in mir... Treibe fort...
... But a storm rages... No anchor in me... I drift away...
... Doch ritt ich den Sturm...
... But I rode the storm...
... Eins mit der Flut...
... One with the tide...
... Tropfen... Stern... Kind... Alles ist Eins...
... Drop... Star... Child... Everything is one...
... Licht... Fee... Kind... Alles ist Eins...
... Light... Fairy... Child... Everything is one...
... Alles riese-lt... Sturm und Stille...
... Everything vibrates... Storm and silence...
Contributed by Nathaniel W. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
satanicvengaboy
3:29 ohja