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
VII
Dornenreich Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
... Sein wird...
... Blick...
... Entsetzen...
bewusst
bewusst
hinein
Mein Ich zuckt klamm in Kerker und Ketten,
die es ersann, seine Leere zu retten
vor Freiheit
Denn frei meint viel'n verlor'n
Los von Ketten - frei zu fallen
Doch geh' ich jetzt allein
bewusst
bewusst
hinein
In Verlorenheit/Freiheit
So werde ich letztlich Mein - im Dunkeln - im Licht - im Sein
Mein Puls schlägt frei und nicht verlor'n
Im Ganzen bin ich nun gebor'n
... Der Traum führt alles heim...
The opening lyrics of Dornenreich's song VII set a tone of loneliness and fear. The singer stands alone, their pulse racing with anxiety. The subsequent lines are fragmented and enigmatic, hinting at the singer's internal experience. They mention a "blick" (a glance or gaze) and "entsetzen" (horror or shock). These lines suggest that the singer is confronting something terrifying, perhaps looking this horror in the face.
The subsequent stanzas reveal more about the singer's state of mind. They describe their self as trapped in a prison of their own making, bound by chains of emptiness. The idea of freedom is tantalizing, but also fearsome - to be free is to risk losing themselves entirely. However, the singer makes a choice to step into the darkness of their own volition, embracing the possibility of freedom and accepting the risk of loss. They assert that in this state of being lost, they will ultimately find themselves - "im Dunkeln - im Licht - im Sein". The closing line suggests that this journey is a dream leading them towards a reunion with wholeness.
Overall, Dornenreich's VII is a haunting exploration of the self's struggle for autonomy, freedom, and authenticity, despite the risks that these states of being may entail. The lyrics conjure a sense of unease and mystery, leaving much open to interpretation.
Line by Line Meaning
... Steh' hier allein... Angst schwert Puls...
Standing here alone, my heart races with fear...
... Sein wird...
...what will be...
... Blick...
...my gaze...
... Entsetzen...
...is filled with terror...
Jetzt gehe ich allein
Now I go alone
bewusst
consciously
bewusst
consciously
hinein
into the unknown
Mein Ich zuckt klamm in Kerker und Ketten,
My self trembles cold in prison and chains,
die es ersann, seine Leere zu retten
Which it devised to save its emptiness
vor Freiheit
from freedom
Denn frei meint viel'n verlor'n
For freedom means losing much
Los von Ketten - frei zu fallen
Loose the chains and fall free
Doch geh' ich jetzt allein
But now I go alone
bewusst
consciously
bewusst
consciously
hinein
into the unknown
In Verlorenheit/Freiheit
In loss/freedom
So werde ich letztlich Mein - im Dunkeln - im Licht - im Sein
So I will ultimately be my own - in the darkness - in the light - in the being
Mein Puls schlägt frei und nicht verlor'n
My heart beats free and not lost
Im Ganzen bin ich nun gebor'n
In the whole I am now born
... Der Traum führt alles heim...
...the dream brings everything home...
Contributed by Zachary J. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
eviga86
diese album sollte man grundsätzlich am stück hören! <3