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
Von der Quelle
Dornenreich Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Erweckt mich reiner Augenblick zum Leben,
zu Zauber.
Ich rank' mich in die Weiten
Des nachtverborg´nen Waldes,
Und fühl' mich endlich eins
Mit meinem
Unsichtbaren.
The lyrics of Dornenreich's song "Von der Quelle" reveal a journey of self-exploration and discovery. The singer has finally found their true self and their depths are no longer silent. A pure moment of reflection awakens them to the magic of life. They reach out and embrace the wildness of the forest, which is hidden in the darkness of night. The singer finds a sense of unity with their invisible self, and for the first time, they experience life in the vibrant colors of the present moment.
The lyrics convey a sense of freedom that comes with finding one's true self, and the beauty of being able to live in the present. The forest symbolizes the unexplored parts of the self, and through the journey of self-discovery, the singer has become one with them. The use of "Unsichtbaren" (invisible) suggests that this self is not something that can be seen on the surface, but rather something deeply ingrained within. Overall, the song is a celebration of finding one's true self and a reminder of the importance of self-exploration in the journey of life.
Line by Line Meaning
Nun, da meine Tiefe nicht mehr schweigt,
Now that the silence of my innermost being has been broken,
Erweckt mich reiner Augenblick zum Leben,
A pure moment awakens me to life,
zu Zauber.
To magic.
Ich rank' mich in die Weiten
I wind myself into the vastness
Des nachtverborg´nen Waldes,
Of the forest hidden by the night,
Und fühl' mich endlich eins
And finally feel as one
Mit meinem
With my
Unsichtbaren.
Invisible self.
Nun erst werde ich in den Farben des Jetzt.
Only now am I becoming coloured by the present moment.
Contributed by Nicholas C. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
Thomas Stock
🙂
Thomas Stock
genial
Diegocrue
Hallo nochmal Thomas. Gibt es schon ein Veröffentlichungsdatum für "World Afire"?
Thomas Stock
@Diegocrue Da musst Du den Jochen fragen.
Diegocrue
@Thomas Stock Echt? Viele würden sich sehr darüber freuen! Hoffentlich habt ihr beide Zeit das zu verwicklichen.
Diegocrue
@Thomas Stock Trotzdem bin ich total gespannt. Ich werde es mir sicher kaufen, wenn es veröffentlicht wird. Bei euch war es immer so, dass jedes Album anders klingt, als der Vorgänger. Nicht nur musikalisch, sondern auch textlich.
Thomas Stock
@Diegocrue Wollte eigentlich zusätzlich mit Jochen ein weiteres Dornenreich-album machen... auch das wäre kein Vergleich zu früheren gemeinsamen Sachen. Leider noch nicht zustandegekommen.