Founded in 1969 by guitarist Frank Bornemann, the band has endured several line-up changes, with Bornemann being the only consistent member of the group. In the 1980s, after a series of major splits (like in 1984 although reformed in 1988) in the group, Bornemann pursued a more commercial direction. Despite attracting a large following, the band never gained popularity in the United States.
However, in later years, former members of the band re-joined, and in 1998 fans delighted in hearing Ocean 2, a return to the classic symphonic progressive genre that the band was so well known for. A sequel to the 1977's original, it is commonly thought among fans that it successfully recaptures the spirit of the band, and is a worthy follow-up to the much beloved classic.
Of the band's numerous records, fans generally consider Inside, Floating, Dawn, Ocean, Silent Cries & Mighty Echoes, Planets and Ocean 2 to be the superior albums.
Despite their nationality, the band is not generally considered krautrock due to their sound which has much more in common with English progressive groups such as Pink Floyd and Yes.
In 2009 after a decade of hiatus Frank Bornemann released a DVD celebrating their 40th anniversary and a new album called Visionairy.
In the following period he worked on a concept double album about the life of the Maid of Orleans, Jeanne d'Arc. The album The Vision, the Sword and the Pyre, Pt. 1 was released in 2017, followed by The Vision, the Sword and the Pyre, Pt. 2 in 2019.
Current Line-up:
Frank Bornemann
Klaus-Peter Matziol
Hannes Arkona
Hannes Folberth
Bodo Schopf
The Refuge
Eloy Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
We are the light
We are the water
Matter alive
We are the creature
Wearing the crown
Reign in confusion
Lost in a labyrinth of never ending doubts
Always taking shelter behind threatening violent clouds
Close to the edge of
Crushing destruction
Hearts in despair
Awaiting the crash
Headless and blind to
Saving solutions
Drifting around
Approaching the fall
Over the ages we’ve always been searching the way
But all our trials in vain, our aims betrayed
Now I’m here
At the gateways to a fate unclear
All that remains is to find
A refuge inside
Deep in ourselves
We will find the way to the secret door
That leads to the freedom of mind
We have long waited for
Hear, see, feel - signals of your inner force
Hear, feel, breathe - spiritual energy, immortal and eternally
Here where we breathe
Where there is no hope nor real beliefs
Here where we live in fear
Of a fate unclear
Here, abandoned alone
In the tempest of time
No one heeds our cries
Here we try to survive
Finding shelter inside
See, feel, hear - follow your voice inside
See, hear, feel - trust its wisdom, heed the call
Trust its guidance you won’t fall
Ignore the demons at your side
Find deliverance deep inside
Trust the faith, your inner guide
The lyrics of Eloy's song The Refuge are imbued with deep philosophical meaning, exploring the complex relationship between humanity and the universe. The singer acknowledges that humankind shares a duality of nature, possessing both negative and positive qualities. The metaphors of shadows and light represent this duality, as darkness and light cannot exist without the other.
The line, "Lost in a labyrinth of never-ending doubts, always taking shelter behind threatening violent clouds," highlights the uncertainty and chaos that prevails in the world today. The human race is battling to navigate through the darkness of doubt and conflicting emotions, often leading to confusion and chaos. The singer emphasizes that we must look inwards to find a solution and search for a safe haven within ourselves – "A refuge inside deep of ourselves."
The song’s message is accentuated by the musical arrangement. The slow tempo of the composition and Wagnerian-like rock-style, help to establish the sense of despair and urgency afflicting humanity. The performance includes a passionate, almost epic solo guitar riff that symbolizes human inner turmoil.
Line by Line Meaning
We are the shadows
We are the parts of ourselves that we hide away
We are the light
We are the parts of ourselves that we let shine
We are the water
We are fluid and able to adapt and change
Matter alive
We are beings composed of both physical and spiritual aspects
We are the creature
We are the culmination of all our experiences and choices
Wearing the crown
We are in control of our own lives
Reign in confusion
We often feel lost and uncertain
In chaos we drown
Our confusion and uncertainty can overwhelm us
Lost in a labyrinth of never ending doubts
We are constantly questioning ourselves and our choices
Always taking shelter behind threatening violent clouds
We often avoid confronting our problems and instead hide from them
Close to the edge of
We are at a tipping point
Crushing destruction
We fear failure and ruin
Hearts in despair
We are overwhelmed and hopeless
Awaiting the crash
We fear the worst outcome
Headless and blind to
We are unaware of
Saving solutions
Different ways to improve our lives
Drifting around
We are aimless
Approaching the fall
We sense an impending catastrophe
Over the ages we’ve always been searching the way
Humans have always searched for meaning and purpose
But all our trials in vain, our aims betrayed
Our efforts have not always been successful and our goals may not have been worth achieving
Now I’m here
At this moment
At the gateways to a fate unclear
We are uncertain of what will happen next
All that remains is to find
The only thing left is to discover
A refuge inside
A place within ourselves where we can find peace and safety
Deep in ourselves
We must look within ourselves
We will find the way to the secret door
We can discover a path to our inner refuge
That leads to the freedom of mind
By finding our inner refuge, we can achieve peace of mind
We have long waited for
We have been seeking this for a long time
Hear, see, feel - signals of your inner force
Our intuition often speaks to us through our senses
Hear, feel, breathe - spiritual energy, immortal and eternally
Our spiritual essence is eternal and infinite
Here where we breathe
In this moment, in this physical realm
Where there is no hope nor real beliefs
When we are lost and disconnected from our inner selves, we can feel hopeless and directionless
Here where we live in fear
When we are disconnected from our inner selves, we can be consumed by fear
Of a fate unclear
We fear the unknown
Here, abandoned alone
When we are disconnected from our inner selves, we can feel isolated and alone
In the tempest of time
We are consumed by the chaos and rapidity of life
No one heeds our cries
When we are disconnected from our inner selves, we can feel unheard and ignored
Here we try to survive
We do our best to stay afloat in the chaos of life
Finding shelter inside
We must look within ourselves for a place of peace and safety
See, feel, hear - follow your voice inside
We must listen to our intuition, which often guides us through our senses
See, hear, feel - trust its wisdom, heed the call
Our intuition offers valuable guidance that we should trust and follow
Trust its guidance you won’t fall
If we trust our intuition, we will be steered in the right direction and will not falter
Ignore the demons at your side
We must ignore the negative voices and influences in our lives
Find deliverance deep inside
We can only find true peace and deliverance by looking within ourselves
Trust the faith, your inner guide
We must trust our inner selves, which can offer us faith and guidance
Contributed by Gabriel M. Suggest a correction in the comments below.