Scarcely another band among the German-speaking Alternative /(Dark)Wave-scene has polarized media and audience within the last fifteen years as much as ILLUMINATE. Either praised up to the skies or torn apart as "Schlager" (a German derogatory term for bad pop songs) – be that as it may, for the last decade, Johannes Berthold and his band have left their mark on the Dark scene...
ILLUMINATE manage to combine classical elements, dance rhythms, electronic sound collages, romantic piano parts and heavy guitars without being unfaithful to their typical, unmistakable sound. After seventeen years of band history, 12 studio albums, world-wide life-performances, and having an enormous fan-base, ILLUMINATE are one of the most successful acts of the Alternative / Dark Wave-segment.
Members
* Johannes Berthold - Vocals, Piano, Keyboards, Programming, Bass Guitar
* Manja Wagner - Vocals
* Sylvia Berthold - Vocals
* Jörn Langenfeld - Guitar, Bass Guitar
* Johannes Knees - Keyboards
* Stefan Dittrich - Drums, Programming
Discography
1993 Poesie (MC)
1994 Es atmet (Maxi-MC)
1996 Verfall
1997 Erinnerungen
1998 Erwachen
1999 Nur für Dich (Promo-Maxi-CD & Special-Promo-Maxi-CD)
1999 Letzter Blick zurück
2000 Dunkellicht (Maxi-CD)
2000 Ein neuer Tag
2001 Bittersüßes Gift (Maxi-CD)
2002 Kaltes Licht
2003 10x10 Schwarz (Best-Of)
2003 10x10 Weiß (Best-Of)
2004 AugenBlicke
2006 Zwei Seelen (+Bonus-Live-Album "In Metal")
2008 Zeit der Wölfe
2009 CD Splitter (Best-Of)
2009 CD Ohne Worte (Best-Of)
2011 GemEinsam (Download-Single)
2011 Grenzgang
2012 Zwischenwelten
2. DJ Illuminate, a House, Electro, Dubstep music producer hailing from United States. His works incorporate headbanging elements of Hard Bass Music with Melodic Trance Synths into Modern Electronic Dance Music. Although highly underrated, DJ Illuminate is known for his free EP, "Legacy", released at August of 2013.
Eine Symphonie des Daseins
Illuminate Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Eine tragische Figur
In dem Roman, den mein Leben schrieb!
In dem Roman, den mein Leben schrieb!
Viel zu lange stand ich still
Viel zu lange sah ich doch in Dir
Ja nur den Zweck und nicht den Sinn
Nur noch das Ende, Neubeginn.
Und nun wieder auf dem Weg
Auf dem ich verloren ging.
Keine Zeit mehr zu verweilen!
Nun wache ich in den Ruinen meiner selbst
Im Dunkeln allein, verloren.
Und ein Sumpf hemmt meinen Gang
In das Land, in dem der Himmel sich erhebt, sich erhebt.
Ich lösch´ das Feuer und die Glut
Die in mir einst entflammten.
Dein Feuer, in dem Gefühle verbrannten!
In dem Gefühle verbrannten!
Dein Feuer, in dem Gefühle verbrannten!
The lyrics to Illuminate's song "Eine Symphonie des Daseins" (A Symphony of Existence) convey a sense of deep introspection, regret and a desire for redemption. The song opens with the singer reflecting on their life as if it were a tragic novel, in which they had been a tragic figure for too long. The singer laments having focused only on the practical aspects of life, seeing only the end goal rather than the meaning and purpose of their experiences. In the second verse, the singer reflects on being lost and stagnant, having lost sight of the way forward, while the person they had relied on for guidance had already moved on. The third verse continues with the singer describing being trapped in darkness and feeling alone, abandoned and in ruins. However, the singer seems to find a sense of purpose in fighting to overcome their past, to extinguish the flame of negative emotions that once consumed them and to move forward unburdened by regret and self-doubt.
Overall, the song seems to be about the struggle to find meaning and purpose in one's life, even when feeling lost or abandoned. The singer urges themselves to keep moving forward through the obstacles that have held them back and to seek redemption for the mistakes of the past, to rise from the ruins of their former self like a "symphony of existence".
Line by Line Meaning
Viel zu lange war ich nur
I've been stuck in this state for a long time.
Eine tragische Figur
A character who experiences a great deal of suffering and struggles to overcome their obstacles.
In dem Roman, den mein Leben schrieb!
It's as if my life has been a story that I couldn't control.
Viel zu lange stand ich still
I've been stagnant and haven't made any progress in a while.
Viel zu lange sah ich doch in Dir
I've been fixated on you for a long time.
Ja nur den Zweck und nicht den Sinn
I only saw the practical side of things and neglected the deeper meaning.
Nur noch das Ende, Neubeginn.
All I could see was the end, and the idea of a new beginning.
Doch Du warst längst schon fort von mir!
But you had already left me behind.
Und nun wieder auf dem Weg
Now I'm back on the same path I once lost my way on.
Auf dem ich verloren ging.
The same path where I once felt lost and unguided.
Keine Zeit mehr zu verweilen!
I can't afford to stand still anymore.
Nun wache ich in den Ruinen meiner selbst
I'm now faced with the destruction of my former self.
Im Dunkeln allein, verloren.
I'm alone and lost in the dark.
Und ein Sumpf hemmt meinen Gang
A swamp is obstructing my movement forward.
In das Land, in dem der Himmel sich erhebt, sich erhebt.
I'm trying to get to a place where the sky is clear and bright.
Ich lösch' das Feuer und die Glut
I'm extinguishing the fire and passion that once burned within me.
Die in mir einst entflammten.
That flame that once ignited within me.
Dein Feuer, in dem Gefühle verbrannten!
The fire that burned my emotions.
In dem Gefühle verbrannten!
The emotions that were consumed by the flames.
Dein Feuer, in dem Gefühle verbrannten!
The fire that once burned within me and consumed my emotions.
Contributed by Lucy N. Suggest a correction in the comments below.