Many of L'âme Immortelle's songs feature melancholy or lovelorn lyrics in German or English, and juxtaposed harsh male and emotional female vocals. Current work has moved away from the band's electronic roots into the neue deutsche härte (New German hardness) genre.
L'âme Immortelle was formed in 1996 in Vienna, Austria by friends Thomas Rainer and Hannes Medwenitsch. Soon vocalist Sonja Kraushofer, a former classmate of Rainer, joined and the band sought a record contract. They released their first album, "Lieder die wie Wunden bluten" in 1997 on MOS Records in Lichtenstein, which became popular in the underground German Goth subculture. In 1999, L'âme Immortelle switched to Trisol Records. From 1998 through 2001, L'âme Immortelle released another LP yearly, each bringing the band greater popularity. In 2002, Medwenitsch left the band. Kraushofer and Rainer recruited Ashley Dayour as a guitarist and the re-formed L'âme Immortelle released a new single, "Tiefster Winter" in November 2002. In 2003, L'âme Immortelle released "Als die Liebe starb", as well as "Seelensturm", a collection of re-issued and re-mixed early material.
In 2004, the band switched labels again, this time to major label Supersonic, a subsidiary of Sony BMG Music Entertainment. The first issue following the switch was a collaboration with OOMPH! on the non-album single "Brennende Liebe" (released as OOMPH! feat. L'âme Immortelle); they also appeared in the video. Following that, L'âme Immortelle released a new album, "Gezeiten", which includes some of their most popular songs like "5 Jahre", "Stumme Schreie" and "Fallen Angel". A significant change in L'âme Immortelle's style is evident now that the band is on a major label; notably the electronic instrumentation of earlier work was less prominent in "Gezeiten".
Their latest album "Auf deinen Schwingen" has been released on August 2006 along with "Phönix" single. The record also includes songs like "Wohin" which contains text from another famous LAI song called "Aus den Ruinen", and "Nur Du" — a song which totally differs from older L'âme Immortelle work. The music video for this song is a cartoon, an unusual thing for the band.
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To Everlasting Oblivion
L'Âme Immortelle Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Deride me not, thought I seem petulant
To fall into thy chops. Let others pray
For ever their fair poems flourish may.
But as for me, hungry oblivion
Devour me quick, accept my orison
My earnest prayers
With gloomy shade of thy still empery,
My earnest prayers
Which do importune thee,
To vail both me and my poesy
Far worthier lines in silence of thy state
Do sleep securely free from love or hate,
From which this living near can be exempt
But whilst it breathes
will hate and fury tempt
Then close his eyes
with thy all-dimming hand,
Which not right actions can withstand (2x)
Peace, hateful tongues
I now in silent pace
Unless some hounds
do wake me from my place
Then close his eyes
with thy all-dimming hand,
Which not right actions can withstand (2x)
I with this sharp, yet well meant poesy
Will sleep secure, right free from injury
I with this sharp, yet well meant poesy
Of cankered hate, or rankest villainy
The lyrics of L'Âme Immortelle's song To Everlasting Oblivion are quite complex and contain a series of metaphors, alluding to the idea of oblivion and the role it plays in the life of a poet. The song begins with the singer addressing oblivion as a "mighty gulf" and a "cormorant," indicating its insatiable hunger for everything that falls into it. Despite this, the singer is not afraid of oblivion or its power, and in fact, welcomes it as a way to escape the trials and tribulations of life.
As the song progresses, the singer implores oblivion to "devour" them and their poetry, as they believe there are far worthier lines that should be allowed to flourish instead. The singer also acknowledges that the act of living brings with it hate and fury, which can only be avoided through the embrace of oblivion. The song ends with the singer expressing their desire to sleep securely, free from any harm that could be inflicted by "cankerous hate, or rankest villainy."
Overall, the lyrics of "To Everlasting Oblivion" speak to the idea that oblivion can be both a source of fear and a means of escape, depending on how one chooses to view it. By embracing it willingly, the singer is able to find a kind of peace and security that would be impossible to achieve in the turbulent world outside of oblivion's grasp.
Line by Line Meaning
Thou mighty gulf, insatiate cormorant
Addressing Death as an insatiable predator
Deride me not, thought I seem petulant
Asking Death not to mock their seemingly stubborn request for oblivion
To fall into thy chops. Let others pray
Preferring Death's embrace over the immortality of their poetry
For ever their fair poems flourish may.
Acknowledging other poets' aspirations for their art to endure
But as for me, hungry oblivion
Yearning for the release that oblivion can bring
Devour me quick, accept my orison
Urging Death to consume them immediately and grant their request
My earnest prayers
Their sincere plea for oblivion
Which do importune thee,
Continuing the appeal to Death for their release
With gloomy shade of thy still empery,
Describing Death's dominion as dark and oppressive
Far worthier lines in silence of thy state
Acknowledging that better poetry rests in Death's realm
Do sleep securely free from love or hate,
Not subject to human emotions once they've passed to Death
From which this living near can be exempt
As long as someone is alive, they are susceptible to emotions like hate and fury
But whilst it breathes
As long as someone is alive
will hate and fury tempt
They are vulnerable to hateful emotions
Then close his eyes
Instructing Death to end their suffering
with thy all-dimming hand,
Death's hand which reduces all to darkness
Which not right actions can withstand (2x)
No good deeds can protect against Death's dominion
Peace, hateful tongues
Asking detractors to be silent
I now in silent pace
Preferring to keep quiet, despite the provocation of others
Unless some hounds
Unless there are those who would disturb their peace
do wake me from my place
Disturbing their final resting place would be a breach of their peace
I with this sharp, yet well meant poesy
Describing their poetry as pointed, but not intended to harm
Will sleep secure, right free from injury
Confident they will rest soundly, without harm
Of cankered hate, or rankest villainy
Rejecting hateful motives and intentions
Contributed by Leo I. Suggest a correction in the comments below.