Monika was not at all the voice originally intended for the band, but her talent could not be ignored. The style of the band changed quickly and automatically into a darker version of the progressive metal.
Only 3 months after Monika joined the fold, Sinphonia recorded a 5 track demo at Jacob Hansen Studios (Mercenary, Invocator, Ancient). With this demo in hand, it only took the band few months to find both a management and a record deal.
Thus, in the late summer of 2000 the band issued their debut "When the tide breaks" through Italian label Lucretia Records (Angra, Time Machine, and more). Consisting of the 5 tracks from the demo and 3 new recordings with new keyboard player Peter Jensen, the album received very positive feedback from the media. Following the release the band played a number of shows in Denmark.
In between shows Sinphonia continued working hard on new material to be able to quickly record the follow up album. The style continued getting darker, and the band started experimenting more with the setting of moods and atmospheres. In the same time, the lyrics started taking shape as an ongoing story, and the songs were constructed around this idea.
It was autumn 2001 when the band entered the studio to record "The Divine Disharmony", after resigning with Lucretia Records. This time one of the most well renowned studios of Denmark was chosen. Amongst other because of the number of famous Danish rock bands recording there, and because the studio is situated in the town where Sinphonia lived.
Unfortunately, this choice was the first line of a dark chapter in the life of Sinphonia. The producer showed to be very uninterested in the band, and the final product was not at all what the band had hoped for. Still, the band was nothing but happy with the music and ideas included in "The Divine Disharmony". Sinphonia had come a step closer to their own sound.
After a long period waiting for the mix to be done, the band could finally send the master to the label. Where after an even longer wait began. "The Divine Disharmony" was not released until 18 months after the recordings. In the meantime the bandmembers had become so fed up with wasted hope and numerous lies, that they decided to have a break of undefined length.
When "The Divine Disharmony" was released, it showed to be a very strong album. In spite of the weak production the album received many top reviews, as well as license deals for South America and Russia.
A lot of changes took place after the break. Monika, Thor and Dennis moved to the capitol of Denmark, Copenhagen, while Henrik moved as far as to Italy. The members all started with new band projects, as Dennis joined Evil Masquerade (Frontier Records) and Henrik formed Chaoswave (DVS Records). Monika did guest vocals for several bands, a.o. Mercenary (Century Media) and Manticora (Massacre Records).
Consequently, the band members all thought that Sinphonia was a finished chapter. But simultaneously a growing amount of fan mails were arriving and with the reviews that were given "The Divine Disharmony", the band slowly understood that the book might had been closed to quickly.
An internet chat in March 2004 between Henrik and Monika revealed that both had regained a strong will of adding new pages to story. Henrik thus composed a bit of new material to present to Thor and Dennis, and it didnt take long for them to be convinced that Sinphonia was still alive.
Due to the new geographical situation of the band, the way of writing obviously had to be reinvented. Discussions took place if it would be possible at all, but looking around and seeing many bigger bands having to deal with the same problem, it was agreed that this should and would not be an issue. Each member of Sinphonia has 12-15 years of experience, and they know very well the strengths and weaknesses of each other.
Composing, earlier a group concern, is now mainly done by Henrik Rangstrup. Songs are fully written and arranged on computer, and sent for feedback to the different band members. This is also the way that the present cd has been created.
Henrik entered the studio in Italy in December 2004 to record guitars and keyboards together with session keyboardist Davide Cisci. Between Christmas and New Years Eve he then went to Denmark to assist with bass recordings and demoing the vocals, as well as having a rehearsal room listen to the drums that Dennis made. Drums and vocals weere recorded during January, and mixing was done in March.
In fact the "Silence" promo has been recorded without the band ever playing the songs together. Still, they all consider this by far the strongest material they ever made. The songwriting is now much more focused on creating good and memorable songs, without loosing the dark atmosphere and the technical, aggressive riffing.
2007: Sinphonia has yet not found the right record label for their next album. The band is neither split neither active. Just waiting for the right moment and chance to continue. In these days Monika is very busy as the singer for Norwegian SIRENIA, Henrik is more than occupied with Italian CHAOSWAVE, and Dennis is spending his time for Danish THE DOWNWARD CANDIDATE and Swedish/Danish EVIL MASQUERADE.
In November 2007 Monika Pedersen (Ex-Sirenia) reactivated Sinphonia. Ex-Sirenia singer Monika Pedersen, Hatesphere drummer Dennis Buhl and Chaoswave guitarist Henrik Rangstrup are the backbone of the dark melodic metal band Sinphonia.
Strength of the Static Sight
Sinphonia Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
so the strength of her static sight shall wane in the light of the why. Let
spirits overflow her stage, and She will see. She is still deprived of her
beloved harmony.
(SPIRITS:)
As time entered our forever
The ravishing queen of perception
Her red static soul absorbed our sight
We are all lost people
We want you to unveil our will
The truth of our deprived and deranged souls
We scream
(Chorus:)
Wake us from this timeless dream
We need knowledge to measure our misery
Your presence creates chaos
We are blessed with
Harmony, disharmony
In infinity without memory
We have become aware
We have become aware of...
Your world of bright memory
Somehow you need to increase our part in eternity
The truth of our deprived and deranged souls
Who, whn and why?
(Chorus)
(SHE:)
Bury my mind in my memory
When did I wonder?
Where is the true harmony
I need the truth an angel can give
Still I am nothing
I can't tell you anything of my deranged soul
I now see
(Chorus:)
I was never a god in your timeless dream
I need knowledge to measure your misey
The lyrics of Sinphonia's song "Strength of the Static Sight" are complex and thought-provoking. At the beginning of the song, the "Gods" speak about the importance of being aware of the veil of ignorance before knowledge can be unveiled. They mention that the strength of someone's static sight (perhaps a reference to a stagnant or closed mind) must be weakened before they can see the truth. The spirit voices then enter, and they speak of their desire to have their will unveiled and their deranged souls understood. The chorus talks about the desire for knowledge to measure their misery and to wake them from their timeless dream of confusion.
The song then shifts to a solo voice, perhaps the singer or the queen of perception from the previous stanzas. She desires to bury her mind in memory and find the true harmony that seems to elude her. She speaks of needing the truth from an angel and realizing that she was never a god in this timeless dream. It is clear that the song is speaking of a search for knowledge, truth, and understanding amongst a group of individuals who feel lost and deprived of harmony.
Line by Line Meaning
Before knowledge is unveiled there must be awareness of the veil.
Understanding something requires acknowledging what we don't understand or know yet.
And so the strength of her static sight shall wane in the light of the why.
Once we start asking questions, our current beliefs may weaken or change as we gain new perspectives.
Let spirits overflow her stage, and She will see.
By being open to others and their perspectives, we may gain a better understanding of ourselves and the world around us.
She is still deprived of her beloved harmony.
Despite searching for truth, we still may not find the answers or harmony we seek.
As time entered our forever
As time passed and became a constant in our lives,
She came out of the never
We became aware of the things we didn't know and understood them.
The ravishing queen of perception
Our perception, when understood, can be both powerful and alluring.
Her red static soul absorbed our sight
Our perception can be influenced by others and our surroundings.
We are all lost people
We all have questions and uncertainties about our existence and purpose.
We want you to unveil our will
We desire knowledge and understanding to gain a better sense of ourselves and our desires.
The truth of our deprived and deranged souls
We seek the underlying reasons and motivations for our thoughts and behaviors.
We scream
Our desire for understanding can be overwhelming and urgent.
Wake us from this timeless dream
Help us gain clarity and understanding from our existence and purpose.
We need knowledge to measure our misery
In order to understand ourselves and our pain, we seek knowledge and understanding.
Your presence creates chaos
The questioning of beliefs and understanding can create confusion and disorder.
We are blessed with Harmony, disharmony
Our perception of the world can be both beautiful and chaotic.
In infinity without memory
Our existence is endless and without a defined beginning or end.
We have become aware
We have come to understand or realize something new and important.
Your world of bright memory
The world in which we live is full of memories and experiences that shape who we are and how we view the world.
Somehow you need to increase our part in eternity
We desire to have a greater impact or understanding of the world and our place in it.
Who, when and why?
The questions we ask drive our search for truth and understanding.
Bury my mind in my memory
We may choose to avoid questioning and thinking deeply about our experiences.
When did I wonder?
We may have moments of questioning or doubt that we ignore or forget.
Where is the true harmony
We seek genuine peace and understanding.
I need the truth an angel can give
We desire someone or something to provide us with answers or guidance in our search for understanding.
Still I am nothing
Despite our desire for knowledge and understanding, we may feel insignificant or powerless in the grand scheme of things.
I can't tell you anything of my deranged soul
We may struggle to understand and articulate our own motivations and emotions.
I now see
We have gained understanding or insight into ourselves or the world around us.
I was never a god in your timeless dream
Despite our search for truth, we are still only human and imperfect.
I need knowledge to measure your misery
In order to help others or understand their experiences, we desire knowledge and understanding.
Contributed by Riley A. Suggest a correction in the comments below.