History
In 1991, Umbra et Imago were created as a side-project of The Electric Avantgarde. In the following year, the two bands were still existing alongside. There were plans for The Electric Avantgarde to change its style to death metal, but those were soon dropped.[1] The band dissolved and was later reformed as Dracul so that Umbra et Imago became Mozart's main project.
In 1992 Umbra et Imago played their first stage shows, where visual effects played an important role. While the band's style was still dominated by electronic influences, there were frequent appearances of guest musicians such as Peter Heppner of Wolfsheim. The band began to develop an eccentric image and they were known for their fancy concerts . Umbra et Imago polarized critics and were even publicly criticized.[citation needed] In the same year, their album Träume, Sex und Tod was published, one year later Infantile Spiele was released.
As their album tracks often exceeded lengths of 10 minutes, they were unsuited for play in discothèques and were not included to DJs' programs. Because of that, Umbra et Imago created a remix of their song "Erotica" which they called ZöllerMussEsSpielen Mix (Zöller Must Play It Mix), referring to Michael Zöller, a resident DJ of Bochum's Zwischenfall discothèque. Despite its length, "Gothic Erotic" from the 1993 album Infantile Spiele remained the band's best known song.
In 1995, Michael Gillian and Torsten B. left the band, followed by Nail soon after. They were replaced by Lutz Demmler und Alex Perin. With the change in the line-up came a change in style. The music shifted towards guitar sounds and was expanded by hard rock elements on the album Gedanken eines Vampirs. This change was completed in 1996 with the album Mystica Sexualis, which was now gothic metal.[2] During live shows, the band would have fetish models on stage, founding their current stage concept. The 1997 maxi single Kein Gott und keine Liebe saw an increase in Neue Deutsche Härte elements and Umbra et Imago were compared to bands such as Rammstein.[3]
In 2003, guitarist Freddy Stürze left the band but joined them in 2011 again.
According to their official website, Opus Magnus, published in 2010, was Umbra and Imago's final studio album while a new DVD with live material and old songs will be released in 2011.
Work and appearance
Stage show at the Wave-Gotik-Treffen in 2014
From the beginning, Umbra et Imago have been a concept band picking up Sigmund Freud's idea that sexuality was the center of our being. They processed sadomasochistic fantasies through their cynical lyrics. According to the band, this theme was chosen because it represents the most intellectual form of sexuality.
The lyrics by Umbra et Imago are dominated by a warped, subliminal humour, criticism of human society's flaws[5] and cynical self-irony. The clichés dealt with thereby and their exaggerated depictions polarize the meaning of the band. Sexuality is major component of the concept but is no longer dominating.[4]
Their stage shows are still infamous, incorporating BDSM acts and complex pyrotechnics into their live shows.[6]
Lutz Demler has eventually become the producer of Umbra et Imago and other bands.
Away
Umbra Et Imago Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I hate this world
I'm seeking for freedom
What's luck
What's luck
All is illusion
Reality is dying
All is covered in varnish
Just look at the people
grabbing everything
trying to buy luck
ruthlessly
stick at nothing
isolation is king
consum is deadly
All is covered in varnish
scratch in off - and you see rust
Your hand is like hope
Your face as white as milk
Your skin the surrival
Your mouth is sweet
Words like honey
Creep into my ears
speak softly to me
It's dragging me home
this felling
away - away - away - faraway I wanna go (with you)
The first stanza of the song "Away" by Umbra et Imago reveals the singer's disillusionment with the world in which they live. Walking the line, they express their hate for the world while seeking freedom. The singer queries the concept of luck, revealing the nature of illusion in the world around them. They feel reality is dying, and everything is covered in varnish. However, the singer believes that when we scratch beneath the surface, we see rust. The line refers to how the world may appear shiny, but it's not all glittery and vibrant as it seems. The singer admonishes others for their greed and how they try to buy everything they can to improve their lives, including luck. They also describe isolation as king and consumption as deadly.
The next stanza describes the appearance of someone, who the singer considers to be hope. The person he sees has a white face, which symbolizes innocence, and their skin signifies survival. The singer finds the person's mouth sweet and their words like honey, as they speak softly to them. These words have an impact on the singer and draw them in. In the last line, the singer expresses a desire to go far away with this person because of the dragging feeling they receive from their words.
Line by Line Meaning
I'm walking the line
I am trying to stay on track and navigate through life's challenges
I hate this world
I have a negative view of the world and the way it works
I'm seeking for freedom
I am searching for a way to break free and find my own path
What's luck
I question the idea of luck and whether it truly exists
All is illusion
I believe that everything we see and experience is not necessarily real or true
Reality is dying
I think that the world we live in is changing in ways that are not always positive
All is covered in varnish
I see that many things are superficially painted over or covered up
scratch it off - and you see rust
But if you dig deeper, you will find that things are actually corroded and decaying
Just look at the people
I observe the behavior of those around me
grabbing everything
People are greedy and want to possess everything they can
trying to buy luck
They believe that they can purchase good fortune or happiness
ruthlessly
They do not care who or what gets in their way
stick at nothing
They are willing to do whatever it takes to get what they want
isolation is king
Despite being surrounded by others, many people are still lonely and disconnected
consum is deadly
Materialism and excess can be harmful to oneself and to others
Your hand is like hope
I see hope in the presence of someone else
Your face as white as milk
I see innocence in the face of this person
Your skin the surrival
I see that this person is strong and resilient
Your mouth is sweet
I am drawn to the kind and gentle words of this person
Words like honey
Their words have a pleasing effect on me
Creep into my ears
Their words get inside my head and stay with me
speak softly to me
This person's gentle tone and caring words provide comfort and assurance
It's dragging me home
I feel a pull towards this person and their way of life
this feeling
I am experiencing a strong emotion or desire
away - away - away - faraway I wanna go (with you)
I want to escape from my current situation and be with this person who gives me hope and comfort
Contributed by Grayson K. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
@nofate915
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