Since the late Eighties, when the band first got together, Vanden Plas never lost sight of their ambitious goal: expressive music with emotional depth and a melancholy prog metal corset. Starting off with their debut album Colour Temple (1994), the band continued to gather an ever-increasing following with their versatile, intuitive and always unbridled lust for playing. Two years later, in 1997, Vanden Plas brought out their epic bombast successor The God Thing, which was praised by renowned magazines like Metal Hammer, Rock Hard, Burrn!, Aardschock and Flash. A six week tour with Dream Theater followed, like a sort of knighthood conferred on the highest level. The group went on to bring out the unplugged EP AcCult, on which the fascinating aspects of their compositions came to fruition in all their purity. Each Vanden Plas release shows the great musical diversity of the five band members, who have all repeatedly been involved in theatre projects and rock musicals like 'Jesus Christ Superstar', 'The Rocky Horror Picture Show', 'Little Shop of Horrors' or 'Evita'. In September 1999, Vanden Plas returned to the limelight with Far Off Grace, which had been recorded by Pink Cream 69 bassist/producer Dennis Ward at the House Of Audio. The band presented themselves in an even more compact and determined style, remaining melodic and innovative at the same time.
Spring 2000 saw Vanden Plas recording a concert in front of enthusiastic fans at the Elysée Montmartre in Paris, releasing the cuts on their Spirit of Live album, which also featured a duet by vocalist Andy Kuntz and Don Dokken on the Dokken cover 'Kiss Of Death', and a breathtaking duel between guitarist Stephan Lill and his French colleague Patrick Rondat - over 73 minutes of intense live atmosphere which speak of the band's unbridled enthusiasm for their music. The same enthusiasm comes across on Beyond Daylight, combined with a determination to link past, present and future.
They have since released three more albums (Christ 0, The Seraphic Clockwork and Chronicles of the Immortals - Netherworld (Path 1)).
The band's line-up is formed by Andy Kuntz (vocals), Stephan Lill (guitars), Andreas Lill (drums), Günter Werno (keyboards) and Torsten Reichert (bass).
Side-projects include:
Abydos, a rock opera by Andy Kuntz and Andreas Lill among others.
Missa Mercuria, a metal opera by Stephan Lill, Günter Werno and DC Cooper (DC Cooper, Silent Force among others), among others, released in 2003.
Consortium Project III - Terra Incognita (The Undiscovered World). Featuring Stephan Lill on guitar, this project of Elegy vocalist Ian Parry was released in 2003.
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Note that "Vanden Plas" are different to "The Vanden Plas" which is a British electronic act.
Holes In The Sky
Vanden Plas Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
My new creation tunes the vertex of the sun
And inside my planetary gear
The machines decoding heavens
I'm coming closer, coming near
And I'm searching all day and I'm searching all night
For the sonic of truth and a hole in the sky
I stay between the hours
And fill them with sand
My destiny's time dust
Is stolen soil from Promised Land
After lunation number nine
I will start this elevator
With the time key for re-find
And this clockwork is made, cutting holes in the sky
I will drink from a source called the liquid of time
And this clockwork is made, cutting holes in the sky
I will drink from a source called the accident time
Now I'm searching all day and I'm searching all night
For the sonic of truth and the hole in the sky
Time is a mystification
Searching the hole in the sky
The lyrics of Vanden Plas's song Holes In The Sky speak of a search for truth and the mysteries of the universe. The songwriter is searching for something called "Christian number one," which is not entirely clear what it means. However, it appears to have something to do with creating a "new creation" that is able to "decode heavens." The writer is searching for the "sonic of truth" and a "hole in the sky," which suggests a desire to find a connection between the physical and spiritual realms.
The song also references the concept of time, suggesting that it is a "mystification." The writer fills his time with sand and speaks of stealing "stolen soil from Promised Land." After "lunation number nine," which could refer to a lunar cycle or some other period of time, the writer will "start this elevator with the time key for re-find," perhaps suggesting a desire to go back in time to find the answers he seeks. The clockwork referred to in the song apparently cuts "holes in the sky" and allows the writer to drink from a source called "the liquid of time."
Overall, the lyrics of Holes In The Sky appear to be a meditation on searching for meaning and truth in a world that is often difficult to understand. The song speaks to a universal desire to connect with something greater than ourselves and to understand the mysteries of the universe.
Line by Line Meaning
I'm searching for Christian number one
I'm on a quest to find the ultimate truth, the one that is pure and divine.
My new creation tunes the vertex of the sun
I have created something that has the power to reach the highest point of the universe.
And inside my planetary gear
Within myself, there is a mechanism that controls the cosmic workings.
The machines decoding heavens
I have the ability to decipher the hidden knowledge of the universe.
I'm coming closer, coming near
I'm getting closer to the answers I seek with each passing moment.
And I'm searching all day and I'm searching all night
My search for truth is ceaseless, and I am constantly pursuing it, day and night.
For the sonic of truth and a hole in the sky
I am looking for the sound that will reveal the truth and the opening that will lead me to it.
I stay between the hours
I reside in the passage of time, in the boundary between the past and the future.
And fill them with sand
I attempt to make the most of every moment, to not waste a single grain of time.
My destiny's time dust
My fate is connected to the ephemeral nature of time, to the particles that make it up.
Is stolen soil from Promised Land
My destiny is to take what was promised to me, what rightfully belongs to me.
After lunation number nine
Once I have completed nine lunar cycles, I will begin my ascent.
I will start this elevator
I will activate a mechanism that will lift me up to where I need to be.
With the time key for re-find
With the tool that unlocks the secrets of time, I will be able to return to where I came from.
And this clockwork is made, cutting holes in the sky
My intricate and precise design is creating openings in the universe that were not there before.
I will drink from a source called the liquid of time
I will taste the essence of time itself, the elixir that holds the secrets of the universe.
And this clockwork is made, cutting holes in the sky
My creation continues to open doors to new dimensions.
I will drink from a source called the accident time
I will witness the unexpected and unpredictable side of time, the force that can change everything in an instant.
Now I'm searching all day and I'm searching all night
My quest has not been fulfilled, and I continue to seek the truth relentlessly.
For the sonic of truth and the hole in the sky
I am still looking for the sound of revelation and the gateway to uncover the secrets of the universe.
Time is a mystification
Time is an enigma that holds the key to understanding the universe.
Searching the hole in the sky
I am relentlessly looking for the access point to the secrets of the universe that lay beyond our reach.
Contributed by Nolan S. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
@user-xp7zy4gk1t
...what a mighty pleasure! Stephan Lill is simply one of the best guitarists in the world! What a great Marshall sound! I love his stuff!!! This band rules!
@gessicarocha2219
Oh, God! This one is amazing, just like all Vanden Plas's songs. Love them since long. :)
@aaronbones4290
That intro riff... Mfg the tone 🔥🔥🔥
@damillionmalania
If you're looking for progressive stuff I have so many recommendations. Here we go: Threshold, Cloudscape, Evergrey, Cea Serin, Silent Memorial, Freak Kitchen, While Heaven Wept, Symphony X, Planet Alliance, Adagio, Myrath and Katatonia and Freak Kitchen. There's some softer stuff too. Yes most recent album was incredible, and Flying Colors is showing a great deal of promise too. Hope that helps. :D
@okolo2224
Threshold is my favourite band of all times, thank you for the info!)
@johnm6471
A lot of great progressive metal bands in that list heard of them all wish I knew more
@DMetal-yv6gl
Fantastic group of musicians, have yet to hear a mediocre track from these guys. In house, car, were ever you are these guys are a great listen.
P. S. I see up to now there are 52 persons whom it seems are in capable of appreciation of great musicianship regardless of genre.
@CrotchBlaster
I gotta admit, when I first heard a Vanden Plas song I automatically thought of Dream Theater. It's prog metal and the singer has a voice similar to James Labrie's. But today I think VP bring way more passion into their songs (I mean the songwriting and the lyrics) than DT.
@2Maidens
I have looked to my last.fm profile...hmm...cca 9 000 different songs. But this! This is absolutely the best, what I ever heard!! Thank you, Vanden Plas, for this beautiful song!!
@Eckybun
Fabulous. Never heard them before. Love his voice.