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.
Wish You Where Here
Vanden Plas Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I'm a wanderer and I wear the mask of mystery
From a prisoner waiting for the last request
When I got the will, then I got the chance;
He said: certain mistakes of my fiends
Make the wish fulfilled
I - will - give - y o u - all my pain
And I wish you where here
I wish you fear - I wish you well
And that you're burning there
In hell instead of me
And I wish you where here I wish you amen
I cause your all-inclusive pain
All the walls inside try to speak with me
Beautify this spider's home
Help the fly to rest in peace
Then I read a plan - kind of bleeding tattoo
Out of words of a murderer
"like pearls of insane dew"
How can I see what he told me
I try to listen to his pain and I
Wish you where here
I wish you're near me I wish you well
And that you're turning this my hell into a fane
And I wish you where here
Now I cut out my brain
Before I'll try to understand - what you mean
And I follow all the traces
To your long forgotten places
In a ghost ship down the sea to holy island
Waits homicide for me... like on morphine
I see all the eyeshots he had
On his long requiem to the end
Why should I see what he wrote there for me
In his message I hear poor victims plea:
I wish you where here
I wish you well and that you're burning
Here in hell instead of me
And I wish you where here
So give me all your prayers
For the sins I have to pay
I work for I.C.P.O. (interpol)
And some details show me
Not the "plain type"
Not the "gain type" of serial assassin
He's not motivated by hedonism
Untypical - no gilles de rais,
No bathory, not jack, so I got the suspicion
He's a man with a clear sagacious mission
The opening lyric of "Wish You Were Here" by Vanden Plas sets the tone for a song that explores themes of pain, suffering, and vengeance. The singer, who describes himself as a "wanderer," is wearing a "mask of mystery" and waiting for his "last request." He has the will to act, but is waiting for the chance to do so. He is then given a message by a friend, who tells him that certain mistakes by his comrades can lead to fulfillment of a wish. The singer learns that he can be free by giving his pain away.
The song continues with lines that express a desire for others to feel the same pain as the singer. He wishes his enemies were burning in hell instead of himself. He also wishes that they were here so that they could experience the same suffering, and he asks for prayers for the sins he has to pay. The singer then begins to read the message left by a murderer. He tries to listen to the pain of the victims and to understand their pleas for revenge. The song builds to a climax as the singer follows the murderous traces to forgotten places where he discovers the true nature of his adversary.
Overall, "Wish You Were Here" is a song about pain and the desire for retribution. The lyrics suggest that revenge can be achieved by giving one's own pain away and by empathizing with the victims of violence. The song also suggests that true justice cannot be achieved until the perpetrator of a crime is understood, and the reasons behind their actions are uncovered.
Line by Line Meaning
I'm a wanderer and I wear the mask of mystery
As someone who is lost and searching for answers, I present a façade of inscrutability.
From a prisoner waiting for the last request
Like someone on death row, I am trapped in a situation where I have no control.
When I got the will, then I got the chance;
Once I found the motivation to change my circumstances, the opportunity presented itself.
He said: certain mistakes of my fiends Make the wish fulfilled
The advice of a friend helped me to realize that by learning from the missteps of others, I could make my desires come true.
Now - that - I - see - I - can - be - free I - will - give - y o u - all my pain
Having gained a new perspective, I am willing to share my burdens with someone else and seek to move on to a brighter future.
And I wish you where here I wish you fear - I wish you well And that you're burning there In hell instead of me
Expressing resentment towards someone who is not present, I hope they experience the same pain and punishment that I have been subjected to.
And I wish you where here I wish you amen I cause your all-inclusive pain
Contemplating revenge, I desire the individual's suffering and seek to be responsible for causing it.
All the walls inside try to speak with me Beautify this spider's home Help the fly to rest in peace
Fighting against inner turmoil, I implore the structures surrounding me to provide respite and solace.
Then I read a plan - kind of bleeding tattoo Out of words of a murderer 'like pearls of insane dew'
Discovering the intentions of a criminal, I am appalled by the depth of their depravity and the gruesome nature of their plans.
How can I see what he told me I try to listen to his pain and I
Struggling to comprehend the motivations behind another's actions, I seek to empathize with their suffering and search for understanding.
Wish you where here I wish you're near me I wish you well And that you're turning this my hell into a fane
Instead of harboring ill-will, I yearn for the presence of another and hope they can bring a sense of peace and sanctuary to my chaotic existence.
And I wish you where here Now I cut out my brain Before I'll try to understand - what you mean
Driven to madness by the search for meaning, I contemplate self-harm to escape the overwhelming feeling of confusion and frustration.
And I follow all the traces To your long forgotten places In a ghost ship down the sea to holy island Waits homicide for me... like on morphine
Desperately pursuing answers, I take a treacherous journey to uncover the truth, even if it means risking my own life.
I see all the eyeshots he had On his long requiem to the end
As I delve deeper into the criminal's psyche, I bear witness to their horrific journey towards their final act of violence.
Why should I see what he wrote there for me In his message I hear poor victims plea: I wish you where here
Exposing myself to the words of a murderer, I hear the mournful cries of their victims and long for justice to be served.
I wish you well and that you're burning Here in hell instead of me And I wish you where here
Again harboring feelings of resentment, I hope that the object of my hatred receives the punishment and suffering that I have been subjected to.
So give me all your prayers For the sins I have to pay
Accepting responsibility for my own failures, I ask for help in seeking redemption and forgiveness for the wrongs I have committed.
I work for I.C.P.O. (interpol) And some details show me Not the 'plain type' Not the 'gain type' of serial assassin He's not motivated by hedonism Untypical - no gilles de rais, No bathory, not jack, so I got the suspicion He's a man with a clear sagacious mission
Revealing myself to be an investigator, I describe the particulars of a case and express my suspicion that the perpetrator is not driven by typical motives, but rather is focused on something more profound and intellectual.
Contributed by Lincoln H. Suggest a correction in the comments below.