Distorted digitized souls hardwired to the so… Read Full Bio ↴Biography: Winter Soul
Distorted digitized souls hardwired to the sound of radiation-soaked machinery, Winter Soul leads the revolution in South African Industrial music.
Members: Dave, Suzanne and Philbrey
Dave has been making electronic music since 1998, experimenting with the darker side of trance and hard trance music, before moving into EBM in 2005. A mechanical engineer by trade, he draws inspiration from technology and its interaction with humanity.
The powerful drum patterns of the industrial sound are combined with lush and intricate synth riffs, resulting in an extremely layered sound, often using twice the number of instruments as other EBM acts.
The Winter Soul sound is achieved by the intense manipulation of sound generators, samples and effects in the digital realm, ripping sounds apart and re-assembling them with other components, before doing it all over again. Emphasis is placed on melodic content, as a means to convey emotion with power intrinsic to EBM, avoiding typical minimalistic orchestration.
In 2006 the song “Stargazer” was uploaded onto a local Gothic community website, and received a good response, attracting the interest of Paul Baumgartener, the musician behind Garten der Asche, a Johannesburg based Industrial band. A 5 track demo was compiled in 2006 and expertly mixed & mastered by Philbrey Botha from Garten der Asche.
The song “Black Widow” packed the Goth dancefloor at Zepplins nightclub in Pretoria on its first play. This song was also included on the virtual disc of the compilation “When Angels Die”
In early 2007, Suzanne added her considerable musical talent to the Winter Soul lineup, and this marked the start of the transformation from recording project to live act.
Suzanne has been receiving musical training from the age of four. An accomplished classical pianist and flautist, her credentials include advanced music theory and performance qualifications from the University of South Africa (UNISA). She has been a member of a variety of orchestras and ensembles and is currently a flautist in the Free State Youth Symphony Orchestra.
A choral singer from an early age, she received more than five years of professional vocal training. As a member of the internationally acclaimed Bloemfontein Children’s Choir (1998-2003) she has traveled across Europe and has performed with numerous local and international celebrities. Her musical interests cover a broad spectrum of genres, including classical, jazz, rock and industrial influences.
In 2007 the song “Reactor” was included in the compilation “Noise Terror Volume 2” along with tracks by Suicide Commando, Grendel, Noisuf-X and others.
In 2008, producer and vocalist Philbrey joined Winter Soul
Philbrey holds a qualification in sound engineering, studying under Mark Williams and Ankha. He is an experienced performer, having vocalled for Garten der Asche (Industrial), Forhekset (Black Metal ) and Tears Of Ignorance (EBM/Industrial).
He has been DJing since 2002 across SA and in Germany, playing mainly industrial, but also dabbling in Goth and Metal. He prefers industrial rock and industrial metal, however it was black metal which inspired him to start vocalling.
Eternal misanthrope, the personification of aggression and the industrial mindset, Philbrey is a powerful new component of the Winter Soul machine.
Winter Soul played its first live show at the 2007 Goth Industrial Gathering in Cape Town and was very well supported, playing encores at that show as well as the following day’s Empyrean Fest in Stellenbosch.
2008 saw Winter Soul headlining Fracture Fest in Bloemfontein, introducing harsh electronic music to a predominantly metal driven scene, and in August they opened for supergroupVNV Nation in Cape Town.
The revolution continues, comrades
For more info, visit www.myspace.com/wintersoulebm.
Stargazer
Winter Soul Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I'd drink your poison, take your knife
I'd bear the world's pain meant for you
Embrace this stake they've tied to you
Look to your stars when pain returns
My hands are tied, your barricades burn
Celestial gazes are misplaced
You chose from the earliest time
To let them burn you within
They left behind this orphan heart
And addicted you to their sin
Drink in all the pleasure
Won't get you out
You're still alone
When it all runs out
You're still alone
When the lights go out
The song Stargazer by Winter Soul reflects on the cruelty of the world and the pain that people endure. The opening lines of the song "Again I dreamt I could save your life, I'd drink your poison, take your knife" indicate the singer's desire to take away the pain and suffering of someone they care about. They are willing to endure the worst possible pain on behalf of the other person. The lyrics show how one person can feel powerless and helpless in the face of another's hurt. The next line, "I'd bear the world's pain meant for you, embrace this stake they've tied to you" builds on this theme, showing that the suffering is greater than just one person's pain, and stretches to encompass the pains of the world. The singer empathizes with the other person and wants to help them bear the burden.
The next verse, "Look to your stars when pain returns, my hands are tied, your barricades burn" shows the singer's frustration at their inability to help. They want to be able to provide comfort and offer a way forward, but are unable to do so. The references to celestial gazes and the moonless place suggest that there is some mystical, possibly divine element to the suffering, beyond earthly comprehension. The singer is at a loss to fully understand what the other person is going through, and so can only offer support from a distant perspective.
The final lines "You chose from the earliest time to let them burn you within, they left behind this orphan heart and addicted you to their sin. Drink in all the pleasure won't get you out, you're still alone when it all runs out. You're still alone when the lights go out" emphasize that the cause of the suffering might be of the sufferer's own making. Perhaps they have fallen into destructive patterns, unable to escape the pain of their trauma, and this has left them lonely and isolated. The song ends with a feeling of helplessness; the singer's desire to help is not enough to save the other person from the pain that they have created for themselves.
Line by Line Meaning
Again I dreamt I could save your life
Once more I imagined rescuing you from harm
I'd drink your poison, take your knife
I would willingly suffer and even die in order to spare you pain
I'd bear the world's pain meant for you
I am willing to take on the burdens that were meant for you to alleviate your suffering
Embrace this stake they've tied to you
Accept the hardship and pain that has been thrust upon you and don't fight against it
Look to your stars when pain returns
Seek solace and guidance in the heavens when sorrow and suffering afflict you once more
My hands are tied, your barricades burn
I am powerless to help you, and you are faced with destruction and ruin
Celestial gazes are misplaced
The hope and comfort you seek in the stars is futile and misguided
In this heartless, moonless place
In this barren, desolate terrain where emotions are absent and the light of hope is nonexistent
You chose from the earliest time
You decided from the beginning
To let them burn you within
To allow others to hurt and damage you deeply from within
They left behind this orphan heart
They abandoned you with a broken and incomplete heart
And addicted you to their sin
And led you into a cycle of addiction and wrongdoing
Drink in all the pleasure
Indulge in all the momentary enjoyment and ecstasy
Won't get you out
But it won't ease your pain or alleviate your problems
You're still alone
You're still isolated and unsupported
When it all runs out
When the pleasure and joy inevitably disappear and leave you with emptiness once more
You're still alone
You're still isolated and unsupported
When the lights go out
When even the faintest glimmer of hope is snuffed out
Contributed by Maria Y. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
xBLOODBAFx
such wounded passion!!!
Pudenta
awesome