After the acclaimed goth rock band Dreadful Shadows decided to split and go their separate ways, Sven and Norman collaborated with ex-Dreadful Shadows producer Thommy Hein on a project called Helix. However, since the Helix name was under copyright by another band, they were forced to rename themselves Zeraphine - taken from the Hebrew bible's concepts of the 'seraph' (or seraphim), which is a class of angel in traditional Judaism. This concept was purposely taken as an ironic gesture, given Sven's lyrics are often critical of organized religion. Once Zeraphine, the band signed onto the Drakkar Entertainment record label.
Originally, additional band members Manuel Senger (guitars), Michael Nepp (bass), and Marcellus Puhlemann (drums) joined the project as studio musicians. This changed after their debut album was released, and each member began contributing music and ideas to all following releases.
Zeraphine's debut album, 'Kalte Sonne' (2002), gained notoriety for it's lyrics; unlike Dreadful Shadows, whose songs were written entirely in English, Sven elected to pen an album completely in German, citing that "I simply tried to transfer my style of writing to my mother tongue and I liked it quite a lot. I always thought it would be impossible." Their following album, 'Traumaworld' (2003), saw Sven return to English, with only two songs written in German. Tonally, the album's lyrics were harsher, as the band drew inspiration from their feelings on the Iraq war. However, when it came to promoting the album, the more upbeat 'Be My Rain' (2003) was chosen as the single. A music video was made for 'Be My Rain' (consisting of live footage), and a limited promo CD was released, featuring album, radio, and club mixes of the title track, and a cover of the Depeche Mode song 'In Your Room'.
In 2004, Zeraphine joined HIM on an acclaimed tour of Europe, which exposed the band to an even wider audience. In anticipation for the tour, Zeraphine hit the studio again to record the single 'New Year's Day' (2004), featuring a cover version of the U2 song, and two other original tracks. Promptly after the tour finished, Zeraphine again entered the studio and churned out another single, 'Die Macht In Dir' (2004), which promised a full album at the beginning of the following year; The single, as well as the title track, consisted of alternative versions of 'Kaltes Herz', 'Die Macht In Dir', (and on the limited edition release) 'Until I Finally Drown'. 'Blind Camera' (2005) was released with a positive response by both fans and critics, and sent Zeraphine on the road once more, headlining their own trip across Europe. A particular point of well-reception was the balance in German and English lyrics - nearly half the songs on 'Blind Camera' are written in German. The record itself was written as a semi-concept album, dealing with themes such as perception and reality.
In 2006, Zeraphine announced that they were severing their ties with their label, Drakkar Entertainment, so that they could have more creative control over their next record. 'Still' (2006), released on the Phonyx Records label (a record label managed by the band themselves, and producer Thommy Hein), was handled with noticeably less 'polish' than their previous albums. This was per the band's decision to move to a less studio-oriented, more live sounding style of recording. Two editions of the album were released, a regular and an enhanced version; the enhanced featuring an additional song, and the music video (and outtakes) to the title track and single, 'Still'. The record's title is meant to represent both it's German and English meanings, commenting on the duality of the album's lyrical content.
The band was decidedly less active in 2007, when Sven and Norman rejoined Dreadful Shadows for live shows exclusively. Also during this time, Sven began working on a side project, an electronic solo project titled Solar Fake. A compilation album was also released during this time, titled 'Years in Black' (2007), by Phoynx Records and Drakkar Entertainment; It contained songs from all four albums, and while no unreleased material was put on it (an update on their official website cited such an act as a 'fan rip-off'), the currently out-of-print radio mix of 'Be My Rain' was added in place of the album version. Zeraphine continued to tour and do festivals throughout 2007 and 2008, with a few new songs slipping into setlists during the later half of 2008.
As of March 2009, it is rumored that the band is working on a fifth album.
No More Doubts
Zeraphine Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Far too fleeting to care about
But I can still remember the initial traces of your change
Then you became so adaptable
No deviation from your ways
Like the world in your eyes is just spinning inside of you
There's only you and you and you . . .
There are no more doubts in you
It's a repression of your past
Sometimes it shows you're insecure
I still can read between the lines
There are no more doubts in you
Have you forgot to dream at last
Sometimes it shows you're insecure
You died inside
When I'm thinking of days gone by
You were so curious about the world
You never needed reasons to simply fly off-hand
Being the epitome of ignorance
Does it really suit your plan?
Where's the contempt that you would actually show
yourself
The lyrics to Zeraphine's song "No More Doubts" are about a person who has undergone a significant change, and this change has left them feeling lost and disconnected from themselves. The singer begins by describing how the change initially began as something small and insignificant, but over time it grew larger and consumed the person completely. The person became more adaptable and less willing to deviate from their ways, as if they were spinning out of control.
The singer then goes on to say that there are "no more doubts" in the person, suggesting that they have come to accept their new identity, for better or worse. However, there are moments when their insecurities still show through, and the singer is able to read between the lines to see the pain and confusion that the person is still feeling.
The singer recalls a time when the person was full of curiosity and wonder about the world, and they didn't need any reasons to simply follow their dreams. But now, the person has become the epitome of ignorance, and the singer questions whether this is really what they had planned for themselves. In the end, the person is left feeling dead inside, a shell of who they used to be.
Overall, "No More Doubts" is a powerful and insightful song about the dangers of losing oneself and the struggle to find one's way back.
Line by Line Meaning
In the beginning it was just a glimpse
At first, your changes were subtle and hardly noticeable
Far too fleeting to care about
They were too insignificant to be bothered about
But I can still remember the initial traces of your change
Nevertheless, I remember how you started to change
Then you became so adaptable
Gradually, you became very compliant
No deviation from your ways
You never varied from your routine
Like the world in your eyes is just spinning inside of you
It seems as though everything revolves around you
There's only you and you and you . . .
You are self-centered
There are no more doubts in you
You are no longer uncertain
It's a repression of your past
However, it is a manifestation of your past trauma
Sometimes it shows you're insecure
Occasionally, your behavior reveals your lack of confidence
I still can read between the lines
But I can still get a sense of your true emotions
Have you forgot to dream at last
Have you stopped dreaming entirely?
You died inside
It seems like you've lost all your passion and enthusiasm
When I'm thinking of days gone by
As I reminisce about the past,
You were so curious about the world
You used to be very inquisitive about the world around you
You never needed reasons to simply fly off-hand
You would take spontaneous actions without needing a reason
Being the epitome of ignorance
Now, you are the perfect example of ignorance
Does it really suit your plan?
But is that really what you had in mind for yourself?
Where's the contempt that you would actually show yourself
Why have you stopped challenging yourself?
Contributed by Connor V. Suggest a correction in the comments below.