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.
Until I Finally Drown
Zeraphine Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Some other time will come another day
My thoughts are swimming round it's futility
With all the dreams that never ever come true?
How could I believe they come true?
How long should I wait without you?
Still feeling close behind my face
I can't recall all the days they simply drift on by
But all the dreams that never ever come true?
How could I believe they come true?
How long should I wait without you?
Your shape is foil as if I am passing right
Through your arms I reach them again
Will I only catch a reflection of you?
Until I finally drown in you
Your shape is foil as if I am passing right
Through your arms I reach them again
Will I only catch a reflection of you?
Until I finally drown in you
Until I finally drown in you
Until I finally drown in you
The song "Until I Finally Drown" by Zeraphine is a hauntingly beautiful portrayal of the struggle to let go of a past love. The lyrics speak of a desire to escape from the pain that comes with holding onto unfulfilled dreams and memories of lost love. The singer acknowledges the futility of holding onto the hope that these dreams will come true, yet cannot seem to let go. The line "My thoughts are swimming round its futility" emphasizes the overwhelming feeling of being stuck in a cycle of hope and disappointment.
The chorus of the song expresses the singer's desperation to be reunited with their lost love. They express a longing to be lost in the embrace of this person, to the point of drowning in them. The motif of drowning is used to convey the extreme nature of the emotion, the idea that they would rather be consumed by their love than continue to exist without it.
The imagery used in this song is particularly poignant, with references to passing through the shape of the person they love and catching only a reflection of them. These lines convey the feeling of an unreachable love, one that barely registers in the physical world but haunts the singer's thoughts nonetheless.
Overall, "Until I Finally Drown" is an emotionally charged song that speaks to the struggles of letting go of a past love. The lyrics capture the intensity of these feelings in a way that is both beautiful and heartbreaking.
Line by Line Meaning
Some other time I wish to get away
At times, I wish to escape from reality.
Some other time will come another day
One day, there will be another opportunity to get away.
My thoughts are swimming round it's futility
I often ponder the pointlessness of certain things.
With all the dreams that never ever come true? How could I believe they come true?
How can I keep believing in dreams that never come to fruition?
How long should I wait without you?
How much longer must I wait for you?
Still feeling close behind my face
I still feel your presence strongly.
The ebbing moments since our last embrace
The time that has elapsed since our last embrace seems to fade away.
I can't recall all the days they simply drift on by
I struggle to remember every mundane day that goes by.
But all the dreams that never ever come true? How could I believe they come true?
Why should I keep believing in dreams that never materialize?
How long should I wait without you?
How much longer must I wait for you?
Your shape is foil as if I am passing right through
Your form seems insubstantial, like I can pass right through you.
Through your arms I reach them again
Through your embrace, I feel restored.
Will I only catch a reflection of you?
Will I only ever get a glimpse of you?
Until I finally drown in you
Until I am fully immersed in you.
Until I finally drown in you
Until I am fully ensconced in you.
Contributed by Lincoln V. Suggest a correction in the comments below.