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.
When Walls Arise
Zeraphine Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Just like an angel with a broken wing
We tried to find a never waning star
But we can only see a blinded shine in the sky
You spread my arms to fly
When walls arise between us
I could lie inside your arms, the stars won't shine again
Let us fly away again and vanish in the sky
When eyes can only see
What's been described a thousand times before
Each step ahead would only stop our dream
When rooms grow small and far too tight
I spread your arms to fly
The shelter is lost you said
We've fallen out of grace
And neither one remembers our basis, it was gone
The tears have ceased you said
Your eyes are black instead
And we could not remember how to spread our arms to fly
In Zeraphine's song When Walls Arise, the lyrics paint a picture of two individuals who are struggling to find a way to reconnect. The first verse speaks of one person standing beside the other, almost like an angel with a broken wing. They tried to search for something that would never fade, but all they could see was a blinded shine in the sky, indicating that their search was futile. However, despite this, they still hold onto the hope that they can spread their arms and fly together. The second verse brings up the idea that sometimes, our vision can be limited to what has already been said and done, making it difficult to move forward. In spite of these challenges, they continue to hold onto each other, even as the walls rise between them. They long to be able to escape and vanish into the sky once more. However, by the end of the song, it seems as though they have lost sight of their true potential - they have forgotten how to spread their arms and fly, which is a heartbreaking realization.
One interpretation of this song could be that it represents a relationship that is slowly disintegrating. Perhaps the couple once had a special connection, like the "never waning star" mentioned in the first verse, but now that connection is fading away. The imagery of “walls” and growing rooms represents the growing distance between them in the relationship, making it difficult for them to stay close to each other. Despite their attempts to hold onto each other, they are slowly losing sight of their shared dream, shown by their inability to remember how to fly.
Overall, Zeraphine's When Walls Arise is a poignant and touching song about the struggles of maintaining relationships in the face of adversity. It emphasizes the need to continually work at a relationship, even when it becomes challenging to do so.
Line by Line Meaning
You're standing quiet next to me
I feel your presence but you are not speaking
Just like an angel with a broken wing
You seem to be perfect but you have a flaw
We tried to find a never waning star
We searched for something that would never disappear
But we can only see a blinded shine in the sky
We see something that is not what we wanted
You spread my arms to fly
You give me the courage to pursue my dreams
When walls arise between us
When obstacles arise between us
I could lie inside your arms, the stars won't shine again
I feel safe in your embrace, even when everything else is falling apart
Let us fly away again and vanish in the sky
Let's escape from reality and start anew
When eyes can only see
When our perspective is limited
What's been described a thousand times before
When we perceive the same things repeatedly
Each step ahead would only stop our dream
Every step we take only pushes our dreams further away
When rooms grow small and far too tight
When our lives become constrained and suffocating
I spread your arms to fly
I encourage you to keep pursuing your dreams
The shelter is lost you said
You feel like the stability is gone from our lives
We've fallen out of grace
We lost our good fortune and favor
And neither one remembers our basis, it was gone
We forgot what we were building our lives on
The tears have ceased you said
You're no longer emotional about what has happened
Your eyes are black instead
You seem to have lost the light in your eyes
And we could not remember how to spread our arms to fly
We forgot how to keep chasing our dreams
Contributed by Molly L. Suggest a correction in the comments below.