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.
Wonderland
Zeraphine Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Just like every day before
I looked into the sky
But something there was strange
Nobody in the streets
The day was bright,
There was no sun at all
Black ashes in the air
With rubble on the ground
I caught the scent of burning
With no flames glowing anywhere
I felt the cold instead
And it seems that my worst nightmare
Suddenly became reality
But this has gone beyond,
Far beyond imagination
I'm living next to the edge
Under radiating skies
Living close to the end
Of wonderland
Maybe you simply wanted too much
Might be you simply went too far
The excuses will not change
What no one's there to hear
You're probably insatiable
You never cared for anything
What doesn't belong to you,
Is beneath your dignity
Your speeches are a flood of lies
You never even realised
The contradictions,
Are they all the same to you?
You're doing fine,
You think you'd like to be
The master of every thought
So you're playing like a God,
But who created
you?
In Zeraphine's song Wonderland, the singer describes waking up to a seemingly normal morning, only to find that something is very wrong. There are no people in the streets, the sky is dark and filled with black ashes, and there is a smell of burning in the air. But despite the obvious signs of devastation, there are no flames anywhere. The singer realizes that their worst nightmare has become a reality, and that whatever has happened has gone far beyond imagination.
As the song continues, the singer seems to be addressing someone who might be responsible for this destruction, accusing them of wanting too much and going too far. They are described as insatiable, not caring for anything that doesn't belong to them and believing that they should be the master of every thought. However, the singer points out the contradictions in their thinking and asks who created this person who is playing God.
The lyrics of Wonderland can be interpreted in a variety of ways, but they seem to suggest a dystopian or post-apocalyptic world where the consequences of human hubris have come to fruition. The singer seems to be both a witness to the destruction and a critic of those who would cause such harm to the world. The use of imagery, particularly the contrast between the dark sky and the bright day, adds to the sense of unease and foreboding in the song.
Line by Line Meaning
I thought it was a usual morning
The singer is narrating an ordinary day when something unexpected happened.
Just like every day before
The singer indicates that the day was no different from the other usual days.
I looked into the sky
The singer reveals that they gazed up toward the sky, which caught their attention.
But something there was strange
The artist acknowledges that something was different about the sky.
Nobody in the streets
The artist notices emptiness of people and life on the streets.
The day was bright,
The singer notes the sunshine and daylight.
There was no sun at all
The singer contradicts the previous point, stating that there is no sun despite the brightness.
Black ashes in the air
The artist sees ash-like particles suspended in the atmosphere.
Riding on the wind
The artist suggests that the black ashes are traveling in the air with the wind.
With rubble on the ground
The artist observes fragments and debris on the floor.
I caught the scent of burning
The singer detects the smell of something burning in the air.
With no flames glowing anywhere
The artist clarifies that there is no fire and illuminating flames to be seen.
I felt the cold instead
The singer felt the chill in contrast to fire's heat.
And it seems that my worst nightmare
The singer shares that what they are experiencing appears to be the stuff of their nightmares.
Suddenly became reality
The singer confirms their fears have materialized into reality.
But this has gone beyond,
The artist comments that the situation has escalated, creating an unprecedented crisis.
Far beyond imagination
The artist emphasizes that the extent of the situation exceeds their imagination.
I'm living next to the edge
The singer is living life on the brink of failure or disaster.
Under radiating skies
The singer highlights the ominous skies above.
Living close to the end
The artist is referring to living a risky life with a constant reminder of impending danger.
Of wonderland
The artist metaphorically names the world as a 'wonderland,' but the world is now destroyed and no longer associated with wonderland.
Maybe you simply wanted too much
The artist implies that someone's greed is the cause of their downfall.
Might be you simply went too far
The singer speculates that the culprit went beyond the limits of rationality or control.
The excuses will not change
The artist believes that making excuses will not alter the course of events or change the past.
What no one's there to hear
The singer implies that no one is around to listen to excuses.
You're probably insatiable
The singer accuses someone of being selfish and always wanting more at any cost.
You never cared for anything
The singer argues that the accused never considered the consequences of his actions on the world or others.
What doesn't belong to you,
The artist emphasizes the sense of entitlement of the accused.
Is beneath your dignity
The artist implies that the accused looks down on what he doesn't have or own, feeling superior.
Your speeches are a flood of lies
The singer stresses that the accused lies constantly, and everything he says is a deception.
You never even realized
The singer accuses the culprit of never realizing the effects of his actions on the world and others.
The contradictions,
The artist highlights the inconsistency of the accused's logic and thoughts.
Are they all the same to you?
The artist questions the culprits' inability to recognize the paradox of his views.
You're doing fine,
The artist taunts the culprit sarcastically that he is perfectly okay with a world in ruins.
You think you'd like to be
The singer accuses the culprit of indulging in a fantasy of power and control over the world.
The master of every thought
The artist envisions the culprit striving to control every thought and action of others.
So you're playing like a God,
The singer criticizes the accused for playing God-like figure who commands the world.
But who created you?
The singer challenges the culprit's claim to power by questioning his ultimate authority and origin.
Contributed by Charlotte F. Suggest a correction in the comments below.