ElektroSpank - FMA - Diary Of Dreams

Diary Of Dreams - music of a dreamer!

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Akill

Diary Of Dreams are coming back to Greece and we are going back in their soundscapes!

Diary Of Dreams came at a time when my listening taste contained and influenced by the gothic rock sounds of the 80's and 90's, post-punk and punk of the same period and a huge dose of grunge. Listening to the depressingly romantic melody of the band's compositions from Germany, I felt like I was finding a part of myself that I hadn't let come to the surface before. Or perhaps, I hadn't seen it till then.

My first contact with Diary Of Dreams came sometime towards the end of 1996, a few months after the release of their 2nd album, "End Of Flowers", and a few months before the release of their 3rd album, "Bird Without Wings". These 2 albums are those that put Diary Of Dreams in the headphones and speakers of most of their fans, who are loyal to this day, but also on the dark dancefloors of the time. But the ones that really made me love every note and every word in the lyrics are their debut album, "Cholymelan" from 1994 and the one that followed "Bird Without Wings", and brought them to Greece for the first time back in 1998, at the beloved Mad Club in Syngrou Avenue, "Psychoma?". This live was to be the first of many times I saw them in the years that followed and probably one of the live shows that awakened so many emotions in me that I still hold, and I always feel them strongly when I listen to the first Diary Of Dreams albums.

The man who is at the helm of this whole musical journey, on dark, intense, romantic, melancholic and powerful routes is Andrian Hates. Guitarist and pianist, with a classical music education and not much of a knowledge and contact with what was happening then in modern electronic music and beyond, he started Diary Of Dreams in the late 80's, early 90's - and while he was a member of one of the most beloved and influential bands of the time , the goth rockers, Garden Of Delight - wanting to give existence to his dreams. The combination of all the above contributed to the creation of the unique sound of the Germans, which balanced between gothic guitar melodies, classical piano breaks and dynamic, dark beats that started from creating a mystical atmosphere to catchy tones and tempos that get you up. in some club. And all this takes off with the deep, melancholic and special timbre of Andrian Hates' voice but also with the way he gave an image to his dreams and the world he built in them, a world with phobias, sensitivities, love, temptations, hatred and toxicity.

I will not try to choose my 3 favorite songs since that would be impossible. I will however write about the first three songs that popped up when I thought of writing this piece.

I'm going to where it all started, or thereabouts. Diary Of Dreams' debut album was released in 1994 by Dion Fortune. Knowing and having an understanding of what he wanted to achieve with Diary Of Dreams, Andrian Hates, from the very second album, creates his own label, Accession Records (which later became the "home" of bands such as Diorama, Assemblage 23, Psyche, S.I.T.D., Panzer AG, Plastic, Human Decay, and many more). In 1999, therefore, "Cholymelan" is re-released accompanied by 4 extra tracks. One of them is "The Stranger Remains". A deeply melancholic song, which expresses the inner world and the psychology of rejection, but also the battle that everyone fights for a way out of respective situations!

The second song that came to mind is "Wild (2nd Tribe)" from the very dark and heavily experimental fourth album, "Psychoma?", from 1998. "Psychoma?" is in its entirety one of the albums that made the difference for Diary Of Dreams by giving, perhaps for the first time, great importance to the balance of keys and guitar. "Wild (2nd Tribe)" besides being a perfect composition with all this balance, is also a song rich in symbolism and themes of self-sacrifice. An anthem for those learning to survive in intense emotional environments.

The next song comes from the 2nd phase of Diary Of Dreams, at least as far as their compositions are concerned. "The Curse" can be found on 2002's "Freak Perfume", DoD's sixth album. "The Curse" like the whole of "Freak Perfume", reflects psychotic states, issues of manipulation and control, toxic relationships and traumatic experiences. What really remains though, is the strength to deal with and survive through them, despite whatever effect they may have. Musically, "The Curse" follows in the footsteps of the album that made Diary Of Dreams even more beloved to the world, "One Of 18 Angels". "Freak Perfume" and its subject matter are complemented by the release of the accompanying EP (which easily stands as an album), at the end of the same year, "Panik Manifesto".

Despite that these songs here are all coming from the earliest years of Diary Of Dreams, the band from Germany never stopped to release exceptional tracks through out their 30 years history. And 2024 marks their 30 years of existence with 14 full length albums and a number of EPs and singles. Before closing this article, I thought of mentioning three albums like I did with the songs. However I will just write a few words about their last full length album (not the marvelous "Under A Timeless Spell"), "Melancholin". It's been almost 2 years since the release of "Melancholin". An album that managed to satisfy even those that were not so happy with their latest releases. "Melancholin" keeps the best elements from their recent albums and mixed them with the sound that made Diary Of Dreams one of the most unique and beloved bands in the dark underground and alternative world.

An album that starts with the characteristic epic sound of Diary Of Dreams and a cinematic soundtrack, while in it you find references to milestones in their career such as "Panik Manifesto", "One Of 18 Angels" and "Psychoma?"

These and many other beautiful things remain to be seen from Friday, November 1st, starting from Thessaloniki, November 2nd in Larisa, with the final destination of this mini tour in Greece, Athens and Kyttaro Live Club, on Sunday, November 3rd.