HISTORY
DORNENREICH was established in Winter'95 by Valñes (formerly originally known as Dunkelkind). When Evíga joined the band in July'96 both felt fit to work on their first compositions, which - indeed - were guitar-oriented due to the fact that Valñes played the second lead-guitar during those very first days. In April'97 Evíga and Valñes fortunately met Gilván (Dragomir), who completed DORNENREICH as a band. After only few rehearsals those four songs, Valñes and Evíga had chosen to represent DORNENREICH on their first and only demo 'Mein Flügelschlag' ('The beat of my wing'), were finished by Gilván's drumming. Thus in May '97 DORNENREICH recorded the demo in their rehearsing room via simple four-track recording. DORNENREICH spread the demo all around the underground world and both the reactions of the press and those of private people were quite enthusiastic as for their emotional intensity and unique atmosphere. One simply can feel their entire devotion to music and poetry on the demo yet. In spite of the overwhelming reactions only CCP-Records offered a serious contract and due to their youthful unrest DORNENREICH signed it in July'97, because they wanted to record the new material - which they had already composed - as soon as possible. What is left to say is that - after the release of the debut 'Nicht um zu sterben' ('Not in order to die'), which DORNENREICH recorded during four days in September'97 - they immediately focused on their 2nd album, because at that time it was impossible to build up a live-line-up. Well, with their first album DORNENREICH received great reviews and reactions, which often emphasized their singularity for the future and then, in June'99, when DORNENREICH released their 2nd full-length album 'Bitter ist's dem Tod zu dienen' ('Bitter it is - serving the death') DORNENREICH think they really managed to do justice to their enthusiastic prophecies.
THE NAME
Translated to English it means 'Reich of thorns'. Primarily DORNENREICH chose this term to be their band name because of the boundless possibilities to interpret it. On the one hand it may reveal a dreamy and gloomy fairytale content and on the other hand there's also a link to anonymous cold of this earthly existence and society, though, there are countless interpretations left. Releasing their 3rd album DORNENREICH will unveil a further one. Thus, it becomes clear that the term DORNENREICH is an actual impetus for their creativity. Besides, DORNENREICH appreciate their band name as for its visual presence within their minds and the minds of their emotional companions.
THE MUSIC
Evíga is emotionally convinced that DORNENREICH's music sets free that kind of intensity, which one normally experiences within dreams only. Somehow DORNENREICH succeed in the overwhelming creation of a varied adventure throughout all emotional areas of their inner selves. Personally Evíga thinks that the more they dedicate themselves to their music the more their listeners get involved with its charm and with DORNENREICH it definitely is an enormously high level of emotional dedication that flows among the imagination of themselves and the one of their listeners.
THE LYRICS
On their debut album Evíga's poems dealt with fundamental human feelings such as hate, which in many cases become that strong that the emotion seems to use the human being to enter this earthly existence. Moreover Evíga dealt with the mystic character of 'the night', transistorise and will power. When it comes to DORNENREICH's 2nd album the main lyrical theme is transistorises. Besides the borderline between dream and reality, which Evíga is dancing all the time, and the some personal ways of coping with the loss of beloved persons are further topics of 'Bitter ist's dem Tod zu dienen' ('Bitter it is serving the death'). The German language DORNENREICH uses, because primarily DORNENREICH has to be given the possibility to identify themselves with the message of the poems. Naturally the identification is the best, when the poems give - at least - an approximate of your very own way of perceiving. Thus, one's mother tongue seems to be - let's say - the least evil, because finally the wisest or most beautiful sounding words or phrases lack your inner core. Via Evíg's mother tongue he's able to hint on this core in an ambiguous, pun-relying and most personal way. DORNENREICH's music and poems are their life; consequently DORNENREICH try to be as honest as possible. Furthermore the German language offers a harsh sound and is rhythmic indeed and that's for sure important when it comes to their creative intention.
Source: http://www.angelfire.com/music3/dornenreich/news.html
