Reflections of Darkness - Music Magazine - Diary of Dreams

Details: Written by: Sebastian Huhn; Published: 20 November 2010

Pulp, Duisburg, Germany
18th November 2010
Diary of Dreams, dAVOS

The reaction to the past dates was mildly put rave and me quite curious after all the reports I read. Duisburg was the fourth stop on DIARY OF DREAMS’ Ego:X tour and the one I could finally convince myself whether those praise was justified or not…

dAVOS

The band has been founded by two founding members of SHARON NEXT complemented with a solo artist as front man. Ever since those three have joined forces a lot has happened. They’ve released three EPs on three different labels and through joint-ventures with AND ONE or L’AME IMMORTELLE they’ve gained quite a high reputation in the German electro scene. At the end of 2007 they eventually unleashed their first full-length ‘Just like mine’ on Synthom Records. In 2009, a split EP was released comprising 3 songs of the band with 3 others from HEIRSTYLE. Currently, the band is working on their new album. dAVOS is Michael Ruin (music) and Eric Nelson (vocals). http://www.davos-music.com/ / http://www.myspace.com/musicdavos

Music & Performance
First of all, however, DAVOS would step into the spotlights of the stage to do the warm-up. I have to say that especially the first track ‘What I Prefer’ wasn’t particularly made to achieve that goal; a calm, moody track sounded from up there and so the reaction wasn’t what you’d call euphoric. After all, some nodding heads could be spotted. ‘Illuminate’ was going for a faster approach and also Eric Nelson’s movements got more vivid, though it was still easy to see he didn’t feel overly comfortable on stage yet and I suppose that is due to a lack of live experience. Third track ‘These Days’ was an improvement in vocal strength, that is, they came across with much more force. Dancing anywhere? Not much as far as I could see but applause after a song ended. A naturally shorter support set ended with ‘Lass es sein’ and the conclusion that DAVOS music isn’t quite something suitable to warm-up, yet to listen to on the side.

Setlist
01. What I Prefer
02. Illuminate
03. These Days
04. For Heaven's Sake
05. My New Pearl
06. Decline
07. Lass es sein

Rating
Music: 6
Performance: 6
Sound: 7
Light: 7
Total: 6.3 / 10

Diary of Dreams

Since 1989, DIARY OF DREAMS enchants a still growing fan base all over the world with beautiful and at times fragile tunes. Already 1.5 years after ‘Nekrolog 43’, the latest album ‘(if)’ was released on 13th March 2009. In October 2009, the ‘King of Nowhere’ MCD including a brand new video clip has been released. In early 2010, the band was supporting UNHEILIG on their "Große Freiheit" tour. As a vanguard to the upcoming new album ‘Ego:X’, slated for release in spring 2011 the track ‘Echo in Me’ was released digitally with the fans being able to choose what they’d like to pay for the download. http://www.diaryofdreams.de / http://www.myspace.com/diaryofdreams

Music & Performance
The crowd thickened prior to the main act’s show with everyone being so excited to see how the show was going to turn out. First it got dark and an intro sounded while the band, including their two new members on keys and drums appeared. Not much time to waste, they started right afterwards with the disquieting lead-in to ‘Nekrolog 43’ that’s gotten an even rockier rework before ‘the Wedding’ raised extremely passionate movements up on stage. The next one was supposed to be the first in a row of new songs from the upcoming new album. ‘Echo In Me’ that ”one or the other might have downloaded legally already” kicked in with melancholy vocals soaring over energetic soundscapes embraced by immersive layers, and the audience celebrated it and afterwards hailed the band with tumultuous applause and screaming - well deserved, I might add.. Also ‘Odyssey Asylum’ got wrapped in an intriguing live suit that carefully highlighted the pushing sections of the track without letting them have to much dominance overall. Then one favourite came up, referred to here simply by its nickname ‘Tick’, never failing to make an audience rock, following the band suit wandering over the colourfully illuminated stage.

‘Splinter’ was the next track delivered to us building a brooding tension, filtered through a rather slow structure. Another track that makes waiting for the new record harder! It is always a risk playing unknown songs to a crowd at a life show. But what’s been indicated during the showcase of the last new track already, found its continuation with the next one: It met with overall enthusiasm. I was already curious how ‘Choir Hotel’ would turn out as a live track and after ‘King Of Nowhere’ enchanted us once again; I should come to know finally. Absolutely fabulous live rendition of the track with a band that had just as much fun presenting it as the audience had with dancing. After we were introduced to the powerful side of the upcoming album, Adrian said the next on would show the album also knows other tonalities and that the next song was called ‘Immerdar’ which I found myself a, in my opinion, very fitting description for: A glimmer of hope weaved in minor! A dream of a song you can’t possibly ever forget once heard. Contrary to that, the last in the row of new songs ‘Undividable’ played it very fast, building straight to a lashing climax whose rousing attraction nobody could escape from, really

The main part of the set concluded then with one of the band’s crowd pleasers ‘Kindrom’ where fans and band came much closer to each other. Adrian for that occasion chose to step down on that sort of catwalk to encourage the audience up close while his band mates kept rocking above. With that reactions following it were no question there would be an encore, but a different kind of encore. For the next minutes we were in for an acoustic treat where delicate sounds had the upper hand and especially the new keyboarder could play out his skills on the instrument to the fullest which gave one or the other song a fine, jazzy flavour. Those songs like ‘O’Brother Sleep’ or ‘Giftraum’ were arranged in a way you first wouldn’t recognize them anymore. Reminds me that I would like to see a full acoustic show one day as well! The audience was that much stirred they demanded another encore which was granted with 3 additional songs with ‘MenschFeind’, a grandiose ‘Soul Stripper’, which saw even the band cracking up completely, and a calm ending with ‘She And Her Darkness’. That was one of the best DoD shows I’ve seen this far. The band was in awesome mood and always up for a joke, the audience screamed and partied and the setlist near perfect. An overall success!

Setlist
01. Nekrolog 43
02. The Wedding
03. Echo in me
04. Odyssey Asylum
05. Hypo)crypticK(al
06. Splinter
07. King Of Nowhere
08. Choir Hotel
09. Immerdar
10. The Darkest Of All Hours
11. UnWanted
12. Undividable
13. 21 Grams Of Nothing
14. The Chain
15. The Plague
16. Chemicals
17. Kindrom
---
18. O'Brother Sleep
19. The Curse
20. Giftraum
21. Traumtänzer
---
22. MenschFeind
23. Soul Stripper
24. She and her Darkness

Rating
Music: 9
Performance: 9
Sound: 9
Light: 8
Total: 8.7 / 10