Editing Lacrimosa (band)

{{Short description|Swiss rock band}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=September 2021}}
{{Infobox musical artist
| name               = Lacrimosa
| image              = Lacrimosa (21739316766).jpg
| landscape          = yes
| image_size         = 300
| caption            = Lacrimosa live in 2015. L-R: Julien Schmidt (drums), Jay P. (guitar), Yenz Leonhardt (bass), [[Tilo Wolff]] (vocals), [[Henrik Flyman]] (guitar), [[Anne Nurmi]] (keyboard).
| alias              =
| origin             = [[Frankfurt]], Germany
| genre              = {{Hlist|[[Gothic metal]]|[[gothic rock]]|{{nowrap|[[dark wave]] (early)}}}}
| years_active       = 1990–present
| label              = Hall of Sermon<br>[[Nuclear Blast]]<br>[[East West Records]]<br>Deathwish Office
| associated_acts    = Snakeskin
| website            = {{URL|lacrimosa.com}}
| current_members    = 
*[[Tilo Wolff]]
*[[Anne Nurmi]]
| past_members       = 
}}

'''Lacrimosa''' is a <!-- Please note that Lacrimosa are, in fact, Swiss. Check the biography and 'Impressum' (contact details) on www.lacrimosa.ch.  -->Swiss [[gothic metal]] band led by German musician [[Tilo Wolff]], who is also the main composer, and Finn [[Anne Nurmi]]. They are currently based in Switzerland, but originally from Germany. Originally counted among the bands of the [[Neue Deutsche Todeskunst]] genre, Lacrimosa are most commonly associated with the [[gothic metal]] genre.<ref name=taz>{{cite news|url=http://www.taz.de/!2954/ |title=Ach, diese Tieftraurigkeit |language=de |first=Andreas |last=Hartmann |work=[[Die Tageszeitung]] |date=10 August 2007}}</ref>

Their musical style mixes [[gothic rock]] and [[heavy metal (music)|heavy metal]], along with [[violin]], [[trumpet]], and more [[classical music|classical]] instruments, although their musical development throughout the years has led to changes in instrumentation. Lacrimosa's lyrics are written almost exclusively in German, although since the 1995 album ''Inferno,'' every album has featured one or two songs in English. These songs are generally written by Anne Nurmi. Finnish has also appeared in the spoken intro to two songs ("Schakal" on ''Inferno'' and "The Turning Point" on ''Elodia'') and on a bonus track in a limited edition release of ''[[Fassade]]'' called ''Vankina''. Their lyrics are mainly about loneliness, sadness, darkness, despair, and love.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Lacrimosa |url=https://lyriki.com/Lacrimosa}}</ref>

The band has sold more than 20,000 copies of each album in Germany, but has also gained a large fanbase in Russia, Mexico and China.<ref name=taz/>

==Brief timeline==

* 1990: Tilo Wolff releases a tape called ''Clamor'' using the band name of Lacrimosa.
* 1991: Tilo Wolff founds a new record company called Hall of Sermon, as an independent label to publish Lacrimosa's records.
* 1993: Anne Nurmi joins the solo project to play keyboard, becoming a permanent member soon after.

==Style and themes==
{{Tone|Section|{{subst: 11 April 2021}}|date=April 2021}}

[[File:Lacrimosa 2005 - Anne Nurmi.jpg|thumb|Anne Nurmi]]

[[File:2014-07-27 Lacrimosa (Amphi festival 2014) 042.JPG|thumb|Tilo Wolff]]

Lacrimosa's first album, ''Angst'', is slow and minimal music, dominated by keyboards and voice. This early period explores fear, helplessness, loneliness, non-existence, unattainability, the illusionary nature of love, and death. The same themes can be found on the next three albums, ''Einsamkeit'', ''Satura'', and ''Inferno''. Musically, this period is characterised by the introduction of electric guitars and basses, with more rock elements being added.

''Stille'' was the beginning of their [[Heavy metal music|metal]] style. Heavy guitars and bombastic arrangements for classical instruments dominate the music in the style of [[symphonic metal]]. Thematically, ''Stille'' features several uplifting songs. "Stolzes Herz" ("Proud heart") and "Die Strasse der Zeit" ("The Lane of Time") praise individual and cultural strength. "Die Strasse der Zeit" describes a journey backwards through a history of war, greed, and stupidity, until the protagonist finds solace in [[Ancient Greece|ancient Greek]] culture.
 
The next album, ''[[Elodia (album)|Elodia]]'', reduced the metal-style guitars and increases the symphonic, classical arrangements, this time recorded in part by the [[London Symphony Orchestra]]. Presented as a play in three parts, ''Elodia'' revolves around the theme of [[love]].<ref name="TV">{{cite web |last=Grundei |first=Daniela |date=11 October 2005 |title=Lacrimosa – Elodia |url=http://www.terrorverlag.de/rezensionen/lacrimosa/elodia/ |access-date=21 November 2011 |work=Terrorverlag |publisher= |language=de}}</ref> The gothic element is still present and the themes of loss and death feature prominently in the latter half, but it ends with an affirmation of hope.

''[[Fassade]]'' features a variety of musical visions, from the metal sound of "Liebesspiel" ("Love Game") to flowing keyboards of "Senses", and the [[Symphony|symphonic]] interplay between guitars and orchestra on "Fassade". The latter, a piece in three movements arranged on the album as tracks 1, 5, and 8, explores a critique of modern society.<ref name="Exclaim">{{cite magazine |last=Wolanski |first=Coreen |date=1 February 2002 |year= |title=Lacrimosa Fassade |url=https://exclaim.ca/music/article/lacrimosa-fassade |magazine=[[Exclaim!]] |issue=2 |access-date=1 December 2023}}</ref><ref name="seducerFassade">{{cite magazine |last=Abresche |first=Thomas |date=October 2001 |year= |title=Lacrimosa – Fassade |url=http://www.sonic-seducer.de/index.php/component/option,com_reviews/anzeige,5827/func,detail/ |url-status=dead |magazine=Sonic Seducer |language=de |issue= |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120405192706/http://www.sonic-seducer.de/index.php/component/option%2Ccom_reviews/anzeige%2C5827/func%2Cdetail/ |archive-date=5 April 2012}}</ref> It ends with an affirmation of individuality and the protagonist's retreat from society.

In ''[[Echos (Lacrimosa album)|Echos]],'' guitars and other rock elements appear less often, whereas classical instruments feature more prominently. The orchestral arrangements move away from standard symphonic arrangements often found in contemporary metal music, as in the album's first track, "Kyrie - Overture". ''Echos'' also shows influence from electronic and [[industrial music]], as in the song "Ein Hauch von Menschlichkeit" ("A Touch of Humanity"). This album is more personal and quieter than those before it. It continues to explore love with gothic twists.<ref name="SeducerEchos">{{cite magazine |last=Abresche |first=Thomas |date=February 2003 |year= |title=Lacrimosa – Echos |url=http://www.sonic-seducer.de/index.php/component/option,com_reviews/anzeige,3331/func,detail/ |url-status=dead |magazine=Sonic Seducer |language=de |issue= |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120405192726/http://www.sonic-seducer.de/index.php/component/option%2Ccom_reviews/anzeige%2C3331/func%2Cdetail/ |archive-date=5 April 2012}}</ref>

Lacrimosa's ninth album, ''[[Lichtgestalt]]'', retains the classical elements, but rock elements begin to resurface.<ref name="Seducer">{{cite magazine |last=Lattekamp |first=Hendrik |date=May 2005 |year= |title=Lacrimosa – Lichtgestalt |url=http://www.sonic-seducer.de/index.php/component/option,com_reviews/anzeige,1066/func,detail/ |url-status=dead |magazine=Sonic Seducer |language=de |issue= |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131004215231/http://www.sonic-seducer.de/index.php/component/option%2Ccom_reviews/anzeige%2C1066/func%2Cdetail/ |archive-date=4 October 2013}}</ref> The first track, "Sapphire", begins as a slow, classical song but halfway moves into a [[Heavy metal music|metal]] section; the pace of the song increases, a heavy [[guitar]] backing takes over, and Wolff switches from singing into a high-pitched [[Death growl|death grunt]] for a few minutes. The remaining songs display a similar mix of styles to previous albums, with some upbeat songs, a song written and sung in English mainly by Anne Nurmi, and some slower-paced, sadder pieces.

In 2005, ''Lichtgestalten'' was released, containing a new electronic version of the song "Lichtgestalt", produced by Tilo for his solo project, ''Snakeskin''.
 
In 2006, a DVD called ''Musikkurzfilme'' was released, which contained all the video clips that Lacrimosa shot throughout their career, including the video for "Lichtgestalt".

''Sehnsucht'' was released in 2009. [[Tilo Wolff|Wolff]] wanted to create an album that was less conceptual and more spontaneous than the previous releases, so ''Sehnsucht'' features a variety of musical expressions.<ref name="SeducerSehnsucht">{{cite magazine |last=Schwarz |first=Jan |date=May 2009 |year= |title=Lacrimosa – Sehnsucht |url=http://www.sonic-seducer.de/index.php/component/option,com_reviews/anzeige,8783/func,detail/ |url-status=dead |magazine=Sonic Seducer |language=de |issue= |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140112114413/http://www.sonic-seducer.de/index.php/component/option%2Ccom_reviews/anzeige%2C8783/func%2Cdetail/ |archive-date=12 January 2014}}</ref>

In 2008, Lacrimosa's label Hall of Sermon reclaimed the rights to all of the band's Nuclear Blast releases.<ref>{{cite web |date=1 February 2008 |title=Lacrimosa albums re-released |url=http://www.side-line.com/news_comments.php?id=28885_0_2_1_C |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081216121813/https://www.side-line.com/news_comments.php?id=28885_0_2_1_C |archive-date=16 December 2008 |work=Side-Line}}</ref> In March 2008, Lacrimosa started working on their next studio album, entitled "Sehnsucht", which was released on 8 May 2009.

Their eleventh studio album was released in September 2012,<ref>{{cite magazine|title=Lacrimosa: Flexibilität |trans-title=Lacrimosa: Flexibility |first=Peter |last=Heymann |magazine=Sonic Seducer |publisher=Thomas Vogel Media |pages=14–15 |issue=7/8  |volume=19|year=2012 }}</ref> called ''[[Revolution (Lacrimosa album)|Revolution]]''.<ref>{{cite web |last=Wolff |first=Tilo |date=27 July 2012 |title=LACRIMOSA "Revolution" – the new artwork |url=https://lacrimosa.com/en/2012/07/27/lacrimosa-revolution-the-new-artwork/ |access-date=1 December 2023 |website=Lacrimosa - official page}}</ref> The first song on this release was written in 2009 while they were touring in China.<ref>{{cite web |last=Spiegel |first=Jase |date=15 December 2012 |title=Interview: Lacrimosa |url=http://www.rockrevoltmagazine.com/lacrimosainterview/ |work=RockRevolt Mag}}</ref>

In 2015, ''[[Hoffnung (Lacrimosa album)|Hoffnung]]'' was released, followed in 2017 by ''Testimonium'', which was meant as a commemorative album for recently deceased musicians like [[David Bowie]] and [[Prince (musician)|Prince]]. The band's latest album was released on 24 December 2021 with the title ''Leidenschaft'' ("Passion").<ref>{{Citation |title=Lacrimosa - Leidenschaft (2021, CD) |date= |url=https://www.discogs.com/release/21461302-Lacrimosa-Leidenschaft |work=Discogs |access-date=1 December 2023 |language=en}}</ref>

==Members==
* [[Tilo Wolff]] – vocals, programming, piano, keyboards, music production, arrangements <small>(1990–present)</small>
* [[Anne Nurmi]] – vocals, keyboards <small>(1993–present)</small>
* Jay P. (Jan-Peter Genkel) - guitar <small>(1996–present)</small>, bass <small>(1996–2001, studio)</small>
* Yenz Leonhardt (Jens Arnsted) - bass <small>(2001–present)</small>
* [[Henrik Flyman]] - guitar <small>(2009–present)</small>
* Julien Schmidt - drums <small>(2013–present)</small>

'''Past members:'''
*Gottfried Koch - guitar
*Sascha Gerbig - guitar
*Rüdiger "AC" Dreffein - drums
*Stefan Schwarzmann - drums

==Discography==
All albums and DVDs were published by Tilo Wolff's own label, Hall of Sermon.

===Albums===
{| class="wikitable"
|-
! rowspan="2" | Year
! rowspan="2" width="80" | Title
! colspan="5" | Peak positions
|-
! [[GfK Entertainment charts|GER]]<br><ref name="GEC album">{{cite web|url=https://www.offiziellecharts.de/suche?artistId=Lacrimosa|title=Discographie von Lacrimosa|publisher=GfK Entertainment|access-date=17 August 2022}}</ref>
! [[Ö3 Austria Top 40|AUT]]<br><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.austriancharts.at/showitem.asp?interpret=Lacrimosa&titel=Sehnsucht&cat=a |title=Lacrimosa in der österreichischen Hitparade |language=de |work=austriancharts.at |publisher=Hung Medien |access-date=22 November 2011 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140619144358/http://austriancharts.at/showitem.asp?interpret=Lacrimosa&titel=Sehnsucht&cat=a |archive-date=19 June 2014 }}</ref>
! [[Asociación Mexicana de Productores de Fonogramas y Videogramas|MEX]]
! [[OLiS|POL]]
! [[Schweizer Hitparade|SWI]]<br><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.SWIsscharts.com/showinterpret.asp?interpret=Lacrimosa |title=Lacrimosa in Swiss Charts |work=hitparade.ch |publisher=Hung Medien |access-date=22 November 2011 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141028094641/http://www.swisscharts.com/showinterpret.asp?interpret=Lacrimosa |archive-date=28 October 2014 }}</ref>
|-
| 1991
| ''[[Angst (Lacrimosa album)|Angst]]''
| align="center" <!--GER-->|–
| align="center" <!--AUT-->|–
| align="center" <!--MEX-->|–
| align="center" <!--POL-->|–
| align="center" <!--SWI-->|–
|-
| 1992
| ''[[Einsamkeit (Lacrimosa album)|Einsamkeit]]''
| align="center" <!--GER-->|–
| align="center" <!--AUT-->|–
| align="center" <!--MEX-->|–
| align="center" <!--POL-->|–
| align="center" <!--SWI-->|–
|-
| 1993
| ''Satura''
| align="center" <!--GER-->|–
| align="center" <!--AUT-->|–
| align="center" <!--MEX-->|–
| align="center" <!--POL-->|–
| align="center" <!--SWI-->|–
|-
| 1995
| ''Inferno''
| align="center" <!--GER-->|81
| align="center" <!--AUT-->|–
| align="center" <!--MEX-->|–
| align="center" <!--POL-->|–
| align="center" <!--SWI-->|–
|-
| 1997
| ''[[Stille (Lacrimosa album)|Stille]]''
| align="center" <!--GER-->|64
| align="center" <!--AUT-->|–
| align="center" <!--MEX-->|–
| align="center" <!--POL-->|–
| align="center" <!--SWI-->|–
|-
| 1999
| ''[[Elodia (album)|Elodia]]''
| align="center" <!--GER-->|12
| align="center" <!--AUT-->|–
| align="center" <!--MEX-->|–
| align="center" <!--POL-->|–
| align="center" <!--SWI-->|–
|-
| 2001
| ''[[Fassade]]''
| align="center" <!--GER-->|20
| align="center" <!--AUT-->|–
| align="center" <!--MEX-->|–
| align="center" <!--POL-->|31<ref>{{cite web|url=http://olis.onyx.pl/listy/index.asp?idlisty=53&lang=pl |title=Oficjalna lista sprzedaży - Official Retail Sales Chart |language=pl |date=22 October 2001 |access-date=21 November 2011 |work=[[OLiS]]}}</ref>
| align="center" <!--SWI-->|–
|-
| 2003
| ''[[Echos (Lacrimosa album)|Echos]]''
| align="center" <!--GER-->|13
| align="center" <!--AUT-->|–
| align="center" <!--MEX-->|–
| align="center" <!--POL-->|–
| align="center" <!--SWI-->|–
|-
| 2005
| ''[[Lichtgestalt]]''
| align="center" <!--GER-->|30
| align="center" <!--AUT-->|–
| align="center" <!--MEX-->|–
| align="center" <!--POL-->|21<ref>{{cite web|url=http://olis.onyx.pl/listy/index.asp?idlisty=258&lang=pl |title=Oficjalna lista sprzedaży - Official Retail Sales Chart |language=pl |work=[[OLiS]] |date=23 May 2005 |access-date=22 November 2011}}</ref>
| align="center" <!--SWI-->|–
|-
| 2009
| ''[[Sehnsucht (Lacrimosa album)|Sehnsucht]]''
| align="center" <!--GER-->|35
| align="center" <!--AUT-->|68
| align="center" <!--MEX-->|49<ref name="losa">{{cite web|url=http://acharts.us/album/43712 |title=Lacrimosa - Sehnsucht |work=aCharts.us |access-date=22 November 2011}}</ref>
| align="center" <!--POL-->|–
| align="center" <!--SWI-->|82
|-
| 2012
| ''[[Revolution (Lacrimosa album)|Revolution]]''
| align="center" <!--GER-->|35
| align="center" <!--AUT-->|–
| align="center" <!--MEX-->|–
| align="center" <!--POL-->|–
| align="center" <!--SWI-->|–
|-
| 2015
| ''[[Hoffnung (Lacrimosa album)|Hoffnung]]''
| align="center" <!--GER-->|28
| align="center" <!--AUT-->|–
| align="center" <!--MEX-->|–
| align="center" <!--POL-->|–
| align="center" <!--SWI-->|–
|-
| 2017
| ''Testimonium''<ref>[http://www.lacrimosa.ch/cms/front_content.php?changelang=2&idart=681 The new Album: TESTIMONIUM]</ref>
| align="center" <!--GER-->|32
| align="center" <!--AUT-->|–
| align="center" <!--MEX-->|–
| align="center" <!--POL-->|–
| align="center" <!--SWI-->|–
|-
| 2021
| ''Leidenschaft''
| align="center" <!--GER-->|26
| align="center" <!--AUT-->|–
| align="center" <!--MEX-->|–
| align="center" <!--POL-->|–
| align="center" <!--SWI-->|–
|-
| 2025
| ''Lament''
| align="center" <!--GER-->|7
| align="center" <!--AUT-->|–
| align="center" <!--MEX-->|–
| align="center" <!--POL-->|–
| align="center" <!--SWI-->|–
|-
|}

===Live albums===
{| class="wikitable"
|-
! rowspan="2" | Year
! rowspan="2" | Title
! colspan="2" | Peak positions
|-
! [[GfK Entertainment charts|GER]]<ref name="GEC album"/>
! [[Asociación Mexicana de Productores de Fonogramas y Videogramas|MEX]]
|-
| 1998
| ''Live'' (2 CD)
| align="center" <!--GER-->|–
| align="center" <!--MEX-->|–
|-
| 2007
| ''Lichtjahre'' (2 CD)
| align="center" <!--GER-->|70
| align="center" <!--MEX-->|64<ref>{{cite web|url=http://acharts.us/album/44544 |title=Lacrimosa - Lichtjahre |work=aCharts.us |access-date=13 October 2012}}</ref>
|-
|2014
| ''Live In Mexico City'' (2 CD)
| align="center" <!--GER-->|58
| align="center" <!--MEX-->|–
|}

===Compilation albums===
{| class="wikitable"
|-
! rowspan="2" | Year
! rowspan="2" | Title
! colspan="2" | Peak positions
|-
! [[GfK Entertainment charts|GER]]<ref name="GEC album"/>
! [[Asociación Mexicana de Productores de Fonogramas y Videogramas|MEX]]
|-
| 2002
| ''Vintage Classix'' (7 LPs)
| align="center" <!--GER-->|–
|
|-
| 2010
| ''Schattenspiel''
| align="center" <!--GER-->|51
| align="center" <!--MEX-->|51<ref>{{cite web|url=http://acharts.us/album/55530 |title=Lacrimosa - Schattenspiel |work=aCharts.us |access-date=13 October 2012}}</ref>
|-
| 2019
| ''Zeitreise''
| align="center" <!--GER-->|59
| align="center" <!--MEX-->|
|-
|}

===Singles===
{| class="wikitable"
|-
! rowspan="2" | Year !! rowspan="2" | Title !! rowspan="2" | Album !! Peak positions
|-
! [[GfK Entertainment charts|GER]]<ref>{{cite web|title=Lacrimosa – Single-Chartverfolgung |work=Musicline.de |publisher=Phononet |access-date=14 November 2015 |language=de |url=http://www.musicline.de/de/chartverfolgung_summary/artist/Lacrimosa/14025/?type=single}}</ref>
|-
| 1994 || "Schakal" (Jackal) || ''Inferno'' || align="center" | –
|-
| 1996 || "Stolzes Herz" (Proud Heart) || ''[[Stille (Lacrimosa album)|Stille]]'' || align="center" | -
|-
| 1999 || "Alleine zu zweit" (Together Alone) || ''Elodia'' || align="center" | 52
|-
| 2001 || "Der Morgen danach" (The Morning After) || ''[[Fassade]]'' || align="center" | 50
|-
| 2002 || "Durch Nacht und Flut" (Through Night and Flood) || ''[[Echos (Lacrimosa album)|Echos]]'' || align="center" | 52
|-
| 2002 || "Durch Nacht und Flut" (Special Edition) (Through Night and Flood) || ''[[Echos (Lacrimosa album)|Echos]]'' || align="center" | 52
|-
| 2005 || "The Party is Over" || ''[[Lichtgestalt]]'' || align="center" | –
|-
| 2009 || "I Lost my Star"|| ''[[Sehnsucht (Lacrimosa album)|Sehnsucht]]'' || align="center" | –
|-
| 2009 || "Feuer" (Fire)|| ''[[Sehnsucht (Lacrimosa album)|Sehnsucht]]'' || align="center" | –
|-
| 2009 || "Mandira Nabula" || ''Sehnsucht'' || align="center" | –
|-
|}

===Demos and extended plays===
{| class="wikitable"
|-
! Year !! Title !! Type
|-
| 1990 || "Clamor" || 2-track demo tape
|-
| 1993 || ''Alles Lüge'' ("''All Lies''") || [[Extended play|EP]] 
|-
| 2005 || ''Lichtgestalten'' ("''Luminous Beings''") || EP
|-
| 2010 || "Sellador" || Club promo
|-
| 2010 || "Untitled" || Club promo
|-
| 2013 || ''Morning Glory'' || EP
|-
| 2013 || ''Heute Nacht'' ("''Tonight''") || EP
|}

==Videography==

===VHS===
{| class="wikitable"
|-
! Year !! Title 
|-
| 1995 || ''The Clips 1993-1995''
|-
| 1997 || ''The Silent Clips''
|}

===DVD===
{| class="wikitable"
|-
! Year !! Title 
|-
| 2000 || ''The Live History''
|-
| 2005 || ''Musikkurzfilme'' (Short Music Films)
|-
| 2007 || ''Lichtjahre'' (Lightyears)
|-
| 2015 || ''Live in Mexico City''
|}

== References ==
{{reflist}}

== External links ==
{{commonscat}}
* {{official website|http://www.lacrimosa.ch|Lacrimosa}}
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20070808081704/http://snakeskin.ch/e/index.htm Snakeskin], a side project of Tilo Wolff
* [http://headbanger.ru/interviews/155?lng=en Interview with Tilo Wolff "Emotional Concept" June 4, 2010]
* {{discogs artist|Lacrimosa}}
* {{imdb name|2917852}}

{{Lacrimosa}}

{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Lacrimosa}}
[[Category:German dark wave musical groups]]
[[Category:German gothic metal musical groups]]
[[Category:German symphonic metal musical groups]]
[[Category:Musical groups established in 1990]]
[[Category:Neue Deutsche Todeskunst groups]]
[[Category:Nuclear Blast artists]]