Dark Funeral erupted onto the Swedish black metal scene with their 1996 debut album, “The Secrets of the Black Arts.” This blasphemous declaration of war unleashed a furious blizzard of blast beats, icy tremolo guitars, and Themgoroth’s relentless vocal assault. Raw and uncompromising, it remains a landmark of 90s Satanic black metal.
Length: 40:53
Black metal
January, 1996
No Fashion Records
January, 1995
Unisound Studios (Finspång, Sweden)
Dark Funeral and Peter Tägtgren
Satanism: The album title and song titles like “Satan’s Mayhem” directly reference Satan as a figure of rebellion and power. Lyrics include praise of Satan and inversions of Christian symbolism.
Darkness and Evil: Songs like “My Dark Desires” and “Shadows Over Transylvania” explore themes of evil, shadow, and embracing a sinister aesthetic.
Anti-Christianity: The album contains strong anti-religious sentiments and attacks against Christianity, a common theme in the black metal scene of the time.
Occultism: The album title’s reference to “Black Arts” suggests an interest in occult imagery and symbolism, though less pronounced than in some other black metal albums.
Aggressive: Furious blast beats, tremolo-picked guitars, and Themgoroth’s harsh vocals create a relentless assault.
Cold: The raw production and icy atmosphere create a sense of grimness and unyielding darkness.
Melodic: Despite the aggression, the album features distinct melodic leads and some somber acoustic passages, adding a touch of haunting beauty.
Triumphant: Many songs have an undercurrent of pride and a sense of power within the embrace of darkness.
Primitive: The album’s production style has a raw, unpolished quality that contributes to a sense of old-school black metal authenticity.
Unisound Connection: Unisound Studios, where the album was recorded, was a hub for many Swedish black and death metal bands like Dissection and Marduk.
Two Versions Exist: Dark Funeral was reportedly dissatisfied with the original album mix at Unisound. They later re-recorded it at Abyss Studios, leading to the existence of different-sounding versions of the album.
Double Release?: Some sources claim there were two mixes of the album done. However, this seems to stem primarily from the existence of the 2007 remix as a bonus feature on reissues.
Bonus Cover: The album includes a cover of the classic Von song “Satanic Blood,” showcasing Dark Funeral’s influences.
Cult Status: Despite initial mixed critiques, the album has gained a strong cult following and is considered a landmark album of ’90s Swedish black metal.
January 1, 1996
Dark Funeral’s 1996 debut album,
“The Secrets of the Black Arts,” is a raw and aggressive black metal release. It features fast tempos, tremolo picking, blast beats, and demonic vocals, establishing the band’s signature sound.