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Secret of the Runes (album)
Encyclopedia
Secret of the Runes is the tenth full-length musical album by symphonic metal
band Therion
. Cover artwork was made by Thomas Ewerhard. A music video was filmed for the Summer Night City
cover.
contains two bonus tracks:
alphabet. On the back cover every song has its own rune character:
Secret of the Runes title is written in the Elder Futhark alphabet on the front cover as:
· 
· 
· 
and it is transliterated
as: "sekret of þ
Symphonic metal
Symphonic metal is a term used to describe heavy metal music that has symphonic elements; that is, elements that are either borrowed from classical music or, as with progressive rock music, create a style reminiscent of it, e.g...
band Therion
Therion (band)
Therion is a Swedish symphonic metal band founded by Christofer Johnsson in 1987. The word "therion" comes from the Greek therion , meaning "Beast," i.e., that of the Christian Book of Revelation...
. Cover artwork was made by Thomas Ewerhard. A music video was filmed for the Summer Night City
Summer Night City
"Summer Night City", written by Björn Ulvaeus and Benny Andersson, is ABBA's 2nd non-album single, released on September 6, 1978. It was originally intended as the lead single from the group's upcoming Voulez-Vous album, but was eventually not included...
cover.
Track listing
- "GinnungagapGinnungagapIn Norse mythology, Ginnungagap was the vast, primordial void that existed prior to the creation of the manifest universe, corresponding to the Greek notion of Chaos...
(Prologue)" - 6:10 - "MidgårdMidgardMidgard is one of the Nine Worlds and is an old Germanic name for our world and is the home of Humans, with the literal meaning "middle enclosure".-Etymology:...
" - 5:04 - "AsgårdAsgardIn Norse religion, Asgard is one of the Nine Worlds and is the country or capital city of the Norse Gods surrounded by an incomplete wall attributed to a Hrimthurs riding the stallion Svadilfari, according to Gylfaginning. Valhalla is located within Asgard...
" - 4:07 - "Jotunheim" - 3:43
- "Schwarzalbenheim" - 5:18
- "LjusalfheimÁlfheimAlfheim is one of the Nine Worlds and home of the Light Elves in Norse mythology and appears also in Anglo-Scottish ballads under the form Elfhame as a fairyland, sometimes modernized as Elfland .-In Old Norse texts:Álfheim as an abode of the Elves is mentioned only twice in Old Norse texts.The...
" - 3:53 - "MuspelheimMuspelheimIn Norse mythology, Muspelheim , also called Múspell, is a realm of fire. This realm is one of the Nine Worlds and it is home to the fire jötunn or the Sons of Muspell, and Surtr, their ruler. It is fire; and the land to the North, Niflheim, is ice...
" - 2:13 - "NifelheimNiflheimNiflheim is one of the Nine Worlds and is a location in Norse mythology which overlaps with the notions of Niflhel and Hel...
" - 4:33 - "Vanaheim" - 4:02
- "HelheimHel (realm)In Norse mythology, Hel, the location, shares a name with Hel, a female figure associated with the location. In late Icelandic sources, varying descriptions of Hel are given and various figures are described as being buried with items that will facilitate their journey to Hel after their death...
" - 3:18 - "Secret of the Runes (Epilogue)" - 4:30
Digipak edition
DigipakDigipak
Digipak is a patented style of CD, DVD or BD packaging, and is a registered trademark of AGI World Ltd., an Atlas Holdings company.-Features:...
contains two bonus tracks:
- "Crying Days" (ScorpionsScorpions (band)Scorpions are a heavy metal/hard rock band from Hannover, Germany, formed in 1965 by guitarist Rudolf Schenker, who is the band's only constant member. They are known for their 1980s rock anthem "Rock You Like a Hurricane" and many singles, such as "No One Like You", "Send Me an Angel", "Still...
cover) - 4:32 - "Summer Night CitySummer Night City"Summer Night City", written by Björn Ulvaeus and Benny Andersson, is ABBA's 2nd non-album single, released on September 6, 1978. It was originally intended as the lead single from the group's upcoming Voulez-Vous album, but was eventually not included...
" (ABBAABBAABBA was a Swedish pop group formed in Stockholm in 1970 which consisted of Anni-Frid Lyngstad, Björn Ulvaeus, Benny Andersson and Agnetha Fältskog...
cover) - 4:55
Limited edition
Limited edition also contains two bonus tracks:- "The Wings of the Hydra (live)"
- "Black Sun (live)".
Runes
Runes shown on the front cover (and also in the booklet) are Nordic runes with the Elder FutharkElder Futhark
The Elder Futhark is the oldest form of the runic alphabet, used by Germanic tribes for Northwest Germanic and Migration period Germanic dialects of the 2nd to 8th centuries for inscriptions on artifacts such as jewellery, amulets, tools, weapons and runestones...
alphabet. On the back cover every song has its own rune character:
- "Ginnungagap (Prologue)"
-
"Midgård" -
"Asgård" - "Jotunheim"
-
"Schwarzalbenheim" -
"Ljusalfheim" - "Muspelheim"
-
"Nifelheim" -
"Vanaheim" -
"Helheim" - "Secret of the Runes (Epilogue)"
Secret of the Runes title is written in the Elder Futhark alphabet on the front cover as:
· · · and it is transliterated
Transliteration
Transliteration is a subset of the science of hermeneutics. It is a form of translation, and is the practice of converting a text from one script into another...
as: "sekret of þ
Credits
- Christofer JohnssonChristofer JohnssonChristofer Johnsson is a Swedish musician. He is a founding member and the guitar player for Therion and used to be in Carbonized, Liers in Wait, Messiah and Demonoid. He is a member of the magical order Dragon Rouge and founder of the defunct Dark Age Music label...
- rhythm guitarRhythm guitarRhythm guitar is a technique and rôle that performs a combination of two functions: to provide all or part of the rhythmic pulse in conjunction with singers or other instruments; and to provide all or part of the harmony, ie. the chords, where a chord is a group of notes played together...
, keyboardsKeyboard instrumentA keyboard instrument is a musical instrument which is played using a musical keyboard. The most common of these is the piano. Other widely used keyboard instruments include organs of various types as well as other mechanical, electromechanical and electronic instruments...
, percussionPercussion instrumentA percussion instrument is any object which produces a sound when hit with an implement or when it is shaken, rubbed, scraped, or otherwise acted upon in a way that sets the object into vibration...
, additional choir and orchestra arrangement on Bonus Tracks - Kristian NiemannKristian NiemannKristian Niemann is a guitarist, ex-member of Therion, Lithium and Demonoid bands. He studied jazz at Musicians Institute. In 1996 his song "Industrial Type Thang" was featured in JSR Records' compilation Hottest Unknown Guitarists. His style of playing mostly centers around legato, sweep picking,...
- leadLead guitarLead guitar is a guitar part which plays melody lines, instrumental fill passages, guitar solos, and occasionally, some riffs within a song structure...
and rhythm guitar - Johan NiemannJohan NiemannJohan Niemann is best known for being the actual bass player for Evergrey and co-founding the band Mind's Eye, for membership of Swedish heavy metal band Therion and as a member of the Scandinavian theatrical metal band Evil Masquerade.He is also currently live guitarist for Tiamat...
- bass guitarBass guitarThe bass guitar is a stringed instrument played primarily with the fingers or thumb , or by using a pick.... - Sami KarppinenSami KarppinenSami Kristian Karppinen is a former drummer of Swedish heavy metal band Therion , sound engineer and producer in Modern Art Studio, and session drummer.- References :...
- drumsDrum kitA drum kit is a collection of drums, cymbals and often other percussion instruments, such as cowbells, wood blocks, triangles, chimes, or tambourines, arranged for convenient playing by a single person ....
, percussion - Piotr WawrzeniukPiotr WawrzeniukPiotr Wawrzeniuk is a Polish vocalist and drummer. Best known for membership in symphonic metal Therion, but also member of Serpent, Carbonized and The Robots.-Music career:...
- lead vocals on "Crying Days" and "Summernight City"
Vocal and string soloists
- Marika Schonberg - solo soprano
- Erika Andersson - solo alto
- Carl Rahmqvist - solo tenor-baritone
- Anna Rodell - solo violin
- Asa Akerberg - solo cello
- Thomas KarlssonThomas KarlssonThomas Karlsson is a Swedish occultist and an esoteric author. In the summer of 2007, he has held the first Swedish course ever in Western Esotericism.. He is an occultist with many years of experience. Founder and head of magical order of Dragon Rouge, a Left-Hand Path initiatory organization and...
- whispering voice on "Ljusalfheim"
Choir
- Kristina Hansson - coloratura soprano
- Anna-Maria Krawe - soprano
- Anna Artursson - alto
- Marika Schonberg - alto
- Henrik Holmberg - tenor
- Patrik Forsman - tenor
- Carl Rahmqvist - tenor-baritone
- Joakim Berg - bass-baritone
String ensemble
- Anna Rodell - first violin
- Josef Cabrales-Alin - first violin
- Malin Samuelsson - second violin
- Johan Moren - second violin
- Linda Svedrup - viola
- Niklas Sjunesson - viola
- Asa Akerberg - cello
- Monica Jonsson - cello
Woodwinds (solo and ensemble)
- Fareidah Hildebrand - fluteFluteThe flute is a musical instrument of the woodwind family. Unlike woodwind instruments with reeds, a flute is an aerophone or reedless wind instrument that produces its sound from the flow of air across an opening...
, alt flute, piccoloPiccoloThe piccolo is a half-size flute, and a member of the woodwind family of musical instruments. The piccolo has the same fingerings as its larger sibling, the standard transverse flute, but the sound it produces is an octave higher than written... - Erik Rodell - oboeOboeThe oboe is a double reed musical instrument of the woodwind family. In English, prior to 1770, the instrument was called "hautbois" , "hoboy", or "French hoboy". The spelling "oboe" was adopted into English ca...
, English horn - Henrik Blixt - bassoonBassoonThe bassoon is a woodwind instrument in the double reed family that typically plays music written in the bass and tenor registers, and occasionally higher. Appearing in its modern form in the 19th century, the bassoon figures prominently in orchestral, concert band and chamber music literature...
, contrabassoonContrabassoonThe contrabassoon, also known as the double bassoon or double-bassoon, is a larger version of the bassoon, sounding an octave lower...
Brass ensemble
- Mikael Sorensen - trumpetTrumpetThe trumpet is the musical instrument with the highest register in the brass family. Trumpets are among the oldest musical instruments, dating back to at least 1500 BCE. They are played by blowing air through closed lips, producing a "buzzing" sound which starts a standing wave vibration in the air...
, fluegelhorn - Ayman Al Fakir - hornHorn (instrument)The horn is a brass instrument consisting of about of tubing wrapped into a coil with a flared bell. A musician who plays the horn is called a horn player ....
, Wagner tubaWagner tubaThe Wagner tuba is a comparatively rare brass instrument that combines elements of both the French horn and the tuba. Also referred to as the "Bayreuth Tuba", it was originally created for Richard Wagner's operatic cycle Der Ring des Nibelungen. Since then, other composers have written for it, most... - Kristina Borg - horn
- Rune Bodin - tromboneTromboneThe trombone is a musical instrument in the brass family. Like all brass instruments, sound is produced when the player’s vibrating lips cause the air column inside the instrument to vibrate...
Choir and orchestra on Bonus Tracks
- Anna Rodell - first violin
- Elisabeth Lagergren - second violin
- Petter Axelsson - viola
- Erik Rodell - oboe
- Ingela Bolin - soprano (ensemble and solo), alto
- Anna Artursson - soprano, alto
- Henrik Holmberg - tenor, baritone
- Pierre Pettersson - tenor (ensemble and solo), baritone
Charts
| Chart (2001) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| Polish Albums Chart OLiS OLiS is the official list of the highest selling music albums in Poland. The list exists since October 23, 2000 and is provided by ZPAV.... |
38 |