The Secrets of the Black Arts is the debut album by Dark Funeral

Dark Funeral

Dark Funeral is a black metal band from Stockholm, Sweden, founded by guitarists Blackmoon and Lord Ahriman in 1993. They are one of the bands to have emerged in Sweden during the Second wave of black metal....

 released on January 28, 1996 by No Fashion Records. It was re-released on July 31, 2007 with a bonus disc consisting of the album original recording.

The original recording was produced by Dan Swanö

Dan Swanö

Dan-Erland Swanö is a Swedish musician who is currently the vocalist, guitarist, ex-bassist and ex-drummer for the band Nightingale as well as the Owner of Unisound but he achieved fame as the vocalist and songwriter of progressive death metal band Edge of Sanity.As a multi-instrumentalist he is...

 at Unisound Studios. According to Blackmoon, he insisted that they rerecord the album due to "severely unprofessional production and manner from Mr. Swanö." He continued, "He was overworked and mentally tired when we came to the studio. Also, our then drummer was not playing as good as he should have. So it ended up crap." The rest of the band was satisfied with the recording, but Blackmoon refused to release the album with that recording. They decided on Abyss Studio and recorded the album that was eventually released to the public.

A music video was shot for "The Secrets Of The Black Arts".

Track listing

1. The Dark Age Has Arrived (intro)" - 0:16
2. The Secrets of the Black Arts" - 3:42
3. "My Dark Desires" - 3:47
4. "The Dawn No More Rises" - 4:00
5. "When Angels Forever Die" - 4:07
6. "The Fire Eternal" - 3:55
7. "Satan's Mayhem" - 4:54
8. "Shadows Over Transylvania" - 3:41
9. "Bloodfrozen" - 4:21
10. "Satanic Blood" (Von
    Von (band)
    Von was a First Wave black metal band from San Francisco, California, USA. They are thought to be the first American black metal band, and have strongly influenced the second wave of black metal.-Biography:...
    
     cover) - 2:11
11. "Dark Are the Path to Eternity (A Summoning Nocturnal)" - 5:59

Bonus disc

1. "Shadows Over Transylvania" - 3:41
2. "The Dawn No More Rises" - 4:00
3. "The Secrets of the Black Arts" - 3:42
4. "Satan's Mayhem" - 4:54
5. "Bloodfrozen" - 4:21
6. "My Dark Desires" - 3:47
7. "Dark Are the Path to Eternity (A Summoning Nocturnal)" - 5:59
8. "The Fire Eternal" - 3:55

Personnel

• Lord Ahriman
  Lord Ahriman
  Lord Ahriman is a Swedish musician and composer best known as the primary guitarist and songwriter of black metal band Dark Funeral. He is the only founding member remaining in the band, he is also rhythm guitarist in Wolfen Society...
  
   – guitar
  Guitar
  The guitar is a plucked string instrument, usually played with fingers or a pick. The guitar consists of a body with a rigid neck to which the strings, generally six in number, are attached. Guitars are traditionally constructed of various woods and strung with animal gut or, more recently, with...
  
  s
• Blackmoon
  David Parland
  David Parland is a Swedish metal guitarist, best known for his work in the bands Dark Funeral, Necrophobic and Infernal, in all of which he was one of the founding members.-Biography:...
  
   – guitars, vocals (10)
• Themgoroth – bass
  Bass guitar
  The bass guitar is a stringed instrument played primarily with the fingers or thumb , or by using a pick....
  
  , vocals
• Equimanthorn – drums
  Drum kit
  A 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 ....