Secret of the Runes (album) explained
Secret of the Runes is the tenth studio album by Swedish symphonic metal band Therion. It's a concept album based on Norse mythology, where each song describes one of the nine worlds. Cover artwork was made by Thomas Ewerhard, it features nine Scandinavian runes, each corresponding to a certain mythological world.
Album also includes two cover versions as bonus tracks. A music video was filmed for the Summer Night City cover.
Track listing
All songs written by Christofer Johnsson.
Runes
Runes shown on the front cover (and also in the booklet) are Nordic runes with the Elder Futhark 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 as: "sekret of þe runes".
Credits
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 Karlsson - 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)
Brass ensemble
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
External links
Notes and References
- Web site: News on October 8th, 2001. megatherion.com . October 8, 2001 . https://web.archive.org/web/20040808172443/http://www.megatherion.com/news.asp?id=100. February 18, 2020. 2004-08-08.
- Web site: About recording of "Secret of the runes". megatherion.com . May 11, 2001 . https://web.archive.org/web/20011110162012/http://www.megatherion.com/kliffoth.asp#cj5. February 18, 2020. 2001-11-10.
- Web site: Oficjalna lista sprzedaży :: OLiS - Official Retail Sales Chart . OLiS . 2001-10-14 . 2012-06-04.