Secret of the Runes (album)

Secret of the Runes is the tenth full-length musical 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.

Secret of the Runes
Studio album by
Therion
Released8 October 2001[1]
RecordedMay − June 2001[2]
StudioModern Art Studio (Stockholm, Sweden)
GenreSymphonic metal
Length57:18
LabelNuclear Blast
NB 625-2
Digipack: NB 683-2
ProducerTherion, Christofer Johnsson
Therion chronology
The Early Chapters of Revelation
(2000)		 Secret of the Runes
(2001)		 Bells of Doom
(2001)
Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
Allmusic[3]

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.

  1. "Ginnungagap" - 6:10
  2. "Midgård" - 5:04
  3. "Asgård" - 4:07 sample 
  4. "Jotunheim" - 3:43
  5. "Schwarzalbenheim" - 5:18
  6. "Ljusalfheim" - 3:53
  7. "Muspelheim" - 2:13
  8. "Nifelheim" - 4:33
  9. "Vanaheim" - 4:02
  10. "Helheim" - 3:18
  11. "Secret of the Runes" - 4:30

Digipak edition

Digipak contains two bonus tracks:

  1. "Crying Days" (Scorpions cover) - 4:32
  2. "Summer Night City" (ABBA cover) - 4:55

Limited edition

Limited edition also contains two bonus tracks:

  1. "The Wings of the Hydra (live)"
  2. "Black Sun (live)".

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:

  1. "Ginnungagap (Prologue)"
  2. "Midgård"
  3. "Asgård"
  4. "Jotunheim"
  5. "Schwarzalbenheim"
  6. "Ljusalfheim"
  7. "Muspelheim"
  8. "Nifelheim"
  9. "Vanaheim"
  10. "Helheim"
  11. "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

Charts
Chart (2001) Peak
position
Polish Albums Chart 38[4]

References
  1. "News on October 8th, 2001". megatherion.com. October 8, 2001. Retrieved February 18, 2020.
  2. "About recording of "Secret of the runes"". megatherion.com. May 11, 2001. Retrieved February 18, 2020.
  3. O'Neill, Brian (2001-11-13). "Allmusic review". Allmusic.com. Retrieved 2012-06-04.
  4. "Oficjalna lista sprzedaży :: OLiS - Official Retail Sales Chart". OLiS. 2001-10-14. Retrieved 2012-06-04.
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