This bio is taken from
the official Dark Funeral site....
-1993-
Is when it all began
when the mighty Lord Ahriman and Blackmoon (David Parland) founded
the war machine we now know as DARK FUNERAL. They are later joined
by Draugen and Themgorot
-1994-
The legendary, self-titled and self-financed
mini-cd is recorded at Dan Swanö´s Uni-Sound studio in January and
is released on May 4th to an unsuspecting world and on that very
same day, the band would have performed their very first gig at
Luse Lottes Pub in Oslo NORWAY. After the recording sessions, Draugen
(drums) leaves the band and is replaced by Equimanthorn. The band
signs to No Fashion Records and start preparing songs for a full-length
album.
-1995-
After a miserable attempt to record The
Secrets Of The Black Arts at Uni-Sound studios (again with Dan Swanö)
the band decides to relocate to Abyss Studio and re-record the entire
album. In between the studio sessions a new song was written and
added to the tracklist "When Angels Forever Die". With engineer
Peter Tagtgren (Hypocripsy) on board, the band finally gets the
production they were looking for. Shortly after, DARK FUNERAL plays
their first festival gig, Under The Black Sun I in Berlin. A few
weeks prior to this gig Emperor Magus Caligula joins the band as
vocalist and eventually becomes a permanent member. The band also
shoots their very first video for the track "The Secrets Of The
Black Arts" which is well received and played on music channels
all over the world.
-1996-
January 28th the bands first full-length-album
"The Secrets Of The Black Arts" is released upon the masses and
the album is soon licensed to Metal Blade (North America) and Mystic
Production (Poland). The line-up troubles which first saw vocalist
Themgoroth and drummer Equimanthorn leaving is soon elevated when
co-founding member Blackmoon also leaves. Fortunatly they are more
than compensated with the addition of Alzazmon (drums), Typhos (guitars)
and Emperor Magus Caligula (vocals/bass). With the addition of Caligula
(who most of you already knew as Masse Broberg, the original vocalist
of Hypocrisy) DARK FUNERAL is brought to a new level of aggressivity
and intensivity. Together with Necromass the band does the Satanic
War Tour I throughout Europe. Also during 1996, the line-up of Emperor
Magus Caligula, Lord Ahriman, Alzazmon and Blackmoon recorded their
unholy version of Bathory's "Call From The Grave" and "Equimanthorn"
for the Bathory tribute, In Conspiracy With Satan. (These stunning
cover tracks also appears later re-mastered for the re-titled re-release
of the bands legendary debut "In The Sign…".).
-1997-
The second leg of Satanic War Tour follows
with Ancient and Bal Sagoth as support. Also, Dark Funeral plays
their very first show in America at the Expo Of The Extreme festival
in Chicago. After totally desecrating the unsuspecting American
audience with their blasphemous stage show complete with impaled
pigs heads on upside down crosses matched with the unholy members
drenched in pigs blood and finishing the set off with Emperor Magus
Caligula's firebreathing. From there the band embarks on the "The
American Satanic Crusade Tour" with Usurper in support. Originally
the tour was supposed to also feature Acheron and Destroyer 666,
but after too many hassles, both bands had to cancel. In September,
the road dogs return to the Abyss studio to record "Vobiscum Satanas".
Ultra-raw and hyper-fast the unholy duo Ahriman/Caligula have delivered
a record that even the last sceptics have to admit that DARK FUNERAL
are spearheading Swedish black metal together with Marduk.
-1998-
The Ineffable Kings Of Darkness Tour with
Enthroned and Liar Of Golgotha takes place with Dominion coming
into the band as a session bass player. The band also does their
second major festival appearance at the Swedish Hultsfreds festival.
After the festival, Thyphos is kicked out and Dominion, (who originally
was a guitarist), is taken on as the bands second guitarist and
Caligula reverts back to doing both vocals and bass. Before the
band heads out on the "Bleed For Satan" tour, with Cannibal Corpse
and Infernal Majesty, Alzazmon (drums) leaves and the bands long
time friend Gaahnfaust is being added to the line-up. (He was also
in DARK FUNERAL back in 1996 for a short time.)
-1999-
DARK FUNERAL return overseas for another
mini-tour "Black Plague Across The West" which finds the band invading,
then destroying Mexico for the first time before they head north
and lay to waste the state of California. Afterwards they also embark
on their longest and most successful European tour "The Satanic
Inquisition" together with Dimmu Borgir.
-2000-
With engineer Tommy Tägtgren Dark Funeral
record the EP "Teach The Children To Worship Satan" at the Abyss
studio B (featuring the new song "An Apprentice Of Satan" and cover-versions
from Slayer, Mayhem, Sodom and King Diamond). For the EP, the band
also shoots a live video for "An Apprentice Of Satan". DARK FUNERAL
join Deicide, Immortal and Cannibal Corpse for the No Mercy festivals.
After the departure of Gaahnfaust, Matte Modin (Defleshed) joins
the band as a permanent member and makes his debut at the With Full
Force festival. With him, DARK FUNERAL becomes even faster and tighter.
Also the Wacken Open Air is added to the enormous gig-list. Even
a chaotic Canadian/American tour is coming to a good end. Dominion
and Caligula are working on their logically titled side-project
Dominon Caligula, while Lord Ahriman is getting in touch with members
of Acheron, Incantation and The Electric Hellfire Club to form Wolfen
Society. Due to popular demand for the first EP, Dark Funeral re-releases
this landmark release complete with new artwork, and never before
published photos giving the fans a true taste of the history of
the band.
-2001-
In January/February the band once again
enter the Abyss Studio to record their third, long awaited full-length
album. The new album "Diabolis Interium" is the landmark release
in the band´s history. With the help of producer Peter Tägtgren
and studio technician Lars Szöke, Dark Funeral have created the
MASTERPIECE of their recording careers thus far, a record which
will surely be considered a mile-stone in the evolution of black
metal in the future. Beside the usual highspeed-songs DARK FUNERAL
are also slowing down for ´Goddess Of Sodomy´, which resulted in
a mighty hymn of darkness. ´An Apprentice Of Satan´, already known
from the last EP, was reworked for "Diabolis Interium". Other highlights
of the CD are ´Armageddon Finally Comes´ and the brutal opener ´The
Arrival Of Satan´s Empire´ (which most would agree that this track
is THE crown jewel of the Dark Funeral catalog). "Diabolis Interium"
is an absolute MUST for every serious metal-collection, not only
black metal fanatics! Armageddon has arrived!!!
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