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.
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
  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

contains two bonus tracks:
  1. "Crying Days" - 4:32
  2. "Summer Night City" - 4:55

    Limited edition

Limited edition also contains two bonus tracks:
  1. "The Wings of the Hydra "
  2. "Black Sun ".

    Runes

s shown on the front cover are Nordic runes with the Elder Futhark alphabet. On the back cover every song has its own rune character:
  1. "Ginnungagap "
  2. "Midgård"
  3. "Asgård"
  4. "Jotunheim"
  5. "Schwarzalbenheim"
  6. "Ljusalfheim"
  7. "Muspelheim"
  8. "Nifelheim"
  9. "Vanaheim"
  10. "Helheim"
  11. "Secret of the Runes "
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

  • Christofer Johnsson - rhythm guitar, keyboards, percussion, additional choir and orchestra arrangement on Bonus Tracks
  • Kristian Niemann - lead and rhythm guitar
  • Johan Niemann - bass guitar
  • Sami Karppinen - drums, percussion
  • Piotr Wawrzeniuk - 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 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)

  • Fareidah Hildebrand - flute, alt flute, piccolo
  • Erik Rodell - oboe, English horn
  • Henrik Blixt - bassoon, contrabassoon

    Brass ensemble

  • Mikael Sorensen - trumpet, fluegelhorn
  • Ayman Al Fakir - horn, Wagner tuba
  • Kristina Borg - horn
  • Rune Bodin - trombone

    Choir and orchestra on Bonus Tracks

  • Anna Rodell - first violin
  • Elisabeth Lagergren - second violin
  • Petter Axelsson - viola
  • Erik Rodell - oboe
  • Ingela Bolin - soprano, alto
  • Anna Artursson - soprano, alto
  • Henrik Holmberg - tenor, baritone
  • Pierre Pettersson - tenor, baritone

    Charts