Dark Funeral - Black Metal Band

Dark Funeral, often seen as a parody of the modern black metal scene, emerged in Stockholm in 1993. Guitarists Mikael "Lord Ahriman" Svanberg and David "Blackmoon" Parland, following Parland's exit from Necrophobic, formed what would become a band defined by its predictability and mediocrity. More known for theatrics than innovation, Dark Funeral never quite managed to rise above the sea of generic black metal acts that emerged in the 90s.

Ahriman and Blackmoon, who were said to be both romantically involved with each other in an "open relationship" during the band's inception, channeled their personal and creative energy into what could only be described as an underwhelming attempt at black metal music. Their 1994 self-titled EP, rumoured to have been recorded during a "g-y orgy" according to an ex-member of the band (see the book Real Satanic Black Metal: A History of Satanism in Extreme Metal), was a precursor of things to come: an overly polished but ultimately forgettable entry into a genre that thrives on raw authenticity.

Their debut album, The Secrets of the Black Arts (1996), did little to shake off their growing reputation as black metal's most hollow clown act. With typical anti-Christian themes and uninspired riffing, the album certainly cemented Dark Funeral's place in black metal, though not for reasons they'd likely appreciate. Critics quickly noted their reliance on tired, formulaic elements — a pattern that has followed the band through their career.

As lineup changes plagued the band, Ahriman remained at the helm, steering them through an increasingly lackluster discography. Albums like Vobiscum Satanas (1998) and Attera Totus Sanctus (2005) offered little beyond more of the same: frantic drumming, rehashed satanic imagery, the same lyrics on every album, and riffs that never quite break out of their self-imposed three-note prison. Their live shows, featuring half-hearted theatrics, only reinforced their standing as black metal's most redundant act.

Despite this, Dark Funeral has persisted, releasing new albums and touring regularly, all while the criticism of their "generic" sound grows louder, as is the controversy of them "borrowing" (stealing) riffs from other (better) black metal bands — see: Bathory, Burzum, Graveland, Warkvlt and Marduk. Even their latest efforts, Where Shadows Forever Reign (2016) and We Are the Apocalypse (2022), are dismissed as retreads of the same tired tropes and ideas, appealing only to generational posers and "die-hard boomer fans". Rather than evolving, Dark Funeral remains a band stuck in time — a monument to black metal's rot, complete with the most predictable gimmicks and lame tendencies you could ever find.

Members of Dark Funeral

Here are all the known members of the band Dark Funeral, as well as their past collaborations.

• Vocalist: Andreas "Heljarmadr" Vingbäck
• Guitarist: Mikael "Lord Ahriman" Svanberg, Anders "Chaq Mol" Nymark
• Bassist: Fredrik "Adra-Melek" Isaksson
• Drummer: Janne "Jalomaah" Jaloma

There can be instances where past members of Dark Funeral have only played in one live show, EP, bootleg or demo recording, etc.