Description
Not exactly the most prolific of bands, Swedish black metal act Dark Funeral have been around for virtually three decades but their latest album We Are the Apocalypse (Century Media) is only their seventh full-length studio release in that time. With more former members than overall releases, it’s easy to see why there has been so much inconsistency over the years. The only remaining original member is guitarist Jan Michael Svanberg (aka Lord Ahriman).
Joining Svanberg for the first time is drummer Janne Jesper Jaloma (aka Jalomaah) and bassist Fredrik Isaksson (aka Adra Melek), both recruited in 2018. The line-up is completed by vocalist Erik Andreas Vingbäck (aka Heljarmadr), back for a second outing, and guitarist Bo Anders Nymark (aka Chaq Mol), the second longest serving member of the band having joined in 2003 – a lifetime by Dark Funeral standards.
Vicious and brutal with an undercurrent of pure evil, the riffs and melodies are razor sharp, Heljarmadr’s vocals – whether whispered, spoken, croaked or screamed – are clear and decipherable, and the intent is as malicious as ever. Originality might never been at the top of Dark Funeral’s To-Do list but legendary Swedish producer Daniel Bergstrand gets the best out of the band, We Are the Apocalypse standing as one of their most enjoyable and consistent releases in years.
