Dark Funeral

As it would happen, the fun was short lived for there would me more membership changes with Themgoroth and Equimanthorn leaving, and replaced by Emperor Magus Caligula (Real Name: Magnus "Masse" Broberg; ex-Votary/ex-Hypocrisy; vocals) and Alzazmon (Real Name: Tomas Asklund; drums). Shortly later, founder Blackmoon would also leave to be replaced by Typhos (Real Name: Henke Ekeroth; guitar). Finally they found a line-up they would like, at least for a time, for they soon after recorded Vobiscum Satanas in July of 1998. The recording line-up now consisted of: Lord Ahriman (guitar), Emperor Magus Caligula (bass/vocals), Alzazmon (Real Name: Tomas Asklund; drums) and Typhos (Real Name: Henke Ekeroth; guitar). With the new line-up the band aggressively toured throughout Europe. During this tour, dubbed The Satanic War Tour, they were supported by the Italian act Necromass. It was on this tour that they introduced their stage style by playing painted like demons, wearing spikes and rivets, and covered with blood while wielding Ancient looking weapons; the show also included fire-breathing, as well as two huge inverted crosses with impaled pig heads at the front of the stage, which by the end of the show they would slaughter.

By March 1997 they became one of the most controversial bands in the genre, so they cashed in by completing their second Satanic War Tour throughout Europe. This time they where supported by Bal-Sagoth and Ancient. A new addition to their stage-act during this tour was the introduction of a destruction ritual, performed live by the band. They also made their first US appearance during Halloween of 1997 by attending the Expo Of The Extreme in Chicago, followed by a brief tour of Northern states dubbed The American Satanic Crusade Tour, with Usurper as supporting act. Shortly after this tour, in February 1998, they finally released Vobiscum Satanas, widely considered a landmark recording for this band.

Dominion (Real Name: Matti Makela) joined as a session bass player, which would become a permanent arrangement after the Swedish Hultsfreds festival, when Typhos was given the boot. Dominion played second guitar (he originally played lead guitar) while Caligula reverted to both bass and vocals. And, as if that weren't enough, just before the "Bleed For Satan" European tour with Cannibal Corpse and Infernal Majesty, Alazazmon left and Gaahnfaust (Real Name: Robert Lundin) took his place. Several more tours would follow, including one in Mexico, as well as a late 1998 tour, including a very successful European one with Dimmu Borgir. They squeezed off a well done disc of cover tracks named Teach Your Children To Worship Satan (2000), featuring King Diamond`s The Trial, Slayer's Dead Skin Mask, Sodom's Remember The Fallen and Mayhem's Pagan Fears as well as a new track of their own An Apprentice Of Satan. Defleshed (Real Name: Matte Modin; taking his handle from his other outfit) also joined at this time as a permanent member.

In 2000 a re-release of their early works was issued, dubbed in the sign..., and another trip to North America, for the first time to include a couple of selected cities in Canada, including Toronto, was completed. The Wacken Open Air Festival in Europe would follow.

Around this time, Electric Hellfire Club, Acheron, Incantation and Lord Ahriman formed a side project called Wolfen Society, While Caligula and Dominion worked together on the logically named Dominion Caligula, who's self-titled debut was an incredible example of how far black metal had evolved!

The release of their 2001 opus, Diabolus Interium, showed incredible promise with its "hymn of darkness" gracing with tracks like Goddess Of Sodomy. The disc featured a general slowing down of their sound to allow a backdrop of mood to wash over. It also featured the Teach Children To Worship Satan track from the same titled EP.

But after the subsequent support tour, things got less rosy in 'hell' from problems with the record label, specifically the North American licensee, caused a riff and when the accusations of breach of contract on the part of the label made it through the system, Dark Funeral would part their company; their deal with local label 'MNW/No Fashion Records' would also fall two years later. But the bad news continued right along when guitarist Dominion, who had been engaging in side-projects, could no longer dedicate himself to Dark Funeral and left. His position would be filled by Chaq Mol (ex-Hexenhaus/ex-Face Down/ex-Necronancy/and one of the two member band Inator) in the coming months. Caligula's departure was the most striking since he had been a member of the band for fifteen years as vocalist and lyricist; spending the longest time in the band, aside from Ahriman. Caligula planned to be married and settle down; maybe but he also formed his own self-named band. B-force's departure was also of his own choice. Ahriman used this time to work on new material, in the absence of a full line-up for live performances and studio recording.

On June 30, 2011, Dark Funeral announced that Nachtgarm (Real Name: Steve Marbs) of Negator was the new vocalist, a week after Dominator returned to the band. On July 27, 2011, Zornheym became the band's new bassist.

In late 2012, the band parted ways with Nachtgarm, who returned to Negator. Zornheym (Real Name: Tomas Nilsson) exited the band in 2014, Heljarmadr would join on vocals. Where Shadows Forever Reign would follow in 2016.

Adra-Melek took over bass in 2017. That same year, Jalomaah joined on drums for We Are The Apocalypse (2022).

Dark Funeral is a band that convinced many people that black metal could be performed well and was an entertaining pass-time. Long after the style fades from being "the latest thing", Dark Funeral will be remembered for their mastery of it.