Metalcatto
Somehow, Insomnium became one of, if not the biggest Finnish Melodic Death Metal band in town. Not an easy task, considering there are more metal bands in Finland than smiles. So here we are, celebrating one of the most consistent acts in the scene. We’ll review their lows and highs. Get your tissues ready and release the sad puppy living inside each and every one of us.
10. Shadows of the Dying Sun: I’m going to get death threats for this, but I don’t care! Despite how successful and popular this album is, I can’t help seeing it as a watered-down version of Insomnium, seemingly designed to make a quick buck. Don’t get me wrong, the album isn’t bad. It just pales in comparison to the band’s top-tier material in terms of ambition and songwriting. I suspect many people love it because it was their first Insomnium album, which makes me sound like an obnoxious hipster. Guilty as charged.
9. Anno 1696: First of all, this isn’t a bad album. It’s just deeply unremarkable. This is Insomnium on autopilot. I listened to it maybe twice and then never really came back to it until now. Hell, even my fangirl wife barely remembers this album! The concept is interesting, and I welcomed the band’s return to dark narratives, but none of the songs here hits me as hard as the tracks I’ll be discussing further up this list.
8. Netherworlds: An upgrade from the previous entry, this one brings plenty of changes. So many, in fact, that I briefly wondered whether I was listening to Amorphis. The folk influences are strong here, and the album feels like a journey into some shadowy realm filled with dark magic. It’s probably the most Nightwish-sounding release in Insomnium’s catalog, but it’s also a bit too mellow and almost corny for my taste. I appreciate the band trying something different, but the results just don’t do enough for me.
7. Heart Like a Grave: This album had the disgraceful luck of coming out after Winter’s Gate. It was a step down, sure, but hardly a disaster. It still showcases a band capable of delivering heartbreaking melodies, taking us on a journey through the woods, and sounding more Finnish than eating mämmi at Easter. The problem is that, despite the polished production and some genuinely solid tracks, we’ve heard most of this before. There’s no major sonic shift here. If anything, the band sounds a little sadder and less angry. And when you’re Insomnium, that’s saying something.
6. Across the Dark: I have a soft spot for this album because it was the second Insomnium record I ever listened to. Yes, it occasionally feels like the band is running on autopilot, and the production is cleaner than on its predecessor, but the songwriting is rock-solid. It also features “The Lay of Autumn”, one of my favorite tracks by these guys. Even the opening track slays! It might not reach the heights of the albums further up this list, but if you need an introduction to depressive melodic Death Metal, this is an excellent place to start.
