Insomnium - Across the Dark

September 15, 2009

Reviewer: Peter

It is safe to say that Finland’s Insomnium are an experienced band.  Having formed in 1997, the band released their debut album In the Halls of Awaiting in 2002.  However, they had never truly received the recognition that fellow Finns Omnium Gatherum had received when their debut was released.  The band finally started to get some recognition after the release of the 2006 album Above the Weeping World, as they were one of the opening acts on Katatonia’s North American tour in 2007.  Since then, the band has steadily gained more fans.

This year, Insomnium is threatening to take things to new heights, and with the release of their latest album Across the Dark, they just might do that.  More diverse than Above the Weeping World, the band has finally found a balance between its hybrid of melodic death and doom metal.

Across the Dark begins with what could be best described as a warm-up song in “Equivalence.”  While it doesn’t accomplish a great deal, it does prepare the listener for what is to come.  The next track “Down with the Sun” is a fairly typical Insomnium track, in that there are the usual rich melodies mixed in with harsh riffs and melodic death metal vocals.  However, it is on “Where the Last Wave Broke” that things get interesting.  Clean vocals make their way onto the song, and they compliment the screams well.  The trend continues on “The Harrowing Years,” which is one of the slower songs on the album, yet is also one of their best.  Here, the band shows off their versatility without losing their identity.  “Against the Stream” pretty much sums up what Insomnium is all about, with more rich melodies, vocals that aren’t too strong on the screams, and a nice piano outro to end things.  Even though most of the songs on the album run over the five minute mark, it isn’t a problem for Insomnium.  Their ability to pace themselves musically, combined with some new wrinkles such as more moments of quiet interludes, clean vocals, and even a mini-guitar solo make them more able to handle such situations than in years past, with “Lay of the Autumn” being one such case.  Obviously, those with short attention spans will have a hard time keeping up with the album, but for the rest, there is much to be gleaned from the album.

For years, it has often been claimed that melodic death metal has been on a downward trend.  With the exception of Dark Tranquillity, many bands have experienced this kind of problem.  However, Insomnium has finally found an upturn in their fortunes.  Beginning with Above the Weeping World, the band has finally gained some recognition and they are not going to let it go anytime soon.  Across the Dark is just assurance that the band will continue to gain such recognition.

Release Date: September 7, 2009
Label: Candlelight Records

TRACK LISTING

1.  Equivalence
2.  Down with the Sun
3.  Where the Last Wave Broke
4.  The Harrowing Years
5.  Against the Stream
6.  Lay of the Autumn
7.  Into the Woods
8.  Weighed Down with Sorrow

Total playing time: 45:40

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