Insomnium

Insomnium
Insomnium performing at Party.San 2017
Background information
OriginJoensuu, Finland
GenresMelodic death metal
Years active1997 (1997)–present
Labels
Members
  • Niilo Sevänen
  • Ville Friman
  • Markus Vanhala
  • Markus Hirvonen
Past members
Websitewww.insomnium.net

Insomnium is a Finnish melodic death metal band formed in Joensuu in 1997. The sound and lyrical themes of their music portray darkness, sorrow, loss, pain, and nature. Their music includes elements of progressive metal, black metal, folk metal, and doom metal.

History

On 9 September 2011, Insomnium released the music video "Through the Shadows" from their 2011 album, One for Sorrow.[1]

In November 2011, Insomnium embarked on their first headlining European tour with support from Before the Dawn and MyGRAIN.[2] During April 2012 Insomnium returned to tour the U.K. as the main support act for British gothic metal band Paradise Lost. Vreid was also present on the tour as a supporting opening act.

On 19 September 2013, Insomnium released "Ephemeral", a single from their foreshadowed 2014 album, Shadows of the Dying Sun, via Century Media Records. It is the first track to feature new guitarist, Markus Vanhala (Omnium Gatherum), who replaced Ville Vänni in 2011.[3]

On 29 April 2014, Insomnium released their sixth studio album, Shadows of the Dying Sun. On 30 April 2014 they made a guest appearance on Epica's CD release show at 013 in the Netherlands.

On 19 May 2016, Insomnium announced their seventh studio album, Winter's Gate to be released on 23 September. It is a concept album consisting of a single epic 40-minute track, and it is said to be about "a group of Vikings who set out to find a fabled island west of Ireland, despite the treacherous winter drawing near."[4] This album was based on the short story by Niilo, "Winter's Gate", or "Talven Portti" in the original Finnish. This story won or was nominated for many Finnish awards.[5]

In 2019, they announced their eighth album, Heart Like a Grave, would be released on 4 October 2019. With the album announcement they also confirmed that the guitarist Jani Liimatainen had joined the band as a full-time member, as he had occasionally filled in for Ville Friman on tours since 2015.[6]

Insomnium released a new EP, titled Argent Moon, on 17 September 2021.[7] Simultaneously, they talked about plans for the ninth studio album to be released in 2022.[8] In 2022, they announced their ninth album, Anno 1696, would be released on 24 February 2023. Like Winter's Gate, the album is based on a short story by Niilo.[9]

Members

Current members

  • Niilo Sevänen – bass, unclean vocals (1997–present)
  • Ville Friman – guitars (1997–present); clean vocals (2011–present)
  • Markus Hirvonen – drums (1997–present)
  • Markus Vanhala – guitars (2011–present)

Former members

  • Tapani Pesonen – guitars (1997–1998); drums (1997)
  • Timo Partanen – guitars (1998–2001)
  • Ville Vänni – guitars (2001–2011)
  • Jani Liimatainen – guitars, clean vocals (2019–2024; touring 2015–2019)

Touring members

  • Mike Bear – vocals, bass (2015)
  • Nick Cordle – guitars (2022–2024)
  • Brandon Ellis – guitars (2024)[10]
  • Tomy Laisto – guitars (2024–present)[11]

Timeline

Discography

Studio albums

List of studio albums, with selected chart positions
Title Details Peak chart positions
FIN
[12] 		AUT
[13] 		BEL (FL)
[14] 		BEL (WA)
[15] 		FRA
[16] 		GER
[17] 		JPN
[18] 		SWI
[19]
In the Halls of Awaiting — — — — — — — —
Since the Day It All Came Down
  • Released: 4 May 2004
  • Label: Candlelight
  • Formats: CD, LP, DL
 — — — — — — — —
Above the Weeping World
  • Released: 17 October 2006
  • Label: Candlelight
  • Formats: CD, LP, DL
 9 — — — — — — —
Across the Dark
  • Released: 7 September 2009
  • Label: Candlelight
  • Formats: CD, CD+DVD, LP, DL
 5 — — — — — — —
One for Sorrow
  • Released: 18 October 2011
  • Label: Century Media
  • Formats: CD, LP, DL
 6 — — — — 95 — —
Shadows of the Dying Sun
  • Released: 29 April 2014
  • Label: Century Media
  • Formats: CD, LP, DL
 2 38 — — 178 18 287 23
Winter's Gate
  • Released: 23 September 2016
  • Label: Century Media
  • Formats: CD, LP, DL
 1 27 124 92 184 19 — 17
Heart Like a Grave
  • Released: 4 October 2019
  • Label: Century Media
  • Formats: CD, LP, DL
 1 — 154 115 178
[20]		 10 — 15
Anno 1696
  • Released: 24 February 2023
  • Label: Century Media
  • Formats: CD, LP, DL
 1
[21]		 15 165 — — 5 — 10
"—" denotes a recording that did not chart.

Singles

List of singles
Title Details
"Where the Last Wave Broke"
"Weather the Storm"[22]
"Ephemeral"[23]
  • Released: 23 September 2013
  • Label: Century Media
"While We Sleep"[24]
  • Released: 8 April 2014
  • Label: Century Media
"The Conjurer"[25]
  • Released: 19 March 2021
  • Label: Century Media
"The Reticent"[26]
  • Released: 21 May 2021
  • Label: Century Media
"Song of the Dusk"[27]
  • Released: 1 September 2023
  • Label: Century Media

Demos

  • Demo 1999 (1999)
  • Underneath the Moonlit Waves (2000)

EPs

  • Ephemeral (2013)
  • Argent Moon (2021)
  • Songs of the Dusk (2023)

References

  1. ^ "New Video – Insomnium- Through The Shadows". Metal CallOut. Archived from the original on 15 December 2014. Retrieved 9 September 2011.
  2. ^ "INSOMNIUM | News". 10 December 2011. Archived from the original on 10 December 2011. Retrieved 9 October 2020.
  3. ^ "Insomnium: New Song 'Ephemeral' Released". Blabbermouth.net. 19 September 2013. Retrieved 19 August 2015.
  4. ^ "INSOMNIUM To Release 'Winter's Gate' Album, Book in September". Blabbermouth.net. 19 May 2016. Retrieved 19 May 2016.
  5. ^ "Insomnium To Release 'Winter's Gate' Album, Book in September – Blabbermouth.net". 19 May 2016.
  6. ^ Hartmann, Graham. "Insomnium Announce New Album 'Heart Like a Grave'". Loudwire. Retrieved 2 November 2019.
  7. ^ "Insomnium – Release 'The Antagonist' Song, Announce EP". Metal Storm. 17 July 2021. Retrieved 8 August 2021.
  8. ^ "Insomnium – To Release Ninth Studio Album Next Year". Metal Storm. 8 August 2021. Retrieved 8 August 2021.
  9. ^ Greg Kennelty (4 November 2022). "INSOMNIUM Streams "Lilian," Announces New Record Anno 1696". Metal Injection. Retrieved 8 November 2022.
  10. ^ Insomnium. "Update on Jani Liimatainen". Facebook. Retrieved 16 February 2024.
  11. ^ "Insomniumofficial Instagram page". www.instagram.com. 9 August 2024. Retrieved 21 August 2024.
  12. ^ "Discography Insomnium". finnishcharts.com. Hung Medien. Retrieved 22 September 2015.
  13. ^ "Discographie Insomnium". austriancharts.at (in German). Retrieved 2 January 2018.
  14. ^ "Discografie Insomnium". ultratop.be (in German). Retrieved 2 January 2018.
  15. ^ "Discographie Insomnium". ultratop.be (in French). Retrieved 2 January 2018.
  16. ^ "lescharts.com – Discographie at the Gates". lescharts.com (in French). Retrieved 2 January 2018.
  17. ^ "Discographie von Insomnium". GfK Entertainment. Retrieved 9 October 2019.
  18. ^ "インソムニウムのアルバム売上ランキング" (in Japanese). Oricon. Retrieved 2 January 2018.
  19. ^ "Discographie Insomnium". hitparade.ch (in German). Retrieved 2 January 2018.
  20. ^ "Le Top de la semaine : Top Albums Fusionnes – SNEP (Week 41, 2019)" (in French). Syndicat National de l'Édition Phonographique. Retrieved 21 October 2019.[permanent dead link‍]
  21. ^ "Albumit 9/2023". Musiikkituottajat. Retrieved 6 March 2023.
  22. ^ "Insomnium – Weather the Storm (Digital Single)". Century Media Records. Retrieved 22 September 2015.[permanent dead link‍]
  23. ^ "Insomnium – Ephemeral (Digital single)". Century Media Records. Archived from the original on 5 September 2015. Retrieved 22 September 2015.
  24. ^ "Insomnium – While We Sleep". Century Media Records. Archived from the original on 27 September 2016. Retrieved 8 April 2014.
  25. ^ "Century Media Records – Insomnium: : Release Single & Video To "The Conjurer"". centurymedia.com. Retrieved 21 March 2021.
  26. ^ "Insomnium – The Reticent". Blabbermouth. 21 May 2021. Retrieved 21 May 2021.
  27. ^ "Insomnium – Song of the Dusk". Distorted Sound Mag. 1 September 2023. Retrieved 15 October 2023.
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