Insomnium is a Finnish

melodic death metal Melodic death metal (also referred to as melodeath) is a subgenre of death metal that employs highly melodic guitar riffs, often borrowing from traditional heavy metal (including New Wave of British Heavy Metal). The genre features the heavines ...

band formed in

Joensuu Joensuu (; ; ) is a city in Finland and the regional capital of North Karelia. It is located in the eastern interior of the country and in the Finnish Lakeland. The population of Joensuu is approximately , while the sub-region has a population ...

in 1997. The sound and lyrical themes of their music portray darkness, sorrow, loss, pain, and nature. Their music includes elements of

progressive metal Progressive metal (often shortened to prog metal) is a broad fusion music genre melding heavy metal music, heavy metal and progressive rock, combining the loud "aggression" and amplified electric guitar, guitar-driven sound of the former with t ...

black metal Black metal is an extreme metal, extreme subgenre of heavy metal music. Common traits include Tempo#Beats per minute, fast tempos, a Screaming (music)#Black metal, shrieking vocal style, heavily distorted Electric guitar, guitars played with tr ...

folk metal Folk metal is a fusion genre of heavy metal music and traditional folk music that developed in Europe during the 1990s. It is characterised by the widespread use of folk instruments and, to a lesser extent, traditional singing styles (for example ...

, and

doom metal Doom metal is an extreme subgenre of heavy metal music that typically uses slower tempos, low-tuned guitars and a much "thicker" or "heavier" sound than other heavy metal genres.K. Kahn-Harris, ''Extreme Metal: Music and Culture on the Edge'' ...

History

On 9 September 2011, Insomnium released the music video "Through the Shadows" from their 2011 album, '' One for Sorrow''. In November 2011, Insomnium embarked on their first headlining European tour with support from Before the Dawn and

MyGRAIN myGRAIN is a melodic death metal band from Helsinki, Finland. They have released six studio albums. Background myGRAIN formed in 2004. The band roster was Tommy Tuovinen (vocals), Resistor (rhythm guitar), Jonas (bass), and Matthew (guitar) fr ...

. During April 2012 Insomnium returned to tour the U.K. as the main support act for British

gothic metal Gothic metal (or goth metal) is a fusion genre combining the aggression of heavy metal music, heavy metal with the dark atmospheres of gothic rock. The music of gothic metal is diverse with bands known to adopt the gothic approach to different ...

band

Paradise Lost ''Paradise Lost'' is an Epic poetry, epic poem in blank verse by the English poet John Milton (1608–1674). The poem concerns the Bible, biblical story of the fall of man: the temptation of Adam and Eve by the fallen angel Satan and their ex ...

. 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 ''Shadows of the Dying Sun'' is the sixth studio album by Finnish melodic death metal band Insomnium. It was released in North America on April 29, 2014 via Century Media Records, and on April 25 in Finland, Germany, Austria, and Switzerland, t ...

'', via

Century Media Records Century Media Records is a German heavy metal record label with offices in Germany, the United States and the United Kingdom. In August 2015, Century Media was acquired by Sony Music for US$17 million. Background Century Media was founded by R ...

. It is the first track to feature new guitarist, Markus Vanhala (

Omnium Gatherum Omnium Gatherum is a Finnish melodic death metal band from Karhula, founded in the autumn of 1996. Although the band mainly follows the path of the melodic death metal genre, much of their work shows strong influences from progressive metal, e ...

), who replaced Ville Vänni in 2011. On 29 April 2014, Insomnium released their sixth studio album, ''

''. On 30 April 2014 they made a guest appearance on

Epica Epica or EPICA may refer to: * Epica (band), a Dutch symphonic metal band * ''Epica'' (Kamelot album), 2003 * ''Epica'' (Audiomachine album), 2012 * The European Project for Ice Coring in Antarctica (EPICA) * The Epica Awards (International Adver ...

's CD release show at

013 013 is a music venue in Tilburg, the Netherlands. The venue opened in 1998 and replaced the ''Noorderligt'', the ''Bat Cave'' and the ''MuziekKantenWinkel''. 013 is the largest popular music venue in the southern Netherlands. There are two concer ...

in the Netherlands. On 19 May 2016, Insomnium announced their seventh studio album, ''

Winter's Gate ''Winter's Gate'' is the seventh studio album by Finnish melodic death metal band Insomnium. It was released worldwide on September 23, 2016 via Century Media Records. It is a concept album said to be about "a group of Vikings who set out to fin ...

'' 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." 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. In 2019, they announced their eighth album, ''

Heart Like a Grave ''Heart Like a Grave'' is the eighth studio album by Finnish melodic death metal band Insomnium, released on 4 October 2019 via Century Media. It is the first album to feature guitarist Jani Liimatainen. ''Loudwire'' named it one of the 50 best ...

'', would be released on 4 October 2019. With the album announcement they also confirmed that the guitarist

Jani Liimatainen Jani Allan Kristian Liimatainen (born 9 September 1980) is a Finnish guitarist. He came to prominence as the guitarist for the power metal band Sonata Arctica between 1996 and 2007, and has since played in and founded bands such as Cain's Offer ...

had joined the band as a full-time member, as he had occasionally filled in for Ville Friman on tours since 2015. Insomnium released a new EP, titled ''Argent Moon'', on 17 September 2021. Simultaneously, they talked about plans for the ninth studio album to be released in 2022. In 2022, they announced their ninth album, ''

Anno 1696 ''Anno 1696'' is the ninth studio album by Finnish melodic death metal band Insomnium, released on 24 February 2023 via Century Media. Insomnium began working on the album shortly before the release of ''Argent Moon'', in 2021, with the album ...

'', would be released on 24 February 2023. Like ''Winter's Gate'', the album is based on a short story by Niilo. In March 2025, Niilo Sevänen confirmed that a tenth studio album by Insomnium is in the works and planned for a 2026 release.

Members

Current members

* Niilo Sevänen – bass,

unclean vocals Vocalists are capable of producing a variety of extended technique sounds. These alternative singing techniques have been used extensively in the 20th century, especially in art song and opera. Particularly famous examples of extended vocal techniq ...

(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 Ville Vänni (born 14 January 1979) is a Finnish musician. He was one of the guitarists of the melodic death metal band Insomnium. Although reports say he still currently writes and records with the band. On 31 October 2011 Insomnium announced ...

– guitars (2001–2011) *

– guitars, clean vocals (2019–2024; touring 2015–2019)

Touring members

* Mike Bear – vocals, bass (2015) * Nick Cordle – guitars (2022–2024) * Brandon Ellis – guitars (2024) * Tomy Laisto – guitars (2024–present)

Timeline

Discography

Studio albums

Singles

Demos

* ''Demo 1999'' (1999) * ''Underneath the Moonlit Waves'' (2000)

EPs

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

References

External links

* * {{Authority control 1997 establishments in Finland Finnish heavy metal musical groups Finnish melodic death metal musical groups Musical groups established in 1997 Finnish musical quintets Candlelight Records artists