Insomnium is a Finnish melodic death metal band formed in Joensuu in 1997. Their sound and lyrics portray darkness, sorrow, loss, pain, and nature. Their music includes progressive metal and doom metal.
History On 9 September 2011, Insomnium released the music video "Through the Shadows" from their 2011 album, One for Sorrow.
In November 2011, Insomnium headlined their first European tour with support from Before the Dawn and MyGRAIN. During April 2012, Insomnium toured the U.K. as the main support act for British gothic metal band Paradise Lost. Vreid was also on the tour as a supporting opening act.
On 19 September 2013, Insomnium released "Ephemeral", a single from their 2014 album, Shadows of the Dying Sun, via Century Media Records. It was the first track to feature new guitarist Markus Vanhala (Omnium Gatherum), who replaced Ville Vänni in 2011.
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, released on 23 September. It was a concept album, consisting of one 40-minute track, 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, released on 4 October 2019. With the album announcement, they confirmed that guitarist Jani Liimatainen had joined the band full time. He had occasionally filled in for Ville Friman on tours since 2015.
Insomnium released the EP Argent Moon on 17 September 2021. They talked about plans for a ninth studio album to be released in 2022. In 2022, they announced their ninth album, Anno 1696, released on 24 February 2023. Like Winter's Gate, the album is based on a short story by Niilo. In spring of 2023, the band toured with Enslaved and Black Anvil.
In March 2025, Niilo Sevänen confirmed that a tenth studio album by Insomnium was in the works and planned for a 2026 release. The album name, Netherworlds, and cover were revealed in July 2026. On 16 January 2026, touring guitarist Tomy Laisto was announced as an official member.
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) Tomy Laisto – guitars (2026–present; touring 2024–2026)
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 Tuomas Jäppinen – guitars (2011) Mike Bear – vocals, bass (2015) Nick Cordle – guitars (2022–2024) Brandon Ellis – guitars (2024)
Timeline
Discography Studio albums + List of studio albums, with selected chart positions Title Details Peak chart positions FIN AUT BEL (FL) BEL (WA) FRA GER JPN SWI In the Halls of Awaiting Released: 30 April 2002 Label: Candlelight Formats: CD, LP, DL — — — — — — — — 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 10 — 15 Anno 1696 Released: 24 February 2023 Label: Century Media Formats: CD, LP, DL 1 15 165 — — 5 — 10 Netherworlds Scheduled: 16 October 2026 Label: Century Media Formats: CD, LP, DL style="text-align:center;" colspan="8" "—" denotes a recording that did not chart.
Singles + List of singlesTitleDetails "Where the Last Wave Broke" Released: 24 August 2009 Label: Candlelight "Weather the Storm" Released: 25 April 2011 Label: Century Media "Ephemeral" Released: 23 September 2013 Label: Century Media "While We Sleep" Released: 8 April 2014 Label: Century Media "The Conjurer" Released: 19 March 2021 Label: Century Media "The Reticent" Released: 21 May 2021 Label: Century Media "Song of the Dusk" 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
External links