Insomnium Album: “Across the Dark”

A couple of months ago, I bought this album's predecessor, Above The Weeping World, based on a recommendation from a fellow fan of Dark Tranquillity. I consider ATWW a pretty good CD, but it never grew on me the way I hoped it would. Still holding out hope for Insomnium, I reluctantly bought Across The Dark, and I'm so glad I did because this album improves upon ATWW in every possible way:

-- The songs are more atmospheric

-- The riffs, while not earthshaking, are more interesting

-- The clean vocals, which are used somewhat sparingly, eliminate the monotony of 100% growled/roared vocals.

-- The production is cleaner, but the album is in no way over-produced

I just cannot emphasize enough how pleasantly surprised I was by Across The Dark. I didn't expect anything to beat out Amorphis' Skyforger as my favorite album of 2009, but I think Across The Dark may have done it. If you like Amorphis, Dark Tranquillity, or Opeth, then you need to hear this.

Not to be outdone on my last mediocre review of an Insomnium album, I'm writing a review for this one too! For some reason, Insomnium albums always start out so-so for me, and the more I listen to them, the more I love them. The clean vocals on this one were a bit of surprise, but they totally work. Insomnium delivers on this, and they write really catchy, listenable stuff. I'm surprised these guys are not more popular than they are!

"Atmospheric" is a word used over and over by an Insomnium band member when describing songs on this album. Yes: atmospheric but I'd use the term "catchy" as well. This is an instantly orgasmic album. The first time you hear it you will go, "WOW!" Mate Amorphis with Swallow the Sun and you have their child Insomnium (which is funny because all 3 have toured together). What I love about Finnish bands is that they can be uptempo but depressing at the same time. They can be melodic but also brutal (the one attribute every Metal band strives to achieve). Across the Dark is an extremely well thought out, beautifully produced album. If you can find joy in desolation, check out Across the Dark.

Insomnium is by far the best of melody and Death Metal. This album is beautifully done, its even better then there previous albums, in that they changed the tempo a bit and added a few "soft-core" or non-dark vocals. The melodies are also very deep and atmospheric, the music will take you to another place.

I'm not the best at reviews, but I have never heard any band compare to Insomnium, before, and still. There melodies and dark lyrics are just indescribable to me. If anyone is a fan of Melodic Death Metal, you need to get this. Even a Death Metal fan, who's looking for more in there music other then drums and guitar should give this a go. A++ music

I was blown away by these guys. I've listened to a lot of metal, and I have to say that I'm highly impressed with the talent of this band. When I play this CD I actually get to enjoy playing it all the way through, not just skipping tracks to the ones I like, because I like all the songs. I think if Mozart and Beethoven and all the important composers were alive today, composing METAL music....they'd be writing stuff like this. This music is genius. I will be buying the rest of Insomnium's music as soon as I can.