We love discussing new Metal albums since we realize that, despite the fact that the music dominating global charts belongs to other genres, there continue to be very interesting releases within the Rock world. Many of these come from commercial bands, while others emerge from those who have kept a low profile for many years but shine among connoisseurs due to their perseverance. This is the case with Insomnium, a Melodic Death Metal band from Finland since 1997.
Today, we are commenting on their latest album, “Anno 1696”, which truly surprised us from start to finish. We recommend listening to this work if you’re in the mood to discover Metal of tremendous quality. Often, we are led to believe that commercial bands, simply because of their fame, are inherently good. Take, for example, a band like Metallica with their new album “72 Seasons,” whose latest singles maintain a very basic and predictable level. While it’s always enjoyable to receive new releases from such big bands, we believe that groups like Insomnium, who don’t have as much spotlight, deserve to be heard for their high level of composition.
What can we hear?
A melodic brutality that is incredibly enjoyable! In this work, we find a vibe that caters to both fans of speed, blast beats on the drums, and guttural vocals, as well as those who enjoy epic riffs, harmonies, and even clean vocals. “Anno 1696” delights us with a combination of all these elements, surrounded by an atmosphere of chiaroscuro that transports you to cold places where suddenly a ray of light gives you hope to keep fighting against everything you might be facing in that situation. Truly excellent.
We love how diverse this album is. We encounter brutal passages that suddenly shift to slow down the pace and make way for excellent melodic bridges, making each song musically rich and interesting. It’s challenging to predict what the band will surprise us with next. “The Witch Hunter” is a perfect example, showcasing a structure with various parts that make room for everything: guttural vocals, acoustic guitars, memorable clean vocals, speed on the drums, melodic riffs, instrumental spaces, and much more,all under a dynamic that keeps surprising the listener.
The song durations are long, but Insomnium utilizes every second in their compositions so well that listening is not burdensome but rather very enjoyable. It’s a work that, with each listen, reveals new aspects. For instance, if you pay attention, you’ll notice the immersive synthesizer arrangements.
Two collaborations that add a different hue to the album
The collaborations on “Anno 1696” are excellent! They enrich the album, making it even more diverse. The first collaboration is with Sakis Tolis from “Rotting Christ” on “White Christ”, where he contributes guttural vocals with his characteristic tone that stands out due to his excellent performance. You can hear his anguish, which is later sweetened by a series of clean guitar arpeggios that make the song incredibly epic.
The next collaboration is with Johanna Kurkela on “Godforsaken”, adding a very pleasant feminine touch through her excellent clean vocals. Despite being a very fast and heavy song, it contributes tremendously to the band’s melodic style, resulting in a different song that doesn’t fall into the “Operatic” trap that many bands encounter when trying to integrate clean female vocals with Death Metal.
We love the closing of the album. First, the band prepares us with “The Unrest”, an acoustic song with 100% clean vocals, paving the way for the impending storm with “The Rapids”, possibly the heaviest song on the entire album. Here, we can hear everything from blast beats on the drums to fast rhythms influenced by Thrash Metal. All of this culminates in finishing the work at the level it deserves.
