Insomnium

Biography

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×One for Sorrow18 October 2011 · Studio albumSpotifyYouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 10 tracks1Inertia3:432Through the Shadows4:313Song of the Blackest Bird7:294Only One Who Waits5:175Unsung5:046Every Hour Wounds5:257Decoherence3:188Lay the Ghost to Rest7:469Regain the Fire4:2710One for Sorrow6:07.
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×Ephemeral19 November 2013 · EPSpotifyYouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 4 tracks1Ephemeral3:512The Emergence1:463The Swarm2:544The Descent3:12", a single from their 2014 album, Shadows of the Dying Sun×Shadows of the Dying Sun25 April 2014 · Studio albumSpotifyYouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 14 tracks · 2 discsDisc 11The Primeval Dark3:172While We Sleep6:213Revelation5:164Black Heart Rebellion7:035Lose to Night4:596Collapsing Words4:387The River7:588Ephemeral4:029The Promethean Song6:4110Shadows of the Dying Sun6:33Disc 21Out to the Sea5:152The Emergence1:413The Swarm2:524The Descent3:11, 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×Heart Like a Grave4 October 2019 · Studio albumSpotifyYouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 10 tracks1Wail of the North3:062Valediction5:063Neverlast4:474Pale Morning Star8:585And Bells They Toll6:026The Offering5:007Mute Is My Sorrow6:038Twilight Trails7:069Heart Like a Grave7:0510Karelia7:50, 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×Argent Moon17 September 2021 · EPSpotifyYouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 4 tracks1The Conjurer7:252The Reticent4:333The Antagonist5:044The Wanderer6:11 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×Anno 169624 February 2023 · Studio albumSpotifyYouTube MusicTracklist · 11 tracks · 2 discsDisc 1116966:192White Christ6:033Godforsaken8:364Lilian4:295Starless Paths7:486The Witch Hunter5:447The Unrest3:528The Rapids7:39Disc 21Flowers of the Night5:262Stained in Red6:513Song of the Dusk9:43, 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×Netherworlds16 October 2026 · Studio albumSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 10 tracks1The Cold Song2:212Shadowlife4:423Remembrance5:024Gleam in the Black4:335The Hour Grows Late8:026Arch of the Sky6:157Pathways of the Night4:578Ethereal Sleep5:439The Banished5:2610Journey’s End6:58, and cover were revealed in July 2026. On 16 January 2026, touring guitarist Tomy Laisto was announced as an official member.

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)

Demos

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

EPs

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