Search - Insomnium :: Across the Dark (Dlx)

Atmospheric Death Metal: Guitar Driven Melodic Doom Metal

C. M. Gillum | Michigan | 10/24/2009

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Lets face it if your even interested in this album you are into the extreme side of the Metal universe. If your seeking something unrelentingly heavy and/or the most brutal album ever created I would advise looking into Behemoth's new album Evangelion. Across The Dark definitely has the heaviness you seek but also slows things down a bit utilizing dark (bordering on the edge of gothic at times) arrangements to add more structure to the songs rather then a complete barrage of chaotic riffing.



If your not scared away then there is a lot here you should/will enjoy. Insomnium have always been in the Melodic Death camp but this, there latest release further defines there want to experiment with the melodic side of their music. The opening track 'Equivalence' begins with some very tranquil guitar and bass, the drums kick in and some soft whispering is heard as the programmed arrangements fade in and soon the guitars strike up. The opener leads directly into the second track (a personal favorite) 'Down With The Sun'.



The second track definitely has a slower paced tempo not unheard by various Doom Metal groups but the guitars keep a faster pace not unlike that of the 90's Melo Death bands utilized. It is truly difficult to place this in any specific Sub Genre but that is where the power of this album lies, it stands on its own rather then follow others foot steps. Moving on the third track picks up the pace with far more up tempo guitars and head bang worthy riffing. 'Where The Last Wave Broke' also is the first track to offer some clean vocals to add to the atmosphere of the chorus.



'Against The Stream' follows as yet another faster paced track showcasing some of my favorite lead guitars on the album. Ville & Ville deserve special credit as the guitars on Across The Dark steal the show and are easily the backbone of the album. Whether it be the subtle melodic Acoustics to the roaring leads these two show amazing chemistry and musicianship. In case you are wondering why this album has such a short track listing, the following track would be the first reason 'The Lay Of Autumn' clocks in at 9:10 and is by far (in my opinion) the best track on the album.



From the melodic acoustics and subtle atmospheric arrangements to the amazing soloing and impressive drum work this track (The Lay Of Autumn) truly showcases all that the band aimed for on this album and is a must hear for anyone even remotely intrigued. 'Into The Woods' is a roller coaster of low to mid paced tempos and some of the finest song structure on the album and some of my favorite lyrics. Speaking of which Across The Dark has easily some of the best written lyrical content the band has released to date, surprisingly they are also some of the most positive lyrics by the group as well.. Here is an example as heard on the track 'Into The Woods'...



"Now close your eyes

And open your weary heart

Let me soothe away the woes

Of fiendish world..."



"As will the sun bathe the land

In its warming light

So shall the moon ascend

To guide the day to wane

In turn the rain to hush

The tumult of this world

And the wind to rise,

Sigh a lullaby in trees"



Yes, there are many darker passages on the album but the band seemed to level out the dark and lighter parts of the album showing they are getting more creative in the writing department and not afraid to experiment. The closer of the album 'Weighted Down With Sorrow' begins as easily one of the most tranquil tracks on the album with some eerie arrangements accented with the albums trademark acoustics. The song soon twists into an anthematic mid paced rocker with another break to acoustics and some more quality leads.



After listening to this album and really criticizing the music and putting serious thought to it I have come up with only one other band that really has a true similarity. Though I may get flogged by fans I have to admist that Insomnium and Opeth both have a similar grasp on leveling the heaviness with the melodic atmosphere. Even the growled vocals have similarities and the lyrical content is just as intelligent. I am not saying one band is cloning the other, simply that fans of this may also enjoy Opeth's various works.



All in all I consider this easily one of the best releases of 2009 and a must hear for fans of bands that utilize a more melodic approach to Extreme music. As previously said the Guitars are a definite standout through out the album and fans (like myself) of good melodic leads should find the ones showcased here appeasing. I highly recommend Across The Dark to all fans of the Metal scene and ask that you all at least head over to the bands MySpace and check out a few tracks.



Lastly I am trying to support the scene by writing these lengthy reviews here on Amazon and would be honored if you would take the time to click 'Yes' below and further more check out the rest of my reviews. Following will be a short list of other albums you may be interested in if you enjoyed Across The Dark, Thank you for reading.



In The Halls Of Awaiting by Insomnium

Since the Day It All Came Down by Insomnium

Above the Weeping World by Insomnium

Blackwater Park by Opeth

Ghost Reveries by Opeth

Watershed by Opeth

Isolation Songs by Ghost Brigade



Thanks again for reading,



-A loyal Insomnium Fan"

Across the dark, indeed

Almost Home | undisclosed | 10/18/2009

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Insomnium is a band with a little bit of an identity crisis. They are from Finland, yet they sound like they hail from Sweden. (I know that to the majority of those reading this, that may not mean anything. But, for those of you deep into the scenes, you know exactly what I mean.) The most notable band one could compare this group with is Dark Tranquillity. That is a bit of a stretch, though. Insomnium has none of the power-metal influences so popular with their countrymen. They have no sweeping keyboard solos ala Children of Bodom or even Kalmah. The vocals can be similar to Kalmah, but that is about where the similarities end. Insomnium is just seemingly the darkest band to break the surface of the international metal scene compared to CoB or others. The mood is even more morose than Sentenced (r.i.p.) but not self-pitying as Sentenced has always been. This is Insomnium's fourth full-length release. I highly recommend all four albums, yet this release sticks out from the others right off the bat. The most noticable change from the three previous discs is the clarity and depth of the production. This sounds the way an international melodic death metal cd should sound. From the first notes the difference is clear. After the oo's and aah's of the production value subside, one must digest this album from the material's sake. This is Insomnium's most mature sounding release yet. Now there is a dicotomy in saying that because when a melodic death band starts to make waves and gets the international treatment that Insomnium is now enjoying, the first thing that chages is usually the vocalist. Not here. This album is the most (thankfully) incoherent and dark of all four Insomnium releases. The vocals here feel like a fifth instrument which I absolutely love in my death metal. The music is epic and even beautiful but the vocals are harsh and gutteral. This makes for an awesome combination. There is no defining charateristic to Insomnium right off the bat. No Tomas Lindberg shrieking, no Michael Amott or Alexi Laiho guitar heroics. No Inferno super-human drumming nor any neck-snapping blastbeats. What we get here is a whole that is greater than the sum of its parts. Insomnium stands on their own merit by being a good BAND. It is refreshing and wholly enjoyable. I recommend this special edition available here on Amazon. It includes and bonus DVD and will certainly become a collector's item as this band either explodes onto the international metal scene or simply produces stellar melodic death into obscurity. Either way, you will want to say "I was there." Five stars."

Great Album--On par with, but slightly different than other

A. Nocchi | Scott AFB, IL | 10/04/2009

(5 out of 5 stars)

"If you are a die-hard Insomnium fan, you will not be disappointed. This is what I expect an Insomnium record to sound like. However, there is one clear difference-there are a lot more clean vocals on this album than any other album (but still not a lot). Overall, the album is very good, but will probably rank low on my list of favorite Insomnium albums. There are no songs that really stand out (though they are all good) amongst the other Insomnium songs (I have all their albums). Lay of the Autumn, the longest song on the album, sounds very much like Opeth to me (I like Opeth, but not nearly as much as Insomnium) and has a great deal of clean vocals ... oddly enough it is probably my favorite song on the album.



Even in its "plainness" this is still definitely an album worth getting if you like Insomnium."