Insomnium - One for Sorrow
Finland’s Melodeath masters have hinted at perfection many times in the past. 2004’s Since the Day It All Came Down has been a fixture in my stereo rotation since the day it all came out, but only for a handful of songs. 2006’s Above the Weeping World and 2009’s Across the Dark also had tracks that the repeat function was invented for, but as far as a completely flawless record, good to go beginning to end, Insomnium have come close but never quite made it happen… until now. Watching these guys open for Katatonia four years ago, the thought occurred to me: What would clean vocals do for these guys? Could they pull it off, and if so, how? My questions have been answered with One for Sorrow, an album title that lives up to its name. It’s not as though they’ve changed their style much at all. It’s still the same melodic Death Metal they’ve always played, flowing with melancholy yet at a mostly energetic pace, but the occasional clean vocals add so much to the record’s dynamic. I assume the clean singing is actually via guitarist Ville Friman, as I can’t imagine this soft voice emanating from lead vocalist/bassist Niilo Sevanen (he of defeated gruff roar). Unfortunately this is the age of technological faggotry, so I’m reviewing an mp3 file here and my online references are limited, but whoever is doing the clean vocals is doing a great job. A passionately sullen, operatic-but-far-from-too-operatic, very mellow style of singing that compliments Sevanen perfectly. This album flows with masterful melody from start to Finnish. An extravaganza of dejected majesty and epic depression. The perfect album to play while sitting in the dark, chain-smoking, chain-drinking, and evaluating the dismal shithole that is your life. You would end it all, but you’d miss out on monumental albums like this. If you’re a fan of Melodeath in general, a longtime fan of Insomnium, or basically anything but a fan of life and all its horrid gayness, I can’t see you finding anything wrong here. I tried to find flaws - as I don’t want to be the guy who just dishes out 10s like some Jehovah’s Witness with a stack of Watchtowers - but with every repeated listen I just fell more in love with the songs. All hail Insomnium. All hail sorrow.
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