Insomnium – Anno 1696
Release Date: 24th February 2023
Label: Century Media Records
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Genre: Melodic Death Metal, Doom.
FFO: Omnium Gatherum, Mors Principium EST, Dark Tranquillity.
Review By: Rick Farley
Finnish melodic death metal legends Insomnium return for full length album number nine, via Century Media Records. Based on a short story grimly written by bassist/vocalist Niilo Sevänen, Anno1696 tells the magnificent tale of religious execution, deadly famines, witch trials, cannibalism, and werewolves.
For the uninitiated, Insomnium (formed in 1997) is a doomy, melancholy filled melodeath band based in the land of a thousand lakes, Finland. A country well known in the realm of music for incredible doom, progressive and death metal. Insomnium checks those boxes easily with continual high quality releases that are always fresh and interesting. Each one filled with sombre undertones, metallic guitar riffs, and brilliant harmonies all within the shell of melodic death metal. Quite possibly the most consistently good discographies in the genre.
Anno 1696 strikes the balance between light and dark more so than any of the bands previous releases. Heart-wrenching and bloodthirsty, It tetters the line with folky acoustic passages and blackened elements. As much dark, frozen black forests as it is warm and inviting with its vibrancy. It feels like a more natural progression from Winter’s Gate and the Argent Moon EP than the previous full length, Heart Like a Grave. Anno 1696 is more diverse and filled with a little more musical soul. The triple guitar attack of Markus Vanhala, Ville Friman, and Jani liimatainen as always, is on full display with walls of distortion, dark but wistful melodies and fierce crunchy riffs. Drum work from Markus Hirvonen storms in like hellfire at times, and expertly keeps the tempo unembellished at other times. It’s an album that paced brilliantly from start to finish, brutal to sombre, sombre to hopeful and back again.
One song that exhibits this perfectly is White Christ, featuring Sakis Tolis from Rotting Christ on guest vocals. The track has a bouncy metallic groove, memorable hooks, and soothing melodies, but sounds wretchedly savage with the harsh vocal arrangements and aggressive interplay between the two vocalists. Track three Godforsaken uses a black metal approach of frozen bastions of tremolo picked guitars and thunderous blasting to create an engulfing murky atmosphere with lush vocal melodies from guest vocalist Johanna Kurkela. Her silky voice lingers with Niilo’s harsh low growls, forming a dreamlike soundscape of enchantment and aggression. There’s thoughtful progressive elements spread out over the eight and half minute track from acoustic passages, mournful leads, and middle eastern vibes. Sanguine and captivating, The Unrest reigns in the aggression, with a full on dirge of rhythmic acoustics and synths sweeping underneath. With slight tribalistic percussion, it has a wintery campfire ambience that feels remarkably coherent to the album. The vocals range from gravely low toned from Niilo to rich vocal hooks from Jani who’s added incredible depth and range to the cleans. It’s an unexpected but stunning respite from the gut punching heaviness and overall gloominess of the album as a whole. Album closer The Rapids, with its melancholic piano intro that slowly builds an evocative melody to the smooth guitar harmonies right before it erupts into seething assaulting riffs and frantic pace, is a monumental track to close out this phenomenal record.
Insomnium proves once again why they’re at the top of the melodic death metal heap. Another, stellar release that no fan of the band will be disappointed by. Anno1696 is not a major leap in style, but the band does achieve some different elements that will delight old fans and garner some new ones. It’s brighter, but yet darker, heavier but yet more melodic. It’s cinematic in scope bringing many emotions together conveyed through a journey filled story full of intense headbanging, hopeful self-reflection, and a sense of sorrowful dread. This will stand as one of the year’s best releases. 
(4.5 / 5)
