If there is a band that has become a singular example of melodic death metal, it has to be Insomnium. Not only are they pioneers within the genre, but they have also managed to keep releasing soul-breaking records throughout the years. From “While We Sleep” to “Ephemeral” to “Heart Like a Grave,” these dark and pale hymns have become a huge source of comfort for fans who enjoy and deeply identify with such feelings.
In 2023, not content with releasing their latest studio album, “Anno 1696,” they are also releasing a small but hard-hitting EP titled “Songs of the Dusk.” With only three songs on this EP, it is also related to their latest album, something like a DLC, if you will. These songs are seriously packed. The release not only coincides with the autumn season but will also be out a few days after Halloween and a bit before they hit the road for a long autumn/winter European tour.
“Flowers of the Night” is the most melodic and shorter out of the three. This song can easily be connected with their latest album, acting like a bonus to fill up some parts of the story. The song is darker and more sinisterly beautiful. The guitar solos and the melancholy within the lyrics deliver a devastating blow of sorrow and compassion.
“Stained In Red” is undoubtedly one of the heaviest songs this band has ever done; some of the riffs even border on black metal. The song kicks off slow but gets heavier and heavier as it progresses. It feels like the soundtrack of a movie where the protagonist runs desperately through a forest while being pursued by a pack of wild wolves. The whole six minutes are a desperate marathon of life vs. imminent death by mauling. It’s the perfect song for cold, dark, or rainy evenings.
“Song of the Dusk” is the longest song on the EP, clocking in at more than 9 minutes. This track is more serene and calm, solid but melodic. It’s a beautiful song with many shades and ups and downs. The lyrical part at the song’s end is like dark poetry or an open invitation to sorcery: “Through the glades and gloomy thickets, Through the misty quagmires, Through the hidden trails that take us home.” Once again, Insomnium successfully paints a beautiful picture of darkness and Autumn.
With this release, I hope they add one or two of these songs to the set list (hopefully “Flowers of the Night”) for their upcoming European tour.
Insomnium European Tour Dates w/ In Mourning & Kvaen:
11/05 UK Manchester @ Club Academy
11/06 UK London @ O2 Academy Islington
11/07 FR Paris @ La Machine du Moulin Rouge
11/08 BE Sint Niklaas @ De Casino
11/09 NL Tilburg @ 013
11/10 DE Übach Palenberg @ Rockfabrik
11/11 DE Bremen @ Tower
11/12 PL Poznan @ 2Progi
11/13 PL Krakow @ Kamienna 12
11/15 DE Berlin @ Hole 44
11/17 HU Budapest @ Barba Negra
11/18 CZ Prague @ Palac Akropolis
11/20 DE Bochum @ Zeche
11/21 DE Leipzig @ Hellraiser
11/22 DE Cologne @ Kantine
11/23 DE Heidelberg @ halle02
11/24 DE Frankfurt @ Batschkapp
11/25 IT Milan @ Legend Club
11/27 ES Barcelona @ Razzmatazz 2
11/28 ES Madrid @ Mon
11/29 ES Bilbao @ Santana 27
11/30 FR Toulouse @ Le Rex
12/01 FR Grenoble @ L‘Ilyade
12/02 FR Strasbourg @ La Laiterie
12/03 DE Geiselwind @ MusicHall
12/04 AT Vienna @ Szene
12/05 DE Hirsch @ Nuremberg
12/06 DE München @ Backstage
12/07 DE Stuttgart @ Im Wizemann
12/08 DE Cham @ L.A. Cham
12/09 DE Trier @ Mergener Hof
12/10 DE Hamburg @ Gruenspan
