I listen and love this kind of music the past twenty plus years. I don’t concentrate or have a favorite heavy metal genre. If it suits my taste I go for it. I try not to get judgemental or fanatical with a band and I say I try, because, I don’t always manage that successfully. You must wonder why all this intro, though, but it was absolutely necessary for me to write these things, so it would explain what’s coming next. Well, after all these personal information, time to get down to business.

For those who are not familiar with the band, INSOMNIUM is a melodic death metal band from Finland. With every new release they put out, their standards are set even higher. I can say with all my heart, now, that I can’t imagine after their new release “Winter’s Gate” how “higher” they can get.

“Winter’s Gate” is a concept album. A single forty minute track album, telling the story of a group of Vikings traveling to find an island west of Ireland, while coming against the forces of nature and the heavy winter that is drawing near. INSOMNIUM, took a big risk by making a single track record, but the result is far beyond what anyone could expect. They also avoided the trap of making a long song about an hour of bubbling music and they managed to fit the whole idea and story in forty minutes. Another good thing about it, is that they cleverly splited this one song to seven parts, making the listening sessions a lot easier.

The album has all those elements this band is known and loved for. All the beautiful melodic parts, dramatic riffs, the blastbeats where needed, the melancholic feeling and the deep harsh vocals. Alongside with their best production,so far, forming an outcome simply majestic. A mesmerizing journey, alongside those Vikings in an epic but dramatic quest. You can both listen and feel it.

I can’t get enough of this album and I know I’m not the only one. All their previous releases, all the beautiful music was the path to this album, their “magnum opus” as a friend referred to it and I couldn’t agree more. As for my intro, I was always skeptical of giving the highest score to a band, for an album even when I was stuck with it, for months. But now, it all seems to fit perfectly. Not much thinking about it, just feels as it should be right. INSOMNIUM…you nailed it!