Insomnium - Above the Weeping World
Over the course of its three albums, Insomnium‘s sound hasn’t changed so much as matured. This Finnish band sounds like Paradise Lost doing Swedish melodic death metal, combining the majesty of the former with the pace of the latter. 2004’s Since the Day It All Came Down
While Insomnium’s core sound has stayed the same over time, its intangibles have evolved. The songwriting has become more assured, and the band feels more like a unit. That’s especially the case here, where the band is so tight and the mix is so perfectly clear and lush that the songs and their atmospheres take center stage, rather than individual performances. That said, the band has a penchant for anthemic eighth-note melodies over emotional chord progressions. The other band that does this well is Agalloch, who evokes a similar feeling from a black metal angle.
The Killjoy
Devoid of Caring
Above the Weeping World is quite balanced – it’s melodic but not sugary, catchy but not cheap, and heavy but not oppressive. The beautifully understated artwork captures this well. For a good soundtrack to snowy winters, pick this up
