HEAVY MUSIC HISTORY: Shadows Of The Dying Sun – Insomnium

Today, Finland’s INSOMNIUM are considered one of the flagbearers of melodic death metal. Having formed in the closing years of the 1990s, a time where the likes CHILDREN OF BODOM, SOILWORK and AMON AMARTH built upon the foundations lain by AT THE GATES, IN FLAMES and DARK TRANQUILITY, the Joensuu natives would lay their claim for the throne throughout the early 2000s with a slew of top tier melodeath.

By the turn of 2014, INSOMNIUM had built their reputation by weaving thundering metal, dancing twin guitar leads with poignant emotional themes of darkness, loss, sorrow and pain. Following the release of 2011’s One For Sorrow, akin to a well-oiled machine, the band quickly turned their attention to what will become their sixth full-length record; Shadows Of The Dying Sun.

But, it wasn’t necessarily straightforward. Long-standing guitarist Ville Vänni, who had been in the fold since 2001, departed the band shortly after the release of One For Sorrow and although such a loss could have derailed the band’s solid foundations, the recruitment of Markus Vanhala would prove dividends. Vanhala would contribute significantly to the album, effectively stepping into the void left by Vänni‘s departure ensuring that Shadows Of The Dying Sun would stick to INSOMNIUM‘s mission objective.

And how it did. Shadows Of The Dying Sun would showcase the traits and musical characteristics the band had displayed on prior records whilst slightly pushing the band’s soundscape to alluring new pastures. “Fans can rest assured that it is still classic INSOMNIUM,” vocalist/bassist Niilo Sevänen would state. “Of course there’s also some new flavors here and there, and maybe it’s even more diverse compared with the last album. The easy stuff is easier than before, the heavy stuff is heavier. The contrasts between the songs are probably bigger than on any of our previous albums. That’s what we aim for, to have an interesting, diverse, long-lasting album that you don’t get fed up with.” Album opener The Primeval Dark and the epic While We Sleep is classic INSOMNIUM with scorching twin guitar harmonies, exquisite vocals that dance between growls and pained cleans, and the melancholic bedrock is ever-present. Similarly, doomy Lose To Night demonstrates the band’s poignant themes as clear as day and The Promethean Song is an emotional giant that pulls on your heartstrings masterfully.

But perhaps the greatest strength that contributes to Shadows Of The Dying Sun‘s impeccable legacy is the excellent pacing that is displayed throughout the album’s near hour-long runtime. Black Heart Rebellion‘s flirtation with black metal-esque blackbeats and lengthy runtime sits as an anchor between Revelation and Lose To Night, with the latter being arguably the softest song the band had penned to date. And then with Ephemeral, INSOMNIUM display an almost positive aura as the wholly uplifting song surges and adds a glimmer of hope to the melancholic mood in the album’s latter stages. Indeed, reflecting ten years on, Shadows Of The Dying Sun demonstrate INSOMNIUM at the top of their game.

Upon its release in April 2014, the record received critical acclaim from critics and fans alike. Metal Injection would state that “Shadows Of The Dying Sun is an album that will reward the listener for years to come. Each composition is both sweeping and evocative, as dressed in elegant majesty as it is steeped in fearlessly executed heavy metal grandeur,” whilst Loudwire would declare that the record is “a masterfully crafted work that never allows a grain of boredom to fall from compositional cracks”. And summer festival slots, including appearances at Summer Breeze in Germany and Tuska in their home country, as well as a lengthy European album promotion tour in the closing months of the year would cement the songs from the record into the hearts and minds of their fanbase.

Whilst subsequent records (such as 2016’s epic concept record Winter’s Gate or 2019’s monolithic Heart Like A Grave) demonstrate INSOMNIUM‘s consistent form of crafting top tier melodeath, Shadows Of The Dying Sun sits as perhaps their magnum opus. From the moment the record unfolds through to its epic finish, ten years on, the record is considered a jewel in the band’s crown with material from that record still being present in their live setlist to this day. Whilst previous records had showcased the Finns’ melodeath credentials, Shadows Of The Dying Sun established INSOMNIUM as a true titan of the genre.

Shadows Of The Dying Sun was originally released on April 25th, 2014 via Century Media Records.

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