Insomnium - Shadows Of The Dying Sun review
| Band: | Insomnium |
| Album: | Shadows Of The Dying Sun |
| Style: | Melodic death metal |
| Release date: | April 2014 |
Disc I
01. The Primeval Dark
02. While We Sleep
03. Revelation
04. Black Heart Rebellion
05. Lose To Night
06. Collapsing Words
07. The River
08. Ephemeral
09. The Promethean Song
10. Shadows Of The Dying Sun
Disc II
01. Out To The Sea
02. The Emergence
03. The Swarm
04. The Descent
With Insomnium no longer having the service of guitarist Ville Vänni and his replacement by Markus Vanhala, the lead guitarist of Omnium Gatherum, Shadows Of The Dying Sun presents the possibility of a merging of the titans, so to speak. However, their sixth full length studio effort is no less Insomnium in style and execution than what preceded it, which means we're granted yet another excellent album from this premier melodic death metal band.
No doubt with the line-up change, and this being the first full length since Vänni's departure, all ears will be keen to identify how much the Omnium Gatherum influence comes into play. Vanhala makes his presence clearly felt throughout the album, leaving his mark most indelibly with "Revelation," a piece of his own composition and with his distinctive style reigning supreme yet made one with the Insomnium sound. His performance throughout the record breathes fresh and energetic life into the band's catalogue, which is one of a rarely achieved consistency within the melodic death subgenre, but also one which hungers for a more remarkable change from album to album.
All attention will turn toward the invigorated song writing which usually emphasises melodically lush leads and high calibre yet subtly varied hooks, and so it does within Shadows Of The Dying Sun, but the true marvel behind this album, and like no Insomnium album before it, is the directing and outstanding drum work. Markus Hirvonen has always been at the heart of the band's impressionable sense of rhythm, but here he truly excels himself and Shadows Of The Dying Sun thrives, pulses and gels from his superbly expressed performance at the kit, guiding a razor sharp rhythm section. One need only listen to the title track to hear the very full percussion and how it gives the album its well situated foundations. In fact, from the first track to the last, the drums, as well as the backbone of bass, provide obviously solid grounds for the melodic riffs. The flawless production values enhance this greatly, allowing for one of the tightest of Insomnium's studio performances. Everything hinges off the clarity and precision of the drum work to spectacular effect.
An uplifting vibe prevails here, in comparison to the appropriately titled previous release One For Sorrow. Though not without a sense of the band's trademark atmospheric melancholia, the mood is moving in new and exciting ways. From the extremity of "Black Heart Rebellion" to the hell-for-leather pace preceding a soaring melody within "Collapsing Words," there are fresh nuances to the track-list for listeners to pick up and enjoy. The clean vocals make a welcome return, as they found such emotive placement in One For Sorrow, and here they are also used very effectively.
Though not quite as focused on their atmospheric side on this album, Insomnium have made a push for the distinctiveness of these tunes, and their efforts result in a more direct record with increased diversity and punch of melody writing. Consistency has always been this band's greatest strength, never endorsing a widely ranging sound and operating around their own well defined stylistic crux, and Shadows Of The Dying Sun maintains this quality.
There is a clear and certain efficiency in the way Insomnium write and perform melodic death metal, and this album ably demonstrates that in another well honed outing.
 | Written on 23.04.2014 by R'Vannith enjoys music, he's hoping you do too. |
Comments
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Comments: 42
Visited by: 795 users
| NorthernDickhead Posts: 220 From: Finland  |
This review raise my expectations...good job R'Vannith 
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| scaesura Posts: 174 From: USA |
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| Fallen Ghost Craft Beer Geek Posts: 709 From: Norway  |
Great review! And nice to see it getting such a high score. I'm tired of melodic death, but there's something with this band, so I ordered the CD. It also seems that it has a better production than One For Sorrow had, which is very pleasing to me
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| annodomini Posts: 782 From: Lithuania  |
Most of Insomnium fans complained that the last Omnium Gatherum album was unoriginal and a copycat of Insomnium. I would agree on this if we concer about the style, but the songwriting in OM is much better than the last 3 Insomnium albumas (including this one). I don't know, maybe most of you are praising Insomnium techniqque or what, but OM melodies stuck in my head after first listening, and every time I listen, every time it attracts me. But when I listened to "Shadows..." yesterday I felt nothing. Nothing memorable. Some great guitar line, cold atmosphere, but thats it. I believe I will never get in to Insomnium, so I guess I have to stop trying and stick with OM and Mors Principium Est.
---- the riddle wants to be...
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| Risto Wandering Midget Posts: 1113 From: Finland  |
This is an interesting album and definitely an evolution of sorts. I totally didn't expect a song like "Lose To Night" and how the last two tracks build up. I think there's a surprise in store for many listeners.
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| MHOE Posts: 33 |
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| bodomdragon Posts: 49 |
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| Risto Wandering Midget Posts: 1113 From: Finland |
Written by bodomdragon on 23.04.2014 at 11:45 The album version is much more in line with how the rest of it sounds. I could place a small bet on that this is the original mix, not the single.
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| Reaper_Redeemer Posts: 743 From: Greece  |
"we're granted yet another excellent album from this premier melodic death metal band" I completely disagree with this. Insomnium is my favourite band, I like Omnium Gatherum too. But this album is by far the weakest I 've listened of them. Tracks like "Revelation" made me snore.... The blend they tried to do create is unsuccessful in my opinion but of course my opinion does not count at all. In the whole album I 've listened just an interesting riff and it is the intro of "Until we sleep". Production is considered of course well made but the final result made me disgust this band!
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| Risto Wandering Midget Posts: 1113 From: Finland |
Written by Reaper_Redeemer on 23.04.2014 at 12:26 Which is the most blatantly recycled theme on the entire record  Not that it's a bad song.
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| bladefall Posts: 21 From: China  |
Written by Reaper_Redeemer on 23.04.2014 at 12:26 Please listen "Down with the sun" again.You will find that riff at 1:30 to 1:45.
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| Wes Posts: 423 From: Japan  |
So far I like it better than any album since their debut. Actually I hated their other albums. The Omnium Gatherum "Beyond"-esque guitars make the album for me really. Enjoying it thoroughly! Favorite song so far, "Lose To Night"
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| Stoned Crow Posts: 85 From: USA  |
I got bored with Beyond, and I still find NWS enjoyable; truly don't understand the praise for Beyond. As for the review, and this album, I agree with the score. The second half of this album surprised me. Favorite track: The River.
---- I'm very serious about not being serious.
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| IronArkadius666 Posts: 103 From: South Africa |
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| Fallen Ghost Craft Beer Geek Posts: 709 From: Norway |
Written by MHOE on 23.04.2014 at 10:31 I don't understand this overwhelming love for Beyond; I got very disappointed with that record, I got bored of it actually. Enjoyed New World Shadows though.
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| Reaper_Redeemer Posts: 743 From: Greece |
Written by bladefall on 23.04.2014 at 14:22 I meant the opening riff of the video clip. In the album it is played in the intro track. The riff you are referring to is similiar to the one in "Until we sleep" but there are different notes and it is written in a different scale. Rythmic pattern is probably the same and yeah Insomnium are well known for recycling thir own riffs.
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| MHOE Posts: 33 |
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| Dark Blood The Avenger Posts: 1435 From: Portugal  |
I didn't have any doubts about this release and this review proves my theory that these guys nailed it, once again. Thanks sharing 
---- It is humanity who must pay homage to the greatness of the Universe... not the Universe to the human narcissism. 
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| Mattybu Posts: 2589 From: Canada  |
As I would expect, a well written review, but sounds like this once again wouldn't be my cup of tea. I found One for Sorrow pretty dull and based on the review they didn't shake things up too much.
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| Risto Wandering Midget Posts: 1113 From: Finland |
Written by Mattybu on 24.04.2014 at 03:52 It is a little different, tracks 5 and 10 in particular should make this quite clear. I believe this is what R'Vannith is pointing out in the fourth paragraph.
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| Wes Posts: 423 From: Japan |
Written by Risto on 24.04.2014 at 09:51 Songs 5 and 10 are certainly the best in my opinion.
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| MHOE Posts: 33 |
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| Mattybu Posts: 2589 From: Canada |
Written by Risto on 24.04.2014 at 09:51 Well I was going mainly on the opening paragraph (although I did read the rest). "No less the same in style and execution than what preceded it". Which is good for people who like that style, not so much for me.
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| b0sse Posts: 92 From: Sweden  |
Never liked Omnium Gatherum... They use way too much clean vocals. Ugh.
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| Risto Wandering Midget Posts: 1113 From: Finland |
Written by b0sse on 24.04.2014 at 19:23 Beyond has less clean vocals than the last two Insomnium records.
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| Opethian Posts: 1728 From: USA  |
Unfortunately this album falls under the category of 'I'll check it out when I give a shit'. Last 2 albums were sub par to say the least. For those who are enjoying it, right on
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| Stunning Cactus Posts: 319 From: USA  |
Written by Fallen Ghost on 23.04.2014 at 21:26 Completely agreed. After Luoto and New Dynamic, the album totally falls off. NWS maintains consist beauty and originality.
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| R'Vannith ghedengi Posts: 3099 From: Australia  |
Written by Opethian on 25.04.2014 at 01:31 This was posted on the band's Facebook a few days ago, I figured it might be ideal for your "situation" 
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| R'Vannith ghedengi Posts: 3099 From: Australia |
Written by Risto on 24.04.2014 at 09:51 Although the album doesn't do a great deal to distance itself from the previous material, I do find the track list to be pretty distinctive, considering solely the context of this album alone. The drumming provides much of the dynamism I think, and makes for a fairly varied listen. The last two tracks make a nice pair, probably my favourites.
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| R'Vannith ghedengi Posts: 3099 From: Australia |
Written by Mattybu on 24.04.2014 at 03:52 Much thanks. Stylistically there isn't a great deal of difference, very much in the vein of previous albums. But I would encourage checking this out to see how much the drumming does for you, exceptional work I found.
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