Album of the Week 40-2023: Insomnium – Anno 1696
Sometimes, albums need a while to sink in. Usually, that means they are a satisfying listen for a longer time. And in most cases, it is clear to me why it took so long before it resonates with me. In case of Insomnium’s ‘Anno 1696’, however, I have no idea why. The album features their typically Finnish style of melodic death metal filtered through doom metal and Scandinavian folk lenses, while the conceptual nature of the album gives ‘Anno 1696’ a cohesion some of Insomnium’s more song-oriented albums lack. And despite all the familiar elements, only Insomnium could have made this album.
What generally makes me reach for a band like Insomnium sooner than a Swedish melodeath band is the melancholy in their guitar melodies and the wide open spaces in their arrangements. Their fellow countrymen Amorphis arguably pioneered this approach, but Insomnium was one of the first bands to embrace the more subdued tempos to create a gorgeous, compelling subset within melodic death metal that apparently only Finns can pull off convincingly. Ever since third guitarist Jani Liimatainen joined Insomnium, the folk elements have increased as well. This is greatly beneficial to ‘Anno 1696’, as many of the album’s highlights prominently feature acoustic guitars.
Of course, that is not just a matter of acoustic guitars simply being there, but the fact that Insomium is willing to make space for acoustic guitars makes for some incredibly dynamic songwriting. ‘Starless Paths’, for instance, has its familiar sections broken up by more tranquil sections which are organically woven into the songwriting. Arguably the song that makes the best use of Insomnium having three guitarists. ‘The Unrest’ is fully acoustic, though Niilo Sevänen’s ominous vocals keep it from getting too folky. Opening track ‘1696’ builds from its lengthy acoustic intro to its intense verses in a way that is somewhat reminiscent of Enslaved.
Even when Insomnium treads more familiar ground, however, ‘Anno 1696’ just makes them sound slightly better than on the average Insomnium album. ‘Lilian’ stands out due to its gorgeously melodic simplicity, while ‘The Witch Hunter’ sounds similarly familiar, only with slightly more elements added to the mix. The more sprawling compositions are possibly the most pleasant surprises on the album. ‘Godforsaken’ is a masterclass in how to use space as a compositional weapon and is enhanced by Johanna Kurkela’s haunting vocal melodies, while closing track ‘The Rapids’ almost feels like it goes through various movemens like a symphony would.
Ultimately, only ‘White Christ’ fails to live up to Insomnium’s lofty standards. It’s fine, but not nearly as climactic as the rest of ‘Anno 1696’. After a few spins, ‘Anno 1696’ might be my favorite Insomnium full-length since ‘Above the Weeping World’ seventeen years ago. It features a band clearly aware of its strengths, but also hungry to find variations on those strengths without immediately alienating half of their fanbase. Through the years, I have occasionally accused Insomnium of running on auto-pilot. But with inspired works like ‘Anno 1696’ and ‘Winter’s Gate’ released in recent years, nothing is further from the truth right now.
Recommended tracks: ‘Godforsaken’, ‘Starless Paths’, ‘Lilian’, ‘The Rapids’
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