What are the best Insomnium songs to start out with? Well, why don’t you check out this, the list of my 10 favorite Insomnium songs?
Insomnium is an immensely popular Finnish melodic death metal band with influences from other genres, such as doom metal and progressive metal. For me, the band was never a huge favorite (except the song “Down with the Sun”), but they’ve grown over the years. Today, I listen to parts of the band’s discography quite often. They’re definitely among the melodic death metal greats and a prime example of Scandinavian melancholy.
Author: Stefan Nordström
Musician, content creator and digital freelancer from Stockholm, Sweden. Plays in the bands Desolator (old school death metal), Soliloquium (progressive death/doom metal) and many more. If you like Insomnium, I’m pretty sure Soliloquium is for you as well, since we’re sometimes compared to them. The best way to support my content and my music is to buy digital Soliloquium downloads on Bandcamp. It’s way better than Patreon or donations, because you’ll get some dark Scandinavian music for it.
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Insomnium discography
- In the Halls of Awaiting (2002)
- Since the Day It All Came Down (2004)
- Above the Weeping World (2006)
- Across the Dark (2009)
- One for Sorrow (2011)
- Shadows of the Dying Sun (2014)
- Winter’s Gate (2016)
- Heart Like a Grave (2019)
I realized that all my favorite songs are from three out of the eight Insomnium full-lengths. This might piss of some fans, but I really don’t think the bands highly rated early material is all that special. The three albums I do enjoy however, I love! “Shadows of the Dying Sun” is my clear favorite.
For me, the weirdest part about the Insomnium discography is how the band released “Winter’s Gate” (that I don’t really enjoy at all) in between my favorites “Shadows..” and “Heart..”. Not sure what happened there, but maybe the album will grow over time for me. Anyway, onwards to the list of my 10 best Insomnium songs!
Anyway, let’s get on to to what you came here for: my list of the 10 best Insomnium songs.
10. Lose to Night
Classic Insomnium hit with doomy vibes, growl verses and a big clean vocal chorus. The “Shadows of the Dying Sun” album is filled with great songs like this, which would’ve been the best song on most of their albums.
9. Where the Last Wave Broke
Another classic, catchy Insomnium banger with a memorable clean vocal chorus. It feels like they were warming up for what was to come on “Shadows of the Dying Sun” on this one.
8. Pale Morning Star
Epic song from the “Heart Like a Grave” album. Not one of my initial favorites, but it’s grown considerably over time. I love when the song goes full doom metal mode in the end, sounding almost like Slumber and Enshine.
7. The Promethean Song
Insomnium are quite good at sending me into an existential spiral, and “The Promethean Song” is one of the best examples. This song feels a tad underrated compared to others on the “Shadows..” album. I absolutely love the powerful clean vocal part in this one. Classic Insomnium.
6. Neverlast
“For the mirth and glory will never last. For the love and ardor will never dure.” This song delivers one of Insomnium’s best hooks and delivers a great combination of feeling and catchy hooks. Always hits me hard!
5. Ephemeral
One of Insomnium’s catchiest songs. The lyrics in this one are often portrayed as cheesy, but I have to admit I like them. Much like most Insomnium material, this one gives birth to a lot of (good and bad) existential thoughts.
4. While We Sleep
“While We Sleep” is one of the catchiest Insomnium songs, delivering line after line and melody after melody that immediately sticks in my head.
3. Heart Like a Grave
Classic Insomnium-style song that builds up from acoustics into an epic melodic death metal crescendo with progressive and doomy influences. It’s just super-classy when it comes to everything from melodies to hooks and transitions.
2. The River
One of Insomnium’s strengths are the dynamics, and “The River” is a perfect example. It’s got some very nice harsh hooks, but the song’s highlight is when it comes to a stop to make way for the extremely emotinoal clean vocal part. This song is just a masterpiece the whole way.
1. Down with the Sun
“Down with the Sun” is the song that made Insomnium into one-song band for me for a long time. It’s just perfect in every way; an incredibly catchy and atmospheric song with perfect flow and transitions. Not to mention that the poetic lyrics get my every time. I doubt any Insomnium songs will beat this one for me at any point!
Soliloquium – progressive and melodic death/doom similar to Insomnium
You’re obviously here to explore Insomnium, but I can’t help suggesting that you check out my band Soliloquium too. There are similarities in both melodies, feeling and songwriting, so I think you could find something you like. If you feel like it, please hit us up on Bandcamp or Spotify. Would be much appreciated!
Other melodic death metal articles from the blog:
50 best melodic death metal bands ->
Melodic death metal genre guide ->
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