Above the Weeping World (Above The Weeping World - Insomnium)

Member Name: Frankingsteins

Product:	Above The Weeping World - Insomnium
Date:	29/07/08 (14 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Classic Gothenburg sound revisited, with a faithful and creative performance.

Disadvantages: Second half of the album runs out of ideas.

I was very pleasantly surprised by Insomnium's 2006 release; a modern melodic death metal album that's actually any good, though admittedly it does base its sound entirely in the classic mould of Dark Tranquillity circa their defining masterpiece 'The Gallery.' This Finnish band returns the (Swedish) melodeath genre to its roots, and aided by superior production quality and a great performance from all band members, this is an album that will certainly be loved by anyone who enjoyed the melodic death genre in the nineties before it petered out in the new millennium.

The guitars are the most impressive element here, churning out some memorable melodies that could easily be Dark Tranquillity off-cuts, and the only band member who fails to make a lasting impression is the vocalist, whose growls are the standard butch shouting fare, balanced out by ineffective softer growls in the frequent atmospheric sections. This is where the otherwise excellent album falters slightly as it starts to run its limited range of ideas into the ground and tracks start to sound similar, but taking one or two at a time, this is still one of the best melodic death metal experiences releases this decade.

1. The Gale
2. Mortal Share
3. Drawn to Black
4. Change of Heart
5. At the Gates of Sleep
6. The Killjoy
7. Last Statement
8. Devoid of Caring
9. In the Groves of Death

Summary: Insomnium's third album (2006).