Melodic death metal band Insomnium is one of the flag-bearers of the Finnish heavy metal scene. With their fifth full length release One For Sorrow due out on the 18th of October in North American through Century Media Records, vocalist/Bassist Niilo Sevänen took some time out of his busy schedule to chat with Powerline about the album and its impending release. Much appreciated!

Niilo: Thank you!

Let’s chat a little about the musical direction of the upcoming release. Having heard the new single “Through the Shadows,” I can say with fair certainty we are in for something fresh, something different. Tell us a bit about the stylistic changes in store.

Niilo: The core of the music is the same as before. But we always want to evolve and bring something new to our sound. It would be utterly boring to make the same album again and again. Most notable change is that Ville Friman is singing the clean parts and we’ve used them in five songs. We also have some new kind of songs like “One for Sorrow” which don’t remind any earlier Insomnium works.

I’ve read there will be more emphasis on keyboards than ever on the upcoming release. Being a largely guitar driven band, tell us a bit about this decision.

Niilo: I would say you have heard some rumours which are not totally true. We are guitar driven band and keyboards are there to bring some extra spices to certain parts. I think the synths have the same emphasis like on Across the Dark.

Let’s talk about your role in the writing process.

Niilo: Song of the Blackest Bird and Unsung are more or less my songs. I’ve also made lyrics for “Only One Who Waits.” And naturally we’ve all been there to arrange the songs into their final form.

“Through the Shadows” sounds quite a bit less melancholic, with an almost optimistic, frenetic vibe I haven’t heard since some of the more upbeat songs on Since the Day It All Came Down. Is this representative of the rest of the album?

Niilo: No, not really. Variety is the key element here so none of the songs can represent the whole album. And TTS is the happiest song – there are some really dreary tracks too.

How did the recording process go? Every studio experience has the potential for ups and downs. Are there any special occurrences worth noting? Any unforeseen creative bursts that led to unexpected results in the studio?

Niilo: It was a long session but all went pretty well. We plan everything really well before hitting the studio so there is not that much room for creative bursts.

You guys worked with the same producer from your third release “Above the Weeping World.” What led to this choice?

Niilo: Samu Oittinen is a great guy and does magnificent job. This time we recorded guitars in Gothenburg, Sweden with Daniel Antonsson so we did something differently. Also keyboards were done in another studio but the whole package was mixed again by Oittinen.

While there have been periodic uses of clean vocals throughout Insomnium’s career, you guys really upped the ante with Across the Dark, and on the new single you seem to have taken yet another new approach in handling them. Who is singing, and why have you guys decided to incorporate clean vocals so prominently?

Niilo: Our own Ville Friman is singing them as he found his inner rock star. It’s just natural development – we have strong contrasts in our music so there are many parts where clean parts fit really well. There is no Grand Plan behind this, we just make the kind of music we love.

Now that the album is completed and ready for release, do you have any tracks that you are particularly attached to?

Niilo: Of course my own songs “Song of the Blackest Bird” and “Unsung”, but from Ville’s songs I like Only One Who Waits” and “One for Sorrow the most.”

I recall one of you guys saying that you set simple, attainable goals, sort of like small stepping-stones on the way towards a bigger picture in relation to how you work as a band. Is this still accurate? Do you feel like One For Sorrow and your activities as a band lately are helping you achieve a bigger picture for Insomnium?

Niilo: Well, I think we just make the best music we can and play the best shows possible. Promo and all that has to be done well too. Of course we have to think about this whole package and how to improve our performance in every way. We are perfectionists in many ways so even the small details often require a lot of work…

I’ve always felt that the sound you all have cultivated since the release of In the Halls of the Awaiting is one of the most distinctive in the melodic death metal genre. There is generally a profound sense of melancholy and darkness that encompasses Finnish metal, yet yours seems to be touched with a sense of hope beneath the despair. Is this an aspect you feel to be essential to the band’s identity?

Niilo: Thank you – and I believe you are absolutely right here. It’s hard to put in words that what separates us from other bands but it’s just this certain kind of melancholic atmosphere we have in all our songs. It’s something that dwells deep in our sense of melody so it’s something you can’t change. We truly make the kind of music we love and if others like it too then that’s great.

Naturally, I must ask about the album title. Like Across the Dark, it is a simple, yet absolutely fitting title for an Insomnium album. Is there anything significance to it?

Niilo: Starting point for the lyrics was this old English nursery rhyme called “One for Sorrow”. It’s about counting crows in a tree: “One for sorrow, two for luck, three for a wedding, four for death…”It has a very brooding and eerie feeling which in our opinion fits our music perfectly. It has ten rhymes as we have ten songs on this album. It forms this loose frame or concept for the lyrics. The lyrical themes are pretty much the same as always: the universal topics love, death, sorrow, loneliness, heartbreak, regret, longing, finding your inner strength and so on. Each song is like a small tale. Naturally we all take something from our own lives when writing lyrics: it’s a lot easier to write about something that you have experienced yourself. Since we are in our thirties already we have seen the ups and downs in life. I also read a lot to find interesting themes for lyrics. This time I was inspired by German poet Christian Morgenstern and Finnish poet Kaarlo Sarkia among others.

You guys recently signed to Century Media, one of the most prestigious labels a heavy metal band can be supported by. This is a wonderful achievement! What aspect of CM made you guys make the transition?

Niilo: They convinced us right from the start. They seemed genuinely enthusiastic about us and everything they said made a lot of sense. We had some very good options but in the end CM was an easy choice for us. And so far it’s been great!

With Century Media backing you, I imagine your U.S. tour opportunities may significantly increase due your increased exposure and their roster of prestigious metal acts? It’s been a while!

Niilo: It’s been a while and we certainly want to come back over there! I’m sure that this move to CM makes our position a lot stronger. Currently we are negotiating about coming to US next spring. That tour back in 2007 was one of the best we’ve done.

Do you enjoy touring? How much do you actually get to experience of the various locales you visit? Nowadays many bands tour both out of the desire to spread their music, and a necessity to recoup recording costs.

Niilo: So far touring has not helped us to recoup anything. So it’s surely more about spreading your music and finding new fans – and of course about having great time with good friends! I like the special atmosphere of the tours and it’s always great to play to a new audience. And it’s a big bonus if you have time to see the cities even a little bit.

Tell me a few bands you’d like to play with, a sort of all star touring lineup!

Niilo: Type O Negative, (original) Alice in Chains and Johnny Cash! Maybe we tour together on the other side…

With Insomnium gaining greater international attention with each release, how much does being in this band affect life outside of the studio and the road?

Niilo: Insomnium has made me the man I am today. It’s one of the biggest things that defines me. There is not a single day that I wouldn’t think about the band things.

We appreciate the time and the words! Do you have any final thoughts for readers/fans?

Niilo: Thank you and come to see us when we come to US! We deliver a killer show just for you guys.