Release Date: October 16, 2026 | Label: Century Media Records
Finnish melodic death metal band Insomnium have released their tenth studio album, Netherworlds, through Century Media Records. Alongside the album’s arrival, the band have unveiled a new music video for “The Hour Grows Late”, featuring guest appearances by Amorphis members Tomi Joutsen, Tomi Koivusaari and Santeri Kallio.
Exploring the darker side of life
With Netherworlds, Insomnium turn their attention to loss, ageing and the people and creatures who have left us behind. Guitarist Markus Vanhala describes the album as a reflection on those who have passed into the netherworld, while those still here must eventually follow.
“The Hour Grows Late” stands out as one of the album’s more epic compositions. According to Vanhala, the track ventures further into the progressive side of Insomnium’s sound. Its guest contributions came together through a combination of ideas from Vanhala and producer Miiro Varjus, bringing additional vocals and a synthesizer solo into the song’s more chaotic middle section.
The accompanying video, directed by Jari Heino of Coldstore Productions, also draws on Finnish and Karelian folklore. White ribbons tied to trees reference the tradition of karsikko, in which memorial trees served as symbolic markers between the worlds of the living and the dead.
Mythology and the Insomnium sound
Earlier singles offered further insights into the album’s musical and thematic range. “Gleam in the Black” is one of the faster tracks on the record, with vocalist and bassist Niilo Sevänen describing its lyrics as a dark and mysterious love story. “Arch of the Sky”, meanwhile, explores Sámi mythology through a composition that combines changing time signatures, atmospheric passages and heavier sections.
The mythology-inspired track tells the story of celestial hunters pursuing a deer across the arch of the sky. According to the legend described by guitarist Ville Friman, the world would end if the deer were ever caught and the sky’s roof collapsed.
These songs provide different perspectives on Netherworlds, connecting personal themes of absence and remembrance with stories drawn from mythology and folklore.
A new chapter for Insomnium
As their tenth studio album, Netherworlds marks another milestone for the Finnish band. Rather than focusing solely on darkness as an abstract concept, the record addresses the experiences of loss, memory and the passage of time.
Netherworlds is out now via Century Media Records.
Stream the Album on Spotify: