Finnish melodic death metallers INSOMNIUM have released their tenth studio album, Netherworlds, alongside a new music video for “The Hour Grows Late,” an epic composition featuring guest appearances from AMORPHIS members Tomi Joutsen, Tomi Koivusaari, and Santeri Kallio.
The video, directed by Jari Heino of Coldstore Productions, arrives as the band begins an extensive touring cycle that will take them across Finland, North America, and Europe.
Known for their atmospheric compositions and emotionally charged songwriting, INSOMNIUM continue to explore themes of mortality, grief, and the passage of time on Netherworlds, combining their signature melodic death metal sound with progressive arrangements and haunting melodies.
“The Hour Grows Late” explores loss and remembrance
One of the album’s most expansive compositions, “The Hour Grows Late” takes listeners through an emotional journey shaped by sorrow, reflection, and the inevitability of death.
Guitarist Markus Vanhala describes the song as one of the more ambitious pieces on the record, drawing comparisons to previous INSOMNIUM epics.
“‘The Hour Grows Late’ falls on the more epic side of the Insomnium spectrum, perhaps alongside classics like ‘Pale Morning Star’ and ‘Godforsaken.’ It’s a longer adventure in music, venturing a little further into the progressive dark side of the album’s moon.”
Vanhala explains that the track reflects the album’s overarching themes of grief and remembrance.
“We’re paying respect to the people who have fallen before us while we’re left alone in the dark and cold, with only two companions by our side: misery and sorrow.”
He continues:
“The new album deals with themes of loss, growing old, and missing all the people and creatures who have left us behind and headed to the Netherworld. The rest of us will follow with certainty, but not yet.”
AMORPHIS members join INSOMNIUM for an epic collaboration
“The Hour Grows Late” features contributions from three members of fellow Finnish metal veterans AMORPHIS.
Keyboardist Santeri Kallio delivers a psychedelic synthesizer solo during the song’s chaotic middle section, while vocalists Tomi Joutsen and Tomi Koivusaari add their distinctive voices to the composition.
According to Vanhala, the collaboration developed naturally during the recording process.
“I had been thinking about asking my good buddy, and band bro from Cemetery Skyline, Maverick or Goose, depending on the day, Mr. Santeri Kallio, to play an acid-trippy synth solo in the chaotic middle section of the song.”
Meanwhile, producer Miiro Varjus suggested bringing both Tomis into the recording.
“The fact that these two ideas came together felt like such perfect synchronicity that we simply couldn’t not make it happen.”
Vanhala also expressed particular enthusiasm about hearing Koivusaari return to his classic death metal vocal style.
“I’m especially happy to hear good old cookie monster, old-school Tomi Koivusaari growling.”
The collaboration brings together musicians from two of Finland’s most influential melodic metal acts, reinforcing the musical connections that have helped shape the country’s distinctive metal scene.
Finnish folklore inspires the music video
Beyond its musical intensity, the video for “The Hour Grows Late” incorporates symbolism drawn from Finnish and Karelian funeral traditions.
White ribbons appearing throughout the video reference Karsikko, a memorial tree tradition associated with honoring the deceased and marking the symbolic boundary between the worlds of the living and the dead.
Historically, designated trees were marked during funeral processions to commemorate those who had passed away. Ribbons and pieces of clothing were also placed on ancestral trees as gestures of remembrance and to help guide departed souls toward peace.
The imagery complements the song’s themes of mortality and grief, connecting INSOMNIUM’s contemporary songwriting with the folklore and cultural traditions of their homeland.
Netherworlds marks a new chapter for INSOMNIUM
With Netherworlds, INSOMNIUM continue to expand their musical identity while preserving the melancholic atmosphere that has defined their career.
The album combines sweeping melodic passages, crushing death metal riffs, progressive structures, and introspective lyrics, exploring the emotional complexities of growing older and confronting loss.
The recording also marks a new production chapter for the band.
Producer and engineer Miiro Varjus played a significant role throughout the album’s development, working closely with the musicians to shape its arrangements and atmospheric character.
The band once again collaborated with Fascination Street Studios, where acclaimed producer Jens Bogren handled mixing and Tony Lindgren completed mastering.
The result is a record designed to balance the intimacy of its emotional themes with the expansive soundscapes and heaviness associated with INSOMNIUM’s music.
The band previously introduced the album with the singles “Gleam in the Black” and “Shadowlife.”
Netherworlds is available now on digital platforms, CD, and multiple vinyl editions, including limited-color variants and a deluxe two-CD artbook.
INSOMNIUM announce North American tour with AMORPHIS
To support the new album, INSOMNIUM will join AMORPHIS for an extensive North American tour in November and December 2026, with HINAYANA providing additional support.
The tour begins November 17 in Boston, Massachusetts, and concludes December 19 in New York City.
The itinerary includes performances across the United States and Canada, with stops in Chicago, Denver, Vancouver, Seattle, Los Angeles, Austin, Dallas, Orlando, Jacksonville, and Atlanta, among other cities.
Following the North American dates, INSOMNIUM will reunite with AMORPHIS for a European tour in January and February 2027, with UNTO OTHERS joining as support.
INSOMNIUM North American tour dates with AMORPHIS and HINAYANA:
- November 17 – Boston, MA – Paradise Rock Club
- November 18 – Montreal, QC – Theatre Beanfield
- November 19 – Toronto, ON – The Concert Hall
- November 20 – Columbus, OH – The King of Clubs
- November 21 – Detroit, MI – Magic Stick
- November 23 – Chicago, IL – House of Blues
- November 24 – Minneapolis, MN – Varsity Theater
- November 25 – Lincoln, NE – Bourbon Theatre
- November 27 – Denver, CO – The Gothic Theatre
- November 28 – Salt Lake City, UT – Metro Music Hall
- November 30 – Vancouver, BC – Rickshaw Theatre
- December 1 – Portland, OR – Hawthorne Theatre
- December 2 – Seattle, WA – The Showbox Market
- December 4 – Berkeley, CA – The UC Theatre
- December 5 – Los Angeles, CA – The Regent Theater
- December 6 – Mesa, AZ – The Nile Theater
- December 8 – Austin, TX – Come And Take It Live
- December 9 – Dallas, TX – Granada Theater
- December 11 – Orlando, FL – The Abbey
- December 12 – Jacksonville, FL – The Albatross
- December 13 – Atlanta, GA – The Masquerade
- December 15 – Richmond, VA – The Canal Club
- December 16 – Baltimore, MD – Baltimore Soundstage
- December 18 – Reading, PA – Reverb
- December 19 – New York, NY – Irving Plaza
INSOMNIUM lineup
- Markus Vanhala – Guitar, Clean Vocals
- Ville Friman – Guitar, Clean Vocals
- Niilo Sevänen – Vocals, Bass
- Tomy Laisto – Guitar, Clean Vocals
- Markus Hirvonen – Drums, Percussion
Emerging from Joensuu, Finland, INSOMNIUM have spent more than two decades establishing themselves among melodic death metal’s most respected acts.
Their ability to combine crushing heaviness with deeply emotional storytelling has earned them a dedicated international following, while their evolving approach to composition continues to push the boundaries of the genre.
With Netherworlds, the band delivers another chapter in its exploration of darkness, memory, and the fragile nature of human existence.
INSOMNIUM’s Netherworlds is available now, alongside the official music video for “The Hour Grows Late,” featuring members of AMORPHIS.