Album Rating: 3.0

Jani left Sonata Arctica in 2007

Album Rating: 3.5

And man has Sonata felt his absence for the most part since then.



As for this album, it's more in the vein of One for Sorrow and Across the Dark for me. It doesn't have a bad song per se, but it's just not as good as some of the their other albums.

Album Rating: 3.5

Ah, shows my lack of knowledge

Album Rating: 4.0

I think he initially left SA to serve his time in the Finnish military IIRC.

Album Rating: 3.5

They need to bring their riff game back into line, the better songs on this are proof of that imo. The main riff in Mute is my Sorrow is great, and when that lead comes in over the top of it, god damn. Give me more of that. Marcus writes amazing melodies, but they have definitely started to blend after several albums written in this style. The riffs give the songs their character and they have been lacking in that area for awhile now, but this is the first time where I really felt it.

Album Rating: 4.0

yeah man, Mute my Sorrow is catchy as heck. I wasn't super fond of it at first, but this whole thing is starting to grow on my with time and familiarity. I did not expect to be enjoying this as much as I currently am after the first listen, but here we are.

Yeah their best songs are pretty much always the ones that have that aggressive riffy old school in flames approach

Album Rating: 3.5

Niilo is still my absolute favorite vocalist in melodeath and I think he has only gotten better over the years. Dude doesn't know how to give a bad performance.

Album Rating: 4.0

I agree man! He somehow sounds possibly at his best on this album which is crazy for a band doing their thing for this long. There were moments on this where I was like whoa, that sounds a lot better than it should!

Album Rating: 3.0

There's some good, some bad. But I think we are pretty much in unanimous agreement that Pale Morning Star is fucking gooooooooooooodddd



Also like the songs Wail of the North, Valediction, Neverlast, the title track, and Mute Is My Sorrow



The rest aren't bad, except for Twilight Trails being just awful for most of the last half. Most of it just isn't very sticky and memorable which sucks

Album Rating: 3.5

That verse riff and melody blend in Mute Is My Sorrow and the guitar lead bridge rules so hard. I do wish there was more of that. Neverlast also has it strong. Niilo's vocals sound heavier than usual on this album to me.

I agree Twilight Trails starts strong but it just kinda goes on without much interesting happening after the early guitar lead.

Album Rating: 3.5

the intro to Pale Morning Star is awfully similar to the intro song on Before the Dawn's last album



https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OYdHPpryCxw

Album Rating: 3.0

i think those are quite different

Album Rating: 3.5

¯_(ツ)_/¯

Album Rating: 3.0

Out To The Sea makes most of the songs here sound like bonus tracks.

Album Rating: 3.0

Pale Morning Star is great no doubt. But Groves, Last Statement, Lay of Autumn, Daughter of the Moon, Lay the Ghost, Killjoy or Down With the Sun are so much better. I have tried but I can't appreciate their Omnium Gatherum style solo driven approach to some of the songs. That solo @ 4.55 mark in Pale Morning really diminishes the overall impact of this amazing track.

Album Rating: 4.0

Shadows of a Dying Sun is my favorite Insomnium album, Heart Like a Grave is basically a follow-up of sorts. After 3 listens the tracks that stick out for me are Valediction, Heart Like a Grave, Pale Morning Star and The Offering being my favorite so far because part of it's melody reminds me of Anathema's Untouchable. I'm still not set on a rating but at the moment it's right between a 3.5 and 4

Album Rating: 3.5

Insomnium are master song crafters. Album is amazing.

Album Rating: 2.0

Still a pretty decent outing, but relative to the rest of their discography it's a relatively subpar album in my opinion.

Album Rating: 4.0

Do you dig any newer melodeath?