Review of the Album "Above the Weeping World" by Finnish Melodic Death Metal Band Insomnium

Above the Weeping World is the 3^rd studio album by Finnish melodic death metal band Insomnium released in 2006 and this one is another solid release from these guys. I bet when it is winter as it is now, some of you may want to weep because you can’t stand it. This album is nothing to weep about but it is an album to enjoy and appreciate. Why should fans appreciate the album even though some might think that Since the Day it All Came Down may be a better album musically? The first reason is for the manner in which the album starts out. Thanks to the staff at Hubpages for making one of my biggest dreams become possible so that music fans worldwide could read reviews like this written by a person like me. When it rains (metaphorically speaking), the urge to cover more Finnish metal bands can penetrate deep into the mind of some avid reviewers.

The opening song of the album called The Gale starts with rainfall in the background as the piano sets the tone of the song. Sometimes when it rains it really pours. The song contains only one lyrical line which is an oddity about the album. But what follows after this is an album full of Kalmah style melodies and riffs which is sure to be enjoyable for fans of that band. Note that while there may be some Kalmah influences in the album, the album is quality melodic death metal which is sure to please fans of bands such as The Wake, Naildown, Norther, and other similar bands.

The next song called Mortal Share is stylistically similar to songs on the previous Insomnium album. The song Change of Heart may as well describe two lovers that got together but in the end they were not a good match for each other. However, the song could also be a metaphorical description of an attempt at reconciliation and love. At the Gates of Sleep is a song that tries to convey the message that nightfall brings with it a sense of serenity and calm. Sometimes, a restful sleep is what humans need to bury the anxieties, worries, and stresses from the past day. Last Statement sounds very much like the way that the band Opeth has been throughout most of their career. The qualities that I see in this song that make it sound like Opeth are the rough, guttural vocals and the riffing although the riffing switches back to typical melo-death style. The song is actually a description of how the human lifespan goes through stages. We will all pass on but the sun and the green grass shall remain on the Earth. Our years on this planet will pass by very quickly, yet the love we have for others shall remain on this planet. The Killjoy is another song that is about what happens in life. When we experience love, we will ache inside our hearts when there is a breakup. We might commit sins and that is when we must repent. At the end of life, the lights will turn off on us and we will pass into the afterlife.

The strongest songs in this album are Mortal Share, Change of Heart, and At the Gates of Sleep. However, the score of this album was equal to that of the album Since the Day It All Came Down in 2004. That makes it a close call as to which album may be better. You decide. So far, all of the first three albums I have heard from Insomnium are solid. Final score: 85 points out of 100 (B)