Written By Caine Blackthorn
Insomnium Netherworlds: A Darker Chapter Begins
Finnish melodic death metal veterans Insomnium will return with their tenth studio album, Netherworlds, on October 16 via Century Media Records.
The follow-up to 2023’s Anno 1696 finds the Joensuu-born band continuing to explore the melancholic melodies, atmospheric darkness and melodic extremity that have defined their sound for nearly three decades.
With the album approaching, Insomnium have now unveiled “Gleam in the Black,” the second track released from Netherworlds, accompanied by a new music video directed and produced by Patric Ullaeus of rEvolver Film Company AB.
“How could I have held you?
How could I have kept you mine?
The fairest light of all
A gleam in the black”
Insomnium Netherworlds Descends Deeper Into the Dark
“Gleam in the Black” represents one of the faster songs on the forthcoming record, but its lyrical heart remains firmly planted in the melancholy that has long permeated Insomnium’s music.
Vocalist and bassist Niilo Sevänen describes the song as both a live-ready track and a reflection of the atmosphere surrounding Netherworlds.
“Being one of the faster songs on the new album, this is a track that should get the crowd moving when played live,” Sevänen said. “It definitely carries a classic INSOMNIUM spirit.”
Lyrically, however, the song ventures somewhere considerably darker.
Sevänen describes it as a mysterious love story built around longing for something that has disappeared beyond reach, with its characters condemned to wander through the darkness searching for what remains accessible only through dreams.
“That single gleam of light amidst the blackness,” he said.
The accompanying video translates that atmosphere visually through the work of Ullaeus, whose cinematic approach emphasizes the bleak, nocturnal character surrounding the song.
‘Shadowlife’ Opened the Door to Netherworlds
“Gleam in the Black” follows “Shadowlife,” the first song revealed from the new album.
Sevänen has described “Shadowlife” as a thematic gateway into Netherworlds, framing its story around the loss of a loved one and the realization that love, youth, warmth and beauty cannot remain untouched by time.
Guitarist and clean vocalist Markus Vanhala, meanwhile, approached the song from a somewhat different direction.
“Shadowlife opens the dreamy next chapter of INSOMNIUM with a certain self-aware catchiness,” Vanhala said, explaining that he deliberately set out to write something immediate enough to function as an obvious “hit” or “banger.”
But he also offered a warning for anyone worried Insomnium might suddenly be sanding down their darker edges:
“The deeper cuts will follow.”
A New Production Chapter for Insomnium
Netherworlds also introduces changes behind the scenes.
Miiro Varjus played a key role throughout the album’s creation, while renowned producer and engineer Jens Bogren handled mixing and Tony Lindgren mastered the record.
The album also contains a notable Finnish metal collaboration on “The Hour Grows Late,” featuring Tomi Joutsen, Tomi Koivusaari and Santeri Kallio of Amorphis.
Their appearance connects two bands that have become internationally recognized pillars of Finland’s darker and more melodic end of metal.
Netherworlds Track Listing
1. The Cold Song
2. Shadowlife
3. Remembrance
4. Gleam In The Black
5. The Hour Grows Late (feat. Tomi Joutsen, Tomi Koivusaari and Santeri Kallio)
6. Arch Of The Sky
7. Pathways Of The Night
8. Ethereal Sleep
9. The Banished
10. Journey’s End
11. Fading Aurora (Bonus Track)
12. Netherworld (Bonus Track)
13. Severed Blooms (Bonus Track)
The album is available in the following formats and you can pre-order it here:
Ltd. Deluxe 2CD Artbook
Standard CD Jewelcase
Gatefold black 2LP
Ltd. Gatefold pearlescent deep-blue 2LP
Ltd. Gatefold sparkle starlight 2LP (bandshop exclusive)
Ltd. Gatefold iridescent pearl dawn 2LP (Bandshop exclusive)
Gatefold translucent sea blue 2LP (US version)
Digital album
Netherworlds arrives October 16, 2026 via Century Media Records, with pre-orders available now.
About The Author
Caine Blackthorn writes music news, trending topics, commentary, and feature pieces for Metal Lair with a focus on the shifting culture surrounding rock and heavy metal. From rising ticket prices and touring collapse to legacy artists, industry absurdity, and the changing soul of live music, his work blends sharp observation with the grit, humor, and frustration of the scene itself. Whether covering modern chaos or metal history, Caine approaches heavy music as something lived through, not simply reported on.
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