### Insomnium: Since the day it all came down

#### 27/10/08 || Daemonomania

In my eternal quest to get inside the band’s head – to understand what goes on during the recording process – I have decided to write a short, semi-formatted excerpt of a screenplay on the recording of Insomnium’s “Since the day it all came down.” Enjoy.

SCENE: A small recording studio in Finland, 2003. Niilo, Ville 1, Ville 2, Markus, Jone, and Laura are preparing to lay down tracks for the new album. However, creative differences have led to some tension between band members. All dialogue in Finnish with English subtitles, of course.

Niilo: Alright people, let’s get down to writing some melodic Scandinavian death metal at its finest!

Ville 1: That is the most generic tag line of all time – we should change it to overly melodic boring Scandinavian metal that approaches melodic death at some points but is mostly just a weak version of Opeth meets In fucking Flames!

Ville 2: You know what, Ville 1? We never should have hired you to play guitar in the first place. You are a stupid piece of horseshit, and your opinion counts for nothing. Did this band not allow you to make car payments on time thanks to our last album? Don’t people like Opeth and In Flames? Might they not buy our new album because it sounds like an accessible amalgamation…

Laura: Hey guys, could you tell me if my cello is tuned…

Niilo, Villes, and Markus: SHUT THE FUCK UP, LAURA.

Markus: Look, can we stop bickering and just get to work? Whether or not our music is boring or not, I have the feeling we won’t be able to capitalize on this whole melodic death thing for much longer.

Ville 1: See, it is exactly that type of attitude that I’m talking about! Capitalize? Have we no integrity left?

Jone (also doing engineering duties): Like we were ever the hardest, fastest, meanest band to snort of shot of whiskey and gunpowder. Please, adding a little doom with some acoustic interludes to aimless melodeath is about as original as taking a shit. However, I will be damned if this is not a great production job. A shit in a shiny wrapper, this disc will be. Now Markus, put a cowbell on your kit, would you? Thanks.

CUT TO: Ville 1, on the toilet.

Ville 1: Hey guys, I think I’m squeezing out the first track now! Anyone have a pair of tongs and a plastic bag? I’ll bring it out to you!

Suddenly, Ville 2 kicks open the toilet stall door.

Ville 2: Fuck you Ville 1! This sleep inducing heap of semi-death is my livelihood, man!

He plants a boot right in the face of Ville 1, who falls off the commode. A feces-stained brawl ensues.

CUT TO: Back in the studio.

Laura: Ha, he said sleep inducing, and given that our band name is…

All: SHUT THE FUCK UP, LAURA.

Niilo: Well, while the Villes settle their differences, let’s lay down the vocals, bass, and drums. And Laura, if you even think about playing that idiotic cello I am going to personally have you ponyraped.

CLOSE UP: Laura, looking both sad and horrified at the concept of a ponyraping.

CUT TO: The rest of the band begins recording. Niilo’s growls are mid-ranged, and his bass is actually pretty competent. Markus’ drumming is nothing special. Laura keeps looking like she’d enjoy adding a bit of cello to the proceedings, but then she starts shivering all over in fear and disgust. A pre-recorded acoustic section is piped in, breaking up the more metallic music, and the band takes a break. All the while, you can hear the Villes scuffling in the bathroom.

Jone: Great work, all. Markus, the drums need more cowbell.

Markus: Roger that. What did everyone think of my lyrics for this one, “Death walked the earth?”

Jone: Lyrics were good, but no one gives a shit about lyrics anyway? Will good lyrics put a Jacuzzi in my bedroom and fill it with whores? No. Besides, your shit sounds like Opeth anyway.

Markus: Fuck you, you keyboard fuck!

He rips the cowbell off of his drumset, runs into the booth, and starts bashing Jone over the head with it. Niilo runs in to try and pull him off.

CUT TO: The Villes emerge from the bathroom, covered in shit. Most of the crap seems plastered around their mouths and noses, however.

Ville 1: We have worked out our differences in a foul, foul manner.

Ville 2: He said as long as our band was full of shit, we would be too.

A kernel of corn falls from his lips as he’s speaking.

CUT TO: The rest of the band, totally repulsed. Niilo and Jone have stopped fighting to stare in horror.

Laura: Guys, I want to quit the…

ALL: Shut the fuck up, Laura.

4 tough recording processes that ended in generic albums out of 10.

- Information
- Released: 2004
- Label: Candlelight
- Website: www.insomnium.net
- Band
- Niilo Sevänen: vocals, bass
- Ville Friman: guitars
- Markus Hirvonen: drums
- Ville Vänni: guitars
- Jone Väänänen & Aleksi Munter: keyboards
- Laura Naire: cello

- Tracklist
- 01. Nocturne
- 02. The Day It All Came Down
- 03. Daughter of The Moon
- 04. The Moment of Reckoning
- 05. Bereavement
- 06. Under The Plaintive Sky
- 07. Resonance
- 08. Death Walked The Earth
- 09. Disengagement
- 10. Closing Words
- 11. Song of The Forlorn Son