On February 24, Finnish metal melancholists, Insomnium, will release their ninth full-length, Anno 1696, via Century Media Records. Based on a short story by Niilo Sevänen (bass/vocals), Anno 1696 is woven with sorrow and the last crumbling vestiges of hope.

For a preview of this upcoming album, the new single, "The Witch Hunter", can be streamed here. The visualizer (created by David Minall//Cloud Music Typography) can be seen below.

Guitarist Markus Vanhala comments about the track: "This is a good example of a song growing and finding its own wings during the studio process. This one definitely has a cinematic feel; the storyline needs the essence of journey moving forward. In fact, I made a Finnish vocal demo for this one, reading and screaming Niilo's storyline, but only the name stayed and translated from 'Noidanmetsästäjä' to English. But that's another story and a secret version never to be found by 'outsiders'... :)"

Bassist/vocalist Niilo Sevänen adds: "This is Markus Vanhala's composition; it actually does not really sound like the archetypal Insomnium song and has some very interesting elements. One of the songs that improved the most in the studio in my opinion - and became one of the singles. Lyrically it continues to tell the story from the Witch Hunter's point of view."

Guitarist Ville Friman concludes: "For me, this song has a really strong cinematic feel to it, and I can easily travel into the story in my head when I close my eyes."

Anno 1696 is a gateway into another world. This time around, Insomnium tells us a tale based on a short story by Niilo Sevänen (bass/vocals), woven with sorrow and the last crumbling vestiges of hope, plus wrath and morbid lullabies. Welcome to 1696. Welcome to hell. This is an age of unrest. The age of great famine in the North. The witch hunt is in full swing all across Europe and the gruesome witch trials have even reached the remote and majestic landscapes of Finland and Sweden.

"The Torsåker witch trials were a horrible source of nightmarish inspiration," Sevänen says of his ghastly muse. "All that talk about 70 women beheaded in this small Swedish parish? It's real stuff from history!" he groans. "And as if that weren't enough, there are also some very dark tales of cannibalism and child murder from the years of the great famine." Stories don't get any more metal than this.

Mixed by Jaime Gomez Arellano (Orgone Studios) and mastered by Tony Lindgren (Fascination Street Studios), Anno 1696 is a tornado of tormented souls, set to a tragedy of Greek proportions. No doubt: this is Insomnium's most delicate tightrope walk yet - between sadness and anger, between silent desperation and cries of anguish. Trying to reach that fading light that still glimmers from beyond the trees. And at that, it's the epitome of the Finnish melancholy. "Can't deny it," guitarist Markus Vanhala laughs. "Insomnium is a soundtrack to both the Finnish mental and physical landscape. We all are strongly feeling melancholic Finns."

And as if a stunning feat like Anno 1696 is not enough, Insomnium continue the epic story on their addendum-like EP Songs of the Dusk, featuring three more journeys into a dark and foggy past. "We simply had eleven great songs, and we thought that this material is too good to be 'just' bonus tracks," Sevänen states. "They are part of the big story, so you can think of them as the director's cut material that tells a little extra. For those who want to have more."

The album will be available in the following formats:

- Standard CD Jewelcase
- Digital Album

In addition to the above-mentioned standard versions, fans can also purchase the limited Deluxe 2CD Artbook that has an extended booklet (44 pages!) and includes the Songs of the Dusk (EP), as well as the English and Finnish versions of the Anno 1696 short story by Niilo Sevänen:

- Ltd. Deluxe 2CD Artbook

The vinyl features an etching on Side D, plus a 12-page booklet with the English version of the 'Anno 1696' short story by Niilo Sevänen - available in the following variants:

- Gatefold black 2LP+CD & LP-Booklet
- Gatefold dark green 2LP+CD & LP-Booklet via CMdistro.de (limited to 300 copies)
- Gatefold transp. light blue 2LP+CD & LP-Booklet via CM Distro Wholesale EU & CMdistro.de (limited to 500 copies)
- Gatefold silver 2LP+CD & LP-Booklet via Nuclear Blast & Napalm Records (limited to 500 copies)
- Gatefold white 2LP+CD & LP-Booklet via Levykauppa Äx & EMP (limited to 500 copies)
- Gatefold transp. red-black marbled 2LP+CD & LP-Booklet via Insomnium (limited to 500 copies)
- Gatefold black-white marbled 2LP+CD & LP-Booklet via Insomnium (limited to 500 copies)

The vinyl available in the USA does not come with the additional CD:

- Gatefold black 2LP & LP-Booklet (USA version)
- Gatefold golden 2LP & LP-Booklet (USA version)

Pre-order here.

Anno 1696 tracklisting:

"1696"
"White Christ" (feat. Sakis Tolis)
"Godforsaken" (feat. Johanna Kurkela)
"Lilian"
"Starless Paths"
"The Witch Hunter"
"The Unrest"
"The Rapids"

Ltd. Deluxe 2CD Artbook tracks, incl. Songs Of The Dusk (EP)

"Flowers Of The Night"
"Stained In Red"
"Song Of The Dusk"

"White Christ" video:

"Lilian" video:

Enslaved recently announced a month-long, North American co-headline tour with Insomnium. Dates below.

Tour dates:

April
5 - New York, NY - Irving Plaza
6 - Boston, MA - Big Night Live
7 - Montreal, QC - Corona Theatre
8 - Toronto, ON - The Opera House
10 - Detroit, MI - Saint Andrew's Hall
11 - Chicago, IL - House Of Blues
12 - Minneapolis, MN - Varsity Theater
14 - Denver, CO - The Gothic Theatre
15 - Salt Lake City, UT - The Complex
17 - Seattle, WA - The Crocodile
18 - Vancouver, BC - The Rickshaw
19 - Portland, OR - Hawthorne Theatre
21 - Berkeley, CA - The UC Theatre Taube Family Music Hall
22 - Los Angeles, CA - The Fonda Theatre
23 - Phoenix, AZ - Nile Theater
25 - Austin, TX - Come And Take It Live
26 - Dallas, TX - The Echo Lounge & Music Hall
28 - Atlanta, GA - Variety Playhouse
29 - Raleigh, NC - Lincoln Theatre
30 - Baltimore, MD - Baltimore Soundstage

Insomnium ineup:

Niilo Sevänen - Bass and Vocals
Jani Liimatainen - Guitars and clean vocals
Markus Hirvonen - Drums
Ville Friman - Guitars
Markus Vanhala - Guitars and clean vocals

(Photo - Terhi Ylimäinen)