Live Review : Insomnium Winter's Gate's Live Stream on May 29th 2020

Ok! We have the man that wrote a whole blog about not doing live streamed gigs doing a live streamed gig (well to be honest two in one night but let’s stick with the first one first). The reason is that it would take something really special to coax me into the streamed show fad and put simply, “Winter’s Gate” is that something special. A single forty minute long melodic death Metal masterpiece that tells of group of intrepid Viking sailors that set out to conquer a unpassable piece of water. On record it is sprawling, emotive and in places a thing of utter beauty. Because it is simply one long piece of music, Insomnium either play it in its entirety or not at all and therefore hasn’t featured at all during their recent shows promoting new album “Heart like a Grave”. However lockdown, the financial pressures of an American tour that was cancelled after the first date and the fact that they were only a quarter of the way through their touring cycle, has prompted the band to fall back on their most treasured positions and play “Winter’s Gate” in full as a pay per view live stream. So this is why I have stopped being a grumpy guts and got with the kids.

Keeping with my traditional way of doing shows, I am late. Yes the gig is happening in a room upstairs in my own bloody house, but I still manage to mistime it all. With a bit of time spent faffing with passwords and log ins I actually come in when they are halfway through the second part of seven that make up “Winter’s Gate”. In some way it was exactly like listening to the album, in fact I am listening to the album and they are playing me it from the confines of my titchy work laptop. By part three of I have started to warm to this slightly bizarre medium. Most of that is because it is such a divine, sprawling and evocative piece of music, but there is also the fact that I am already motoring through my second can of  Northern Monk craft beer. I am beginning to sway and tap along and forgetting that I am watching a gig with an actual physical audience of zero. Then the bubble is burst as that particular part of the movement comes to an end in cacophony of silence. It is bizarre to hear them bring the track to crashing finale to zero reaction. Not even the sound guy claps.

“Winter’s Gate” is a stunning piece of music and whilst watching it live it is impossible not to be moved by its emotional weight and epic scale. As stated, I shake my head and sing along but it just feels weird, enjoyable but weird. The musicianship is fantastic, but for me gigs are about the atmosphere created by the crowd and there is none of that. It is also played identically as it is on record. No divergence, no improvisation, no interaction, just a direct facsimile of the quite incredible record. At forty minutes they finish, leave the stage and then return for the much signposted rare cuts section. The band suddenly come across as much more relaxed. Whereas “Winter’s Gate” had been delivered reverentially and sombrely, there is suddenly a glint in their collective eyes and a spring in their steps.

Niilo Sevänen jokes about the comments and the speed that they are coming at and then takes the band back in time to “Above the Weeping” for the albums opening three tracks. I loved “Winter’s Gate” for its complexity and its precision, but suddenly here is the fire and brimstone. There is real vim and vigour to this section and I almost, almost can imagine I am watching an actual live band rather than stream. The deep dive plunges even further into their back catalogue with three tracks from the second record “Since the Day It all Came Down”, with new recruit  Jani Liimatainen admitting he had not even heard the tracks before rehearsal. There such is energy and power here and despite myself I am getting really carried away and enjoying myself. Then suddenly the door is flung open and a four year old appears and states unequivocally that it is all far too noisy and he can’t go to sleep. Essentially bedtime stops play.

Credit : Kristiinak82

So what did I learn. Well, A) the gaps between songs are just plain weird. Unnervingly silent and just weird. B) As with behind closed doors football, you realise that there is an awful lot of inter-band chatting between and even during tracks. You just don’t usually hear it. C) there were points were I really got into it. I became immersed and utterly engaged, but then suddenly a text, a roaming cat or bed bound offspring reminded me that I was actually watching it all from a tiny laptop in the spare bedroom. And D) God! I miss live music. The sight, the stench, the feel. God! I miss it so so much!! Yes I enjoyed this, but is was just no substitute for the real thing.

You can still buy the ticket and watch the stream as many times as you want until June 5th.

Get your ticket from: https://www.lippu.fi/en/artist/insomnium/

You can also purchase the special shirts till June 5th.🤘