At a certain point in many bands’ careers, their artistic direction becomes far more ambitious. In rock and metal, this often takes the form of a concept album, exploring stories through music to create a grander work of art. In a time when the album format is struggling, this massive commercial risk can either create an engrossing artistic experience, or test the patience of the listener.

After roughly 15 years in existence, the Finnish melodic death metal group Insomnium has taken up this challenge. Being one of my favorite bands in this genre, I was intrigued to hear how they would approach their magnum opus. They have crafted their style on infectious heavy melodies, usually contained in medium length tracks. By following conventional song structures, Insomnium offers an intense, immediate listening experience of visceral misery through this framework. Few bands I’ve heard can capture themes of sadness in such a heavy, direct style

All of this makes their newest release, Winter’s Gate, appear all the more surprising. The record is a single 40 minute track, based on a short story penned by vocalist and bassist Niilo Sevanen. The story tells of a viking clan voyaging to a mythical island of great riches, despite the harsh winter drawing near. Details of this concept appear throughout the record lyrically and musically, making Winter’s Gate a holistic artistic experience designed to be digested in one sitting.

Sonically, this record treads familiar territory for the band. Their trademark style meshes well with the aesthetic of a brutal winter, as the instrumentation weaves a feeling of misery and dread throughout. The guitar work in particular is phenomenal, alternating from intensely precise tremolo melodies, oppressive doom riffs and soaring leads as the story unfolds. Synths, strings and piano appear in appropriate places, adding an atmospheric touch to the death metal style. These components are presented with an unusually polished production style for the genre. The individual instruments successfully create a grim, gritty atmosphere through this sonic clarity.

While this record sounds fantastic, the ultimate measure is how the music synchronizes with the theme. In many ways Insomnium hits their mark. Winter’s Gate succeeds most when the band experiments with their core sound, juxtaposing between quiet and loud styles to fit the concept. The album hits its stride at part 3, as the band introduces a quiet, ponderous riff that gradually builds to a sudden explosion of aggression. The subsequent sections get progressively more intense as the story unfolds, alternating between beauty and brutality. In one standout bit, a serene piano echoes a somber melody, before storm clouds gather and the sudden crash of thunder heralds the arrival of the winter storm. Sevanen’s growl reaches a guttural brutality here, convincingly expressing the oppression of the blizzard. The tempos become ominous and slow as the vikings wander through the storm, as though the music itself is freezing to death. The images conjured here are vivid and suitably morose in describing the events, proving Insomnium’s talent for crafting visual music.

Unfortunately, Winter’s Gate is also an inconsistent record, and the low points are magnified when experienced through the album’s concept. The record begins with the vikings sailing towards the mythical island, leaving behind their mysterious pasts. What could have been an ominous, foreboding beginning is instead an immediate blast beat assault. While such immediacy may grab the listener’s attention, the riffing style and lack of subtlety here paints a strange epic mood for comparably mundane events. Further, it takes roughly a quarter of the album for Winter’s Gate to introduce its first great riff, leaving a lukewarm initial impression of the music.

Insomnium manages to right the ship for almost the entire album, until it ends almost exactly where it started- with a slight variation of the same blast beat riff from the beginning. The stunning atmosphere of impending doom from the prior sections instantly dissipates in favor of this familiar intensity we heard 40 minutes ago. The impact and novelty of this section is removed from sheer repetition. Had this passage never appeared in the beginning, it may have felt like a more appropriate conclusion. Instead, Winter’s Gate feels like a film ending abruptly, as though the director couldn’t decide how to properly wrap it up. These missteps in composition show the difficulty of writing a consistent 40 minute song, and mar what could have been a near flawless record.

As a whole, Winter’s Gate is an album of triumphant peaks and confusing valleys. Underlying my experience of Winter’s Gate is a feeling of frustration. Insomnium came very close to achieving a landmark record. I was highly critical of this record after my initial listen, feeling conflicted at how close the band came to actualizing their magnum opus. However, after allowing it to digest, I see that there is a great deal to enjoy with this tragic musical tale. Judged holistically, this is an inconsistent record, but when viewed on its strengths it reveals itself to be a unique, engrossing experience. Fans of the band and melodic death metal will undoubtedly find something to like on this release, and it is a strong statement for metal bands reaching for greater heights. While Insomnium may not have quite reached them, the results are worth experiencing.