> ## Content Index > Fetch the complete content index at: https://www.thisdayinmetal.com/llms.txt > Use this file to discover other available public pages before exploring further. # A Lament From Faraway Time: An Interview with Ville Friman (Insomnium) - URL: https://www.thisdayinmetal.com/a-lament-from-faraway-time-an-interview-with-ville-friman-insomnium/ - Published: 2026-09-25T11:05:15.000Z - Updated: 2026-09-26T20:48:35.000Z - Author: Ed Hackimer - Tags: Interviews, #interviews, Ville Friman, Insomnium Metal fans might be hard-pressed to find someone in the realms of heavy music with a more diverse and impressive resume than **Insomnium’s Ville Friman**. Though many may know him for being an original member and songwriting force for the Finnish melodic death metal masters, as well as one of their clean vocalists, some may be surprised to learn that despite the tremendous skill he displays in all those facets, music isn’t his main gig. With a doctorate in evolutionary ecology, **Friman’s** primary focus is being a professor of microbiology at the **University of Helsinki**, or leading research teams and writing scholarly articles based on his research in the field. These days, it’s only in his limited spare time that he’s composing the incredible riffs or reflective lyrics you hear throughout **Insomnium’s** well-celebrated catalog. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/db/e2/dbe2ac7e-62ef-4b13-917a-63221a045127/content/images/2026/09/462078.jpg) (photo credit: Terhi Ylimäinen). Due to his academic commitments, **Friman’s** contributions on previous albums may seem less than in the past, where he was one of, if not the predominant songwriter for the band’s early, classic albums. His contributions on *Heart Like a Grave* and *Anno 1696* pale in comparison to the volume he delivered on the group’s earlier works, but that’s since changed since moving back to Finland recently after being a member of the faculty at **University of York** in England for many years. On *Netherworlds*, the band’s 10th studio album due out October 16th on Century Media Records, **Ville** seems to be firmly back in the saddle with his bandmates, penning two of the lead singles from the record, and by his own account, participating much more actively in the songwriting process now that he and his bandmates are back to residing in the same country. The results are fantastic as usual: melancholic yet optimistic lyrics inspired by old literature, crushing and catchy riffing, beautiful acoustic sections, and the high-quality melo-death the world has come to know **Insomnium** for, with some new twists and turns mixed in for good measure. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/db/e2/dbe2ac7e-62ef-4b13-917a-63221a045127/content/images/2026/09/images-9.jpg) Ahead of the release of *Netherworlds,* I had a chance to catch up with **Ville** about all this and more, including: - the “best of” approach to songwriting the band took for *Netherworlds*, what fans can expect from the rest of the album based on the first three singles, the meaning behind “Arch of the Sky” which **Ville** composed, and the centuries-old song **Insomnium** chose for their first ever proper cover. - the artwork for the record designed by **Travis Smith**, a discussion of classic **Opeth** albums and how they influenced **Insomnium**, the reason for fewer contributions on the previous two records from **Ville**, why it’s not possible for him to tour with the band currently, and how the addition of a third guitarist in the group came to alleviate that issue. - the band’s collaboration with **Amorphis** members on “The Hour Grows Late,” how they came to perform on the song, their upcoming tour of North America with them, and a recent performance at a Medieval castle in Finland. - the unexpected answer to a question I posed about the mixing of *In the Halls of Awaiting* at **Astia-Studio** with **Anssi Kippo**, the **Edge of Sanity** inspiration behind *Winter’s Gate*, whether or not scientific principles can be useful in music, and what **Ville** hopes to achieve in two fields he excels in moving forward. You can watch the entire interview **HERE**: --- Though **Ville** rarely has time to tour anymore, and will only occasionally join the band on stage when his schedule permits, his passion for songwriting is evident when speaking to him. That passion is on full display on *Netherworlds*, which is another classic addition to an already sparkling catalog that **Insomnium** have created over their nearly thirty years in existence. The day remains to be seen when **Ville** will be able to join the band on the road, an experience he laments not being able to enjoy anymore. These things happen when you’re teaching the finer points of microbiology by day and writing catchy-yet-somber guitar melodies and lyrics by night. But as long as there are more songs to be written, especially if they’re rockin’ (and a bit depressing), you can expect to be hearing from him in both of his fields of excellence for the foreseeable future. --- To preorder *Netherworlds*, visit the official **Insomnium** website linked below: [InsomniumInsomnium![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/db/e2/dbe2ac7e-62ef-4b13-917a-63221a045127/content/images/icon/favicon-781d223a-b24a-405a-8941-dcce1d9942ae.ico)Insomnium![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/db/e2/dbe2ac7e-62ef-4b13-917a-63221a045127/content/images/thumbnail/INS_logo_webstore_jpg-66ae6564-f75b-4fff-a259-a5cf6b75ab3d.png)](https://insomnium.indiemerch.com/?ref=thisdayinmetal.com) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/db/e2/dbe2ac7e-62ef-4b13-917a-63221a045127/content/images/2026/09/images-8.jpg) For ticket information to see **Insomnium** live with **Amorphis** on their North American run in November and December, click the link below: [TourOfficial web-presence of Finland’s finest in Melodic Death Metal INSOMNIUM!![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/db/e2/dbe2ac7e-62ef-4b13-917a-63221a045127/content/images/icon/favicon-bb1d0d73-5a7a-4dbd-b806-21cd99cc6606.png)INSOMNIUMIngo![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/db/e2/dbe2ac7e-62ef-4b13-917a-63221a045127/content/images/thumbnail/insomnium-logo-3beb1c3b-1238-41aa-be91-ea1980e57388.png)](https://insomnium.net/tour?ref=thisdayinmetal.com) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/db/e2/dbe2ac7e-62ef-4b13-917a-63221a045127/content/images/2026/09/A2-Poster-bd47f6c9.webp)