Seven years ago, Finnish melodic death metallers Insomnium released Winters Gate: a one-track concept album based on the award-winning short story of the same name by vocalist Niilo Sevänen. Now, the band revisits the concept model with the album and accompanying story, Anno 1696 – a tale set in 17th century Sweden speaking of witchcraft, mystery, and the Christian church’s crusade against the unexplained and unsavoury. The album releases on February 24th via Century Media. From the album’s beginning Anno 1696 lays out its episodic feel (compared to perhaps the ‘movie’ of Winter’s Gate) – there are character pieces (such as singles “Lilian” and “White Christ,” the latter featuring Sakis Tolis of Rotting Christ), scene setters like the opening title track, and a fully blown finale with “The...