Insomnium has officially parted ways with guitarist Jani Liimatainen. According to a statement by Insomnium, Liimatainen stopped talking to his bandmates and they can't wait around anymore. Liimatainen played for Insomnium between 2019 and present day, and will continue to be filled in for by Ville Friman, Brandon Ellis (The Black Dahlia Murder), and Nick Cordle (Omnium Gatherum) live.
It's worth noting that Jani Liimatainen put out a solo record under his own name in 2022 named My Father's Son, and (seemingly) performed on Insomnium's 2023 album Anno 1696.
"Many of you have been asking where Jani Liimatainen is and why there has been no update about his status in the band," wrote Insomnium. "The answer is weirdly simple: For a long time we didn't know where he was and we could not reach him by any means.
"The reason why we did not address this situation publicly was that we hadn't given up hope yet. Obviously, Jani has been a close friend and much-valued member of this band for years. We wanted to allow him to either solve the situation or at least provide a statement to his fans.
"Sadly it is now evident that Jani and the rest of Insomnium have different priorities. We have hence agreed to go separate ways and Insomnium will continue as a 4-piece unit from here on.
"This will not affect any of the forthcoming live shows: Ville Friman will be joining for the Finnish shows, Brandon Ellis (The Black Dahlia Murder), and Nick Cordle (Omnium Gatherum) have agreed to fill in the second guitar during the forthcoming North American tour.
"We wish Jani all the best in the future and want to thank him for the past years spent with Insomnium."
