In January 2026, Tomy Laisto was officially confirmed as a new member of INSOMNIUM. In our interview, we spoke with Tomy about his jpurney from a touring musician to a permanent band member, what it was like to contribute to the new album „Netherworlds“ right from the start, and his passion for physical music formats.
At first, you were just filling in for INSOMNIUM for a few shows. How did this live collaboration eventually lead to you becoming a full-time member of the band?
I’ve known the guys for many years, especially Markus Vanhala, who asked me to help them out around December 2023, I think. I’ve known him since the early 2000s. I also filled in for OMNIUM GATHERUM about nine or ten years ago, and that went well. I think Markus knew I was a team player and an okayish guitar player and singer, so he asked me to step in. I only had about three weeks’ notice before the show in Zurich, Switzerland, but it went well. After that, they asked me if I wanted to do a few more shows. I asked how many, and it turned out to be pretty much the entire year of 2024, apart from the US tour. After that, I jumped in, and I’ve been here ever since.
Was this something you could see coming from the beginning, or did it develop over time?
I actually didn’t see it coming because the guys were pretty mysterious about it. Of course, I was hoping they would ask me because I love the music, I love the guys, and I love the band. I was just waiting to see if anything was going to happen. At some point, I think the guys were doing their 10th-anniversary shows, including the one in Turku, where I live, just outside the city. Their management actually contacted me and asked if I’d like to attend the show. I remember thinking, “Okay, is there something mysterious going on here? The guys want me there, so it must be something important.” And it turned out it was. They wanted to talk to me about joining the band. Yeah, that was basically it. I’m a terrible judge of these things. Those guys are difficult to read.
„We make decisions democratically“
Are you equally involved in all decisions and in the band’s creative process, or are there still areas in which your role differs from that of the other members?
I’m actually an equal member. We make decisions democratically. Of course, I’m still the new guy, so for now I’m mostly observing how the guys do things. They’re the elder statesmen of the band, after all. But yeah, we’re all equal.
You are also active in several other bands, such as ARC SPECTRA and CROWN SHIFT. How has joining INSOMNIUM affected your other musical projects and your everyday life?
With CROWN SHIFT, I was just helping them out. It wasn’t anything permanent, just some substitute work. ARC SPECTRA is a project started by its drummer, Christian, who basically composes all the songs and takes care of everything. We recorded a five-song EP, and after that, we never played any live shows. It was basically just for fun.
Let’s talk about „Netherworlds“ now. It often takes years for a new band member to get the opportunity to contribute musically to an album. You were basically thrown in at the deep end right away. What was that experience like for you?
It was pretty intense. When you’re new to a band, you have to get a feel for the ground beneath your feet and see how everything works. You’re not sure whether your songs are going to make it onto the album, so you just come up with something and hope the guys will accept it. I think I wrote three or four songs and sent them back and forth to the guys. They were like, „Okay, this is good, but make some more.“ The last one ended up being „The Banished,“ which is on the album. So you’re basically trying to figure out what’s going on and how things work. As I said, you have to get a feel for the ground beneath your feet because everything is new. Even if you know the guys, and I’ve known them for more than 20 years, I’d never actually worked with them before. So I didn’t know what their work ethic was like or how they approached things like that.
You don’t just play guitar, you also sing. How much freedom did you have in that regard – for example when it came to guitar melodies, arrangements, or vocal lines?
I think most of the arrangements were done by the other guys. I did a lot of singing on the album, but if I remember correctly, I also worked on some of the arrangements myself. So I got to contribute in that area as well.
„Stepping into new territory can still be exciting“
Was there a song on “Netherworlds” that you particularly enjoyed working on?
The first one that comes to mind is the closing track, “Journey’s End”, which features a lot of my vocals. I remember really singing my ass off in the studio, and that was nice. We worked on harmonies and stuff with the guy who produced the album, and that was fun. We just tried everything: this, that, singing this, singing that. So that’s one song. And, of course, “The Banished”. Recording the guitars for that one was great, too. Even though I’ve been making music and playing guitar for over 30 years, stepping into new territory can still be exciting. I remember being a little nervous, wondering how it was all going to turn out.
“The Hour Grows Late” features Tomi Joutsen, Tomi Koivusaari and Santeri Kallio from AMORPHIS. How did this collaboration come about, and how did the song develop as a result?
The song was written by Markus Vanhala. Since he plays in CEMETERY SKYLINE with Santeri Kallio, the keyboardist from AMORPHIS, I believe the idea started with Santeri. When Markus sent around the first demo, we were talking about adding a keyboard solo. I think it was Markus who suggested that Santeri might be interested in doing it, and we were like, “Oh yeah, cool!” What Santeri came up with is kind of trippy and proggy, almost like something out of the 1970s psychedelic scene. It’s really cool. So, if I remember correctly, it started with Santeri. Once he was confirmed, someone – I think it was the producer – suggested asking Tomi Joutsen to sing some clean vocals. So he ended up asking Tomi. After that, we felt there was a particular part that really needed Tomi Koivusaari, and that was basically how it all came together.
You also brought another interesting artist on board for “Netherworlds”: Travis Smith, who created the album’s artworks. What was the process of bringing the artworks to life?
Someone came up with the idea of asking Travis. I’m a big fan of his work, of course. I’m a huge DEATH and OPETH fan, and Travis did the last DEATH album, “The Sound Of Perseverance.” I’ve loved his style for almost 30 years, so when someone suggested getting him on board, I was immediately in. Fortunately, he had some time available and was interested in the project. We gave him a few pointers, basically telling him that we wanted some freaking colours. When we started composing the album and thinking about its overall direction, I remember words like “freeze,” “frozen,” and “freezing to death” coming up. So we passed those ideas on to Travis, and he absolutely nailed it on the first try. I think he sent us the first version of the artwork, and we were sold immediately. He’s been doing this for years, so kudos to him.
„I’d probably always choose something
that supports the artists“
„Netherworlds“ is also being released as an elaborate digibook edition with a bonus CD, so how important are physical editions like this nowadays and would you personally buy it?
Yeah, I think they’re important. I’ve been collecting CDs and vinyl records forever, and I don’t use any streaming platforms. I don’t have Spotify or anything like that. I’d probably always choose something that supports the artists because, obviously, I want to support my fellow musicians. So I’m a little bit anti-Spotify. If I’m out doing something or going for a walk, I might listen to music on YouTube or whatever. But at home or when I’m driving, I listen to CDs or vinyl. I love getting a new CD, checking out the artwork and seeing who played what. When I was younger, I used to do that all the time. I’d buy a new CD, put it on, lie down in bed and read through the booklet. I still have fond memories of doing that.
Special editions like this cost a lot of money; your album, as a 2-CD artbook, costs just under 70€. How much are you personally willing to pay for an album?
It depends. I bought the original US version of PANTERA’s “Vulgar Display Of Power” about a year ago, I think. I paid around 100 euros for it, maybe a little less, around 90 euros. I’d say that’s probably my limit. I’m not the kind of collector who buys albums and then keeps them somewhere safe so they never get scratched. I think that’s a little stupid. For me, records are there to be played and listened to. They might get scratched, and that’s okay. It’s the same with my guitars. I have a couple of them, and if they get scratched, it doesn’t bother me. Of course, I want my CDs to remain playable, but I’m not overly concerned about the condition of my albums.
The bonus CD contains three additional songs. How did you decide which three tracks would make it onto the bonus CD?
We decided democratically. Democracy is the best way to do it, basically. We just exchanged messages back and forth, discussing which songs should go on the album and which ones should end up on the bonus CD. That’s how it came about. One thing that turned into a bit of a tug-of-war was the fact that there are two intros, one of which is a cover. We discussed which one should open the album, and in the end, we simply voted on it and decided which track would be song one. That’s how it turned out.
„I tend to just dive straight into the deep end“
Let’s take a look at the next step. There is a packed schedule ahead of you, as soon as touring starts in November. How do you prepare for this extensive run of shows?
I guess you can never be too well prepared. Basically, you have to make sure you have enough clothes and all the stuff you need. The Finnish shows are on Fridays and Saturdays, so those are a little easier. But when you’re away from home for four or five weeks, you have to make sure you’ve packed everything you need. Of course, you can do laundry and stuff like that, but still. As for the emotional side of preparing, I don’t really know. I tend to just dive straight into the deep end, so I’m not entirely sure how you’re supposed to prepare for that. Maybe learn the songs. Yeah, I guess that’s mandatory.
Do you have an ultimate life hack for getting through these stretches of touring?
I like having my privacy. Every now and then, I enjoy talking to people and hanging out, but sometimes I just need to be by myself. When I’m on a tour bus, I love having my own little bunk where I can just pull the curtains shut and have some time to myself. It’s a completely different story when you’re flying to shows, though. Then it’s airports and people everywhere all the time. So I don’t really have any life hacks in that sense. The first thing that comes to mind is simply finding some space of your own every now and then.
16. Oktober 2026 Janine Kasper und Moritz Grütz
Fotos von: Afra Gethöffer-Grütz und Andreas Brückner
Dieses Interview wurde per Telefon/Videocall geführt.
