Insomniac Post “Awakening” Video
As they reel from the passing of guitarist Mike Morris — pictured second from the right in the photo below; backwards cap, sunglasses, beard — just weeks ago, Atlanta’s Insomniac are pushing forward with the ramp-up to the release of their debut album, Om Moksha Ritam, on Blues Funeral Recordings. The record is out Sept. 5 and “Awakening” finds the band paying homage to Morris in a touching and heartfelt manner at the end. This means the clip must be recent, so no doubt it would have been an emotional shoot for the remaining members of the band — vocalist Van Bassman, guitarist Alex Avedissian, bassist Juan Garcia and drummer/backing vocalist Amos Rifkin — and the realization is accordingly bittersweet.
Note they’ll be out with Kal-El following Om Moksha Ritam‘s Sept. 5 release. The PR wire brings the new video and reminds of doings:
Transcendent post-doom unit INSOMNIAC shares new single off upcoming debut album on Blues Funeral Recordings; fall US tour announced!
Atlanta-based transcendent post-doom architects INSOMNIAC (with members of Zoroaster, Deceased and Avedissian Pickups) present their new single “Awakening”, in memory of their recently departed guitarist and vocalist Mike Morris. Their debut album “Om Moksha Ritam” will be issued on September 5th via Blues Funeral Recordings.
“Om Moksha Ritam” (or “Liberation through merging with the Universal Rhythm”) is a concept album that guides the listener through an aural and spiritual journey across multiple extreme environments, testing their resolve, principles, and commitment to adhering to the path.
“‘Awakening’ is the synthesis of this trip and the climax of both our collective spiritual journey and the record. After enduring and ultimately triumphing over the trials and environments traversed across the seven songs, we find ourselves with the time, space, safety, and gained experience to finally connect, with all our focus and intention, to the universe itself,” says the band.
INSOMNIAC’s resolve has certainly been tested lately. After announcing their album, an upcoming US tour with fellow Blues Funeral Recordings artist Kal-El, and being added to this year’s RippleFest lineup, the band experienced the sudden passing of Mike Morris, guitarist and a founding member of Insomniac.
“Mike was one of a kind – a sweet and generous soul that was always there to spread his good vibes and help lift you up to the higher plane that he existed on. A beach bum at heart – never without a cigarette, Tecate, or guitar in hand. We were so incredibly thrilled to have him as a bandmate and a friend. The mark he made on the music we made together is impossible to quantify. The song, this video, and the record are all dedicated to the memory of Mike Morris.”
As is their way, Insomniac has decided to stick to the path and to continue sharing their music with the world, adding another batch of dates around Ripplefest Texas. “This music was so important to him, and to us, that we knew it was exactly what he would have wanted. The path, we must keep on.”
Upcoming fall shows:
9/16 – Birmingham, AL @ Firehouse
9/17 – Memphis, TN @ The Hi-Tone
9/18 – Dallas, TX @ Armoury DE
9/19 – Austin, TX @ Ripplefest
9/20 – Houston, TX @ 19th Hole
9/21 – Pensacola, FL – The Handlebar*
10/16 – Asheville, NC @ The Odd*
10/17 – Raleigh, NC @ The Pour House*
10/18 – Brooklyn, NY @ TV Eye*
10/19 – Cambridge, MA @ Sonia*
10/21 – Philadelphia, PA @ Milk Boy*
10/22 – Baltimore, MD @ Metro Gallery*
10/23 – Youngstown, OH @ Westside Bowl*
10/24 – Detroit, MI @ Sanctuary*
10/25 – Chicago, IL @ Reggies Music Joint*
10/26 – Milwaukee, WI @ X-Ray Arcade*
10/28 – Lawrence, KS @ Bottleneck*
10/29 – Tulsa, OK @ The Vanguard*
10/30 – Austin, TX @ The Lost Well*
11/31 – New Orleans, LA @ Holy Diver*
11/1 – Panama City, FL @ Mosey’s*
11/2 – Atlanta, GA @ Boggs Social*
* with Kal-El
On their debut record “Om Moksha Ritam”, to be released September 2025 via Blues Funeral Recordings, Insomniac delivers a brooding, heavy, and psychedelic journey, both physical and abstract. The duality of the experience is for you to experience. Every trip is different. Every spin reveals another layer. Here exists something new, unique, and incomparable. A band that made the music they wanted to hear because it needed to exist. What you choose to do with this information is your choice alone – but don’t sleep on it.
INSOMNIAC is
Alex Avedissian – Guitar
Van Bassman – Vocals
Juan Garcia – Bass
Mike Morris – Guitar, Vocals
Amos Rifkin – Percussion, Vocals
https://www.insomniacvibes.com/
https://insomniacvibes.bandcamp.com/
https://www.instagram.com/insomniac_atl/
https://www.facebook.com/insomniacATL/
bluesfuneral.com
https://bluesfuneralrecordings.bandcamp.com/
https://www.instagram.com/blues.funeral/
https://www.facebook.com/bluesfuneral/
