CCMusic.com

Marking the beginning of a second trilogy of albums, To The End serves as something of a prologue to the first three Memoriam albums. Working backwards and narrating the life story of the leader whose demise was depicted in the first trilogy, the lyrics on the album may play out in a fictional realm, but they incorporate inspiration from real life. A central theme of war is colored with political fulminations and everyday experiences that combine to create a cohesive and enthralling chronicle. The four-piece returned to producer, Russ Russell, for the recording of To The End. For the first time, the band demoed the songs and entered the studio with a new level of preparedness. Coupled with their close relationship with Russell, this created an environment that allowed for greater experimentation, as demonstrated by the diverse array of textures and sounds present on the nine tracks on the album. From the earliest days of the band, they had their eye on the art of Dan Seagrave (Benediction, Dismember, Hypocrisy, Suffocation) as an accompaniment to their music. Having created the artwork for the first three Memoriam albums, he has also created the cover for To The End.