It starts off with "Memoriam", which is a very relaxing introductory track that doesn't bear any similarity to its successor "Deficit". This is much darker in tone and atmosphere than anything this Chicago trio has done earlier. There's a bit more gloom in the overall sound and the drums lean more towards the plodding style than its virtuosic nature found on earlier albums. "1777" features lots of agonizing guitar trills that further emphasize the mood, and that mood gets elevated by "Cheyenne", which brings things down a bit with its sedated nature. The music continues to ebb and flow like that through the short-lived yet effective duo of "Ethel" and "Lebaron", and by the time you've sunk into the hypnotic feel of the title track, which features Chelsea Wolfe as a guest vocalist, you're done with the album.

So why is _Memorial_ such an accomplished album? The main reason behind _Memorial_'s appeal as an album lies in the overall atmosphere it creates. This is something that Russian Circles were already able to create in the past, but on this record, it's all taken a few steps higher. The more somber and reflective tone of the guitar and how the drums just so swiftly accentuate every note is simply stellar. The layering of sounds is as intricate as ever, yet without losing any sense of direction. The whole record winds down to just thirty seven minutes, making it the shortest in Russian Circles' discography, but it's one that will definitely be very difficult to top in the future.