User Score
8.4

Universal acclaim- based on 49 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 42 out of 49
  2. Negative: 4 out of 49
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  1. Oct 30, 2013
    9
    Russian Circles have refined and distilled the dynamic sound crafted on their previous albums and I reckon the result is great. Heaviness (particularly on Deficit) interspersed deftly with softer tracks (such as Memorial featuring Chelsea Wolfe). I love the atmosphere created by the interplay between the drums, bass and guitar.
  2. j7l
    Apr 17, 2014
    10
    By far the band's most daring effort to date and the result is thus far's album of the year. The lead in, Memoriam blends so perfectly with the absolute behemoth that is Deficit, which leads way to the perfectly satisfying 1777, and that's just the beginning. The remainder of the album is just as awe inspiring with the standout and beautifully crafted Ethel. The only question thatBy far the band's most daring effort to date and the result is thus far's album of the year. The lead in, Memoriam blends so perfectly with the absolute behemoth that is Deficit, which leads way to the perfectly satisfying 1777, and that's just the beginning. The remainder of the album is just as awe inspiring with the standout and beautifully crafted Ethel. The only question that remains is album after album is, how do they keep doing this? Collapse
  3. Oct 29, 2013
    9
    Really everything you could want out of an instrumental post-rock/metal band. Metacritic labeling this as pop/rock is kind of an understatement this is haunting music balanced with rock sensibilities.

Awards & Rankings

Metascore
88

Universal acclaim - based on 8 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 8 out of 8
  2. Mixed: 0 out of 8
  3. Negative: 0 out of 8
  1. Memorial is arguably Russian Circles' best work to date. It's certainly debatable, but this is undeniably an staggeringly strong output for a band on their fifth release.
  2. Nov 21, 2013
    78
    You don't get anything that great [as "1777"] on the rest of the album; that said, it's an emotional peak you only need to reach once on a collection like this, and the restraint on the following tracks helps with the overall thematic.
  3. Kerrang!
    Nov 20, 2013
    80
    The heaviest moments are breathtakingly aggressive. [26 Oct 2013, p.55]