The improvement between this album and its predecessor is staggering, in part due to a better label (and production), but also simply to superior songwriting and execution. There is melodic/thrashy bliss to be found in all corners, as there are fast chords, intricate notes, driving horns-in-the-air rhythms, and some of the absolutely best thrash solos in a long, long time. These are '80s power metal style, twin-guitar tradeoffs, and smack of Priest, Metallica, and Maiden. Great stuff!
The vocals remain shouty as the norm, but more clean sections are intermixed, often emerging during a song's chorus. Vocalist Matt Heafy has a great "singing" voice, so whichever style he chooses to employ ends up working just fine. An energetic and formidable release from start to finish.
"Pull Harder on the Strings of Your Martyr" buzzes with thrash, and has a crunching mid-song break. The melodic chorus of "Drowned and Pulled Asunder" is nice, and the somewhat metalcore-ish "Dying in Your Arms" was floated around as a single.
Check out the multiple highlights in "A Gunshot to the Head of Trepidation": there's some great pre-solo vocal layering, then a rhythmic break behind the Maiden-laden solo, then finally a post-solo fist-raising chant. Splendid stuff, I say!
"Like Light to the Flies" is solid and pounding, both "The Deceived" and "Suffocating Sight" are thrashalicious, and the aggressive "Declaration" punishes your chin with servings of open-handed blows, courtesy of more guitar ripping.

TRACK LIST:
1. The End of Everything
2. Rain
3. Pull Harder on the Strings of Your Martyr
4. Drowned and Pulled Asunder
5. Ascendancy
6. A Gunshot to the Head of Trepidation
7. Like Light to the Flies
8. Dying In Your Arms
9. The Deceived
10. Suffocating Sight
11. Departure
12. Declaration