Memento Mori (Flyleaf album)

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Memento Mori
Album Memento Mori Cover.jpg
Studio album by
ReleasedNovember 10, 2009
RecordedJune 2008– August 2009
Genre Post-grunge, alternative metal [1]
Label A&M/Octone
Producer Howard Benson
Flyleaf chronology
Much Like Falling EP
(2007)
Memento Mori
(2009)
Remember to Live
(2010)
Singles from Memento Mori
  1. "Again"
    Released: August 25, 2009 [2]
  2. "Beautiful Bride"
    Released: October 6, 2009
  3. "Missing"
    Released: April 5, 2010 [3]
  4. "Chasm"
    Released: September 27, 2010
  5. "Arise"
    Released: December 14, 2010

Memento Mori is the second studio album by American rock band Flyleaf, released through A&M/Octone Records on November 10, 2009. [4] The title is a Latin phrase meaning "be mindful of death" or "remember you will die". Memento Mori debuted at number eight on the Billboard 200, selling 56,000 units in its opening week. [5] It also became the first album by a female-led act to top the Billboard Hard Rock Albums chart. [6] The album sold more than 311,600 copies in the U.S. in a little over one year. [7]

Contents

Background

Memento Mori is the follow-up to their 2005 platinum debut. It contains 14 songs, which were selected out of 18 already written. [8] The band reunited with producer Howard Benson to make the album. The album was recorded at Bay7 Studios in Los Angeles, California. [9] It was released on November 10, 2009. The band debuted two songs, "Chasm" and "Circle", from Memento Mori live during a small acoustic tour in Afghanistan for United States Troops. [10]

Writing

The band began writing new music after their debut album was released. Most of the material was written while the band toured, but some songs date back as early as 2005 and 2006. "In The Dark" was written after the band released Flyleaf , though it was never played live. "Again", "Have We Lost", and "Beautiful Bride" were the first songs to be played live before they were released on the album.

"Again", the first single from Memento Mori, was released to radio and digital retail stores August 25, 2009. [11] Meiert Avis directed the music video for "Again", released at midnight September 30, 2009, on MTV. [12] Don Tyler directed the music video for "Beautiful Bride", released October 6, 2009. Diane Martel directed the music video for "Missing", released March 18, 2010. Giles Timms directed, animated and illustrated the animated viral music video for "Chasm", released on September 22, 2010.

The album premiered on the official Flyleaf MySpace page on November 6, 2009.

Promotion

To promote the album, the band partnered with the online calendar service Eventful for a series of fan-voted listening parties in various American cities, where they previewed songs from the album as well as music videos. There were eight such events beginning on September 28, 2009. [13]

Reception

Professional ratings
Aggregate scores
SourceRating
Metacritic (69/100) [14]
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar half.svgStar empty.svg [15]
Alternative Press Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar empty.svgStar empty.svg [16]
Entertainment Weekly (B) [17]
Jesus Freak HideoutStar full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar half.svgStar empty.svg [18]
The New York Times (favorable) [19]
SputnikmusicStar full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar empty.svgStar empty.svg [1]
Type 3 MediaStar full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar half.svgStar empty.svg [20]

Memento Mori currently holds generally favorable reviews on Metacritic with a 69. [21]

Track listing

Standard Edition
No.TitleLength
0."Uncle Bobby" (hidden pre-gap track)4:22
1."Beautiful Bride"3:03
2."Again"3:05
3."Chasm"2:54
4."Missing"2:54
5."This Close"3:20
6."The Kind"2:47
7."In The Dark"3:47
8."Set Apart This Dream"3:15
9."Swept Away"4:09
10."Tiny Heart"3:07
11."Melting (Interlude)"0:57
12."Treasure"3:24
13."Circle"3:03
14."Arise"4:18
Total length:44:03

Bonus tracks

Expanded Edition Bonus Disc
No.TitleLength
15."Break Your Knees"4:26
16."Enemy"3:43
17."Have We Lost"2:56
18."Who Am I"2:37
Total length:57:45
iTunes Bonus Tracks
No.TitleLength
16."Stay (U2 Cover)" (Released On "The Target Red Room Vol. 5")4:53
17."Bitter Sweet" (Pre-Order Exclusive)4:03
Amazon MP3 Bonus Track
No.TitleLength
16."Tina" (From Much Like Falling EP)2:31
Rhapsody Bonus Track
No.TitleLength
16."Supernatural (Acoustic)" (From Much Like Falling EP)4:25
Walmart.com Bonus Track
No.TitleLength
16."Justice and Mercy" (From Much Like Falling EP)2:34

Track notes

Charts

Awards

The album was nominated for a Dove Award for Rock Album of the Year at the 42nd GMA Dove Awards. [36]

Personnel

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