The death metal band Memoriam was formed in 2016 in Birmingham, England, by former Bolt Thrower vocalist Karl Willetts. The rest of the lineup includes ex-Benediction guitarist Scott Fairfax, ex-Bolt Thrower drummer Andy Whale, and scene veteran Frank Healy, who played bass with Sacrilege, Benediction, and Napalm Death. It was created as a tribute to the late Bolt Thrower drummer Martin Kearns, who passed away in 2015. Their studio debut For the Fallen appeared in 2017 and reached Number 16 on the German charts. A second album titled The Silent Vigil followed suit in 2018 and also entered the charts in Germany, peaking at Number 32. Over the next few years, Memoriam issued one more album for the Nuclear Blast label, 2019's Requiem for Mankind, before moving to Reaper Entertainment and releasing their fourth studio effort To the End in 2021. During this time, Andy Whale decided to leave the band and was replaced by ex-Killing Joke and The Damned drummer Spike T. Smith. In 2023, the four-piece's fifth album Rise to Power cracked the Top 10 of the Official German Albums Chart.
