Another fantastic release from the Echolyn boys! Combining the best elements of their epic "Mei" and their concise & poignant "Cowboy Poems Free", their latest album is another minor masterpiece of modern prog! The dense, layered compositions are nothing short of breathtaking at times. Very powerful progressive rock that gives us all the Echolyn trademarks including the multi-part vocals, beautiful melody lines and powerful ensemble instrumental passages that make all of their recordings so enjoyable. One can certainly hear their influences but Echolyn have made a sound for themselves that is really pretty unique and ultimately satisfying. The CD comes in a beautiful digipak cover with a gorgeous full-color booklet. The only bad thing about "The End Is Beautiful" would be if the title were a comment on Echolyn's career! Long live America's greatest 'living' prog band!