Themes include expressions of hatred, brutality, psychology, hopelessness, and secular minded philosophy based on scientific principles.

[6] The initial lineup of Solace of Requiem (Jeff Sumrell, Chris Young, and Luke Downing) began under the moniker Sarcophagus when they were just teenagers in 1990.

Jeff, Chris, and Joe recorded Solace of Requiem's second full length album, Utopia Reborn at Worlds End Studio in January 2006 in Kall, Germany.

Also appearing on Utopia Reborn (as a guest vocalist) would be Brett Hoffman[10] most commonly known for his work with Malevolent Creation.

Utopia Reborn would then be released later that year, garnering nonlocal and even international attention,[11][12] as well as features in prominent magazines of the time Metal Maniacs and Decibel.

Soon after the release of Utopia Reborn, Solace of Requiem decided it was best to part ways with Ruptured Silence Records.

[14] Joe Walmer's band Aletheian also received a record deal[15] which led him to pursue that project full time.

Though not receiving any help from a label, the band still managed to use its new sound and past resources to gain publicity and reach out to a new audience who met The Great Awakening with some high-quality reviews.

At this time period (2008), due to the new music being much more polyrhythmic, they hired a second guitar player named George Arguello (CA).

[25] As 2011 came, George Arguello would quit performing live guitarist duties, leading Solace of Requiem to hire Richard Gulczynski (PA).

This left Jeff, Dave, and Richard alone to prepare heavily for the session that was to come and to focus on the sound they wanted to achieve.

They decided to use Erik Rutan's Mana Recording Studio in St. Petersburg, Florida and hired Brian Elliott as the producer in February 2013.