The End, Poison the Well, Fear Before the March of Flames, Heavy Heavy Low Low
Emerson Theater
Thursday, April 19, 7 p.m., $12

It’s not the end for The End, but a new beginning.

The band’s latest CD, Elementary, showcases a broader palette of dense, technically proficient metal and hardcore that isn’t afraid to emote beyond combustible rage, even if the subject matter is still dystopian.

A more comprehensive sound was partially achieved by good old-fashioned focus (i.e. staying off the road and concentrating solely on writing and recording a new album). The results, guitarist Andrew Hercules says, speak for themselves.

“We definitely challenged ourselves to do some stuff we hadn’t done before — in songwriting and having more focused material, where we made sure everything was complementary to each other,” he says. “When we heard the final product, we felt like we achieved our goals.”

With songs no longer just clarion calls for limb-swinging recklessness, Hercules hopes there are more possibilities than limits for The End.

“Every time I read about [our last record], it was pigeonholed as super math, super technical,” he says. “It’s not like I don’t understand where that came from, but that was never our intention. It was always just about writing interesting, creative music. So this one does not just limit us to that category anymore.”

Despite the optimism, Hercules knows The End still has its work cut out for it.

“Nothing happens overnight, especially with a band like [us],” he says. “For major-label bands, that stuff happens, but everything we’re going to do as a band is obviously going to come over time and through work. And we have a lot to do still before we ever contend.”