Elegy
Elegy allows Shadow of Intent more time to prepare their heaviest moments. Symphonic sounds receive considerable space and the songs more often choose a slower, darker movement. Technical guitars and low vocals remain firmly in view, but the route towards an eruption becomes more extended.
Farewell is a convincing opening. Its orchestral development takes time before fast guitars and a harsh voice move forwards. The large sound works because the melodic layer supports the attack. These feel like parts of one song rather than separate worlds which merely take turns.
Saurian King creates movement through changing pace. Melodic guitar lines meet heavy grooves while the background keeps the atmosphere broad. The Coming Fire continues that combination with clear differences in intensity. The early songs show how effectively the band can develop tension without filling every passage equally.
The balance becomes less assured later. More restrained sections give the voice a different character, but also reduce momentum. The instrumental Reconquest leaves little fresh impression immediately before the three-part conclusion. The ending has to work harder to regain full attention as a result.
With roughly an hour of material, a tougher selection would have helped. Some ideas receive more time than their development needs. Elegy remains strong when the band connect their symphonic and heavier sides carefully, however. Guitar parts are precisely played and the voice has enough range to bring different kinds of weight together. Shadow of Intent expand their sound convincingly, although the extra scale is not always an advantage. The excellent opening shows most clearly how effective that ambition can be when every part has a clear purpose.
