Extreme metal experienced one of its recent evolutions through Deathcore, a genre that emerged in the late ’90s in the United States. Bands modernized their sound to be more ‘youthful’, incorporating elements from the mainstream, such as breakdowns that particularly demand a high level of skill on the drums due to their fast tempos and aggressive changes. All of this while respecting the aggressiveness demanded by the musical style, consistently delivering brutality.
Over the years, so many bands emerged, and numerous albums were released that, despite their exceptional quality, the genre started to fall into repetitive patterns. In the midst of 2022, the American band Shadow Of Intent releases ‘Elegy’, an excellent album that brought a refreshing touch to the style, carrying significant weight to keep it relevant and innovative.
What can we hear?
Pure brutality, a sound filled with maximum gain distortion on the guitars, guttural vocals throughout the entire album, incredibly fast and technically precise drums, and a ever-present bass providing the necessary heaviness for the album. All of this is accompanied by fabulous production that allows for perfect quantization of every drum hit, guitar riff, and bassline. This perfection in execution plays in favor of the band, showcasing their power. Speaking of production, something noteworthy is that this album was recorded and released independently, most likely entirely financed by the band.
The magic of ‘Elegy’ lies in the digital orchestral arrangements that can be heard throughout the production, surprising from the very first song, ‘Farewell.’ This adds a unique touch to the band, something uncommon in the genre. It imparts an ‘epic’ quality to the album, making each song sound glorious, as if it were the soundtrack to a war film with casualties, triumphs, and everything it entails. It combines chaos with a melodic style that elevates the entire album.
‘Elegy’ is an album that utilizes the musicians’ virtuosity to create technical passages, as seen in the bridge of ‘Intensified Genocide’ with riffs reminiscent of ‘Born Of Osiris’ featuring some progressive influences.
The 'soft' passages of the album
Often, the album breathes with melodic bridges where the intensity subsides, but especially ‘Life Of Exile’ grants ‘Elegy’ a very special balance. It starts with an extremely sentimental string arrangement, then transitions into a very calm rhythm that gradually gains speed within its tempo. In this song, we even hear some cleaner vocals. Placing this track in the center of the album was a great decision, as it prepares the listener for all the energy that follows in the subsequent pieces.
The collaborations elevate this work to a superior level, featuring two elite features. Phil Bozeman of Whitechapel contributes to ‘Where Millions Have Come To Die’ and Chuck Billy of Testament is featured in ‘Blood In The Sands Of Time’. These collaborations showcase the talent of Shadow Of Intent, as discussing bands like Whitechapel and Testament is synonymous with excellence. Testament, especially, has created a legacy in the underground scene since the ’80s, showing support for the new metal scene through this song.
Speaking of the collaboration with Chuck Billy, it’s quite interesting how a legend of Thrash Metal approached Deathcore. It’s worth noting that Billy’s guttural vocals are incredible, possibly making him the only vocalist from the old school who masters this technique.
An epic album...
And it’s the string arrangements that tremendously elevate the songs and give them an epic touch, something different from what Deathcore had previously presented. A clear example of this is ‘From Ruin… We Rise,‘ another song that provides a breather to the album, showcasing the glory of the band. It reinforces the ‘slow’ tempo of the song with a series of breakdowns that maintain the dynamic of the track.
The album concludes with ‘Elegy’ I, II, and III, with Part II notable for its brutal breakdown in the middle of the song. While these tracks are heavy, they are slightly less intense than the rest of the album, making it a great choice to conclude this work full of technique and speed. It leaves us eager to hear future works from Shadow Of Intent.
A gem of 2022. What’s your opinion?
