This is a welcome return. Like many other listeners, I discovered Shadow of Intent when they released ‘Reclaimer’ in 2017. The Halo-inspired lyrics were a big draw, and Ben Duerr’s vocals turned him into a deathcore sensation overnight.
It’s difficult to describe the subtle shift on their 2019 album, ‘Melancholy,’ but it felt more serious, especially as the band moved away from the Halo themes. ‘Elegy’ in 2022 introduced another shift, incorporating more death metal, reducing the number of breakdowns, and scaling back the chaos. The increased focus on clean singing and melodic sections make it their most straightforward album. It’s incredible for what it is, and it added new sounds to the band’s arsenal, but looking back at ‘Reclaimer,’ some fans wondered if this was still the same symphonic deathcore band they fell in love with in 2017.
Nobody doubted Shadow of Intent’s talent or capabilities. Ben’s vocals have only gotten better over time, and Chris Wiseman is a guitar prodigy, but the trajectory of the band’s sound wasn’t giving deathcore fans a lot of hope. That’s why it’s so surprising that Shadow of Intent decided to throw all of that out the window and reclaim the symphonic deathcore crown with ‘Imperium Delirium,’ their heaviest, craziest album yet.
This feels like a spiritual successor to ‘Reclaimer.’ The songs are fast and filled with insanity. The technical, cosmic atmosphere is back – the way the guitars and symphonies dance around feels like a journey aboard a battle cruiser, rushing through the stars to conquer new solar systems.
Lyrically, ‘Delirium Imperium’ continues to focus on warfare and atrocities. Those topics are a big part of the Halo franchise, but even as the band moved away from Halo-inspired content, they continued to focus on wartime struggles. For instance, ‘Elegy’ drew inspiration from real, historical conflicts surrounding World War II. ‘Imperium Delirium’ isn’t about particular countries or events, but it draws inspiration from the conflicts in Ukraine and Gaza as it attempts to highlight how recent advances in technology (like drones and AI) make warfare more threatening and destructive than ever.
Personally, I’m glad that the album is a bit more nuanced. Some songs like “Feeding The Meatgrinder” are a little too on the nose, but in general, the symphonic and interstellar atmospheres add to the intrigue. If you’re over “doom and gloom, humans are bad” lyrics, and think galactic alien conquests are cooler, this has enough vibes from ‘Reclaimer’ to imagine something a bit more grand than Earth-scale conflicts.
Ben’s highs are especially piercing on this album (the end of “Infinity of Horrors”). His gutturals are also super punchy (middle of “Mechanical Chaos”) and Wiseman’s guitar work sets the scene perfectly. “Flying The Black Flag” is one of my favorite tracks. It has all of the classic Shadow of Intent styles with a couple extra flourishes on top.
It will be hard for Shadow of Intent to ever top ‘Reclaimer’ – I thought that’s why they were moving into other genres – they had already hit the peak of symphonic deathcore. It’s a hall of fame album, and it has a powerful nostalgia factor for a lot of people. That being said, ‘Imperium Delirium’ is an incredible effort. I think it probably comes in a hair below ‘Reclaimer,’ but if you like jam-packed songs and ridiculous, animalistic vocals, ‘Imperium Delirium’ might take the top spot for you, especially if, in retrospect, ‘Reclaimer’ seems a bit elementary to you. Either way, welcome back Shadow of Intent, deathcore missed you.
Shadow of Intent // Imperium Delirium
Categories: Reviews
