Formation (2013) Shadow of Intent was formed in 2013 in
Connecticut by vocalist Ben Duerr and guitarist Chris Wiseman. They met playing in separate bands at a local concert. The group was initially formed as a
studio project. They were inspired by
Halo and the name "Shadow of Intent" came from a ship in the game series bearing the same name. Duerr describes himself as a
Halo nerd and stated that their music follows the storyline of the
Halo novels.
Inferi Sententia and Primordial (2014–2016) The group released their EP
Inferi Sententia on July 18, 2014, and debut album
Primordial on January 10, 2016. The tracks on both albums were produced via homemade recordings. All of the tracks on
Inferi Sententia were re-recorded and featured on
Primordial. The drum tracks are
programmed on both releases. Keyboard and orchestral
samples are also present on these releases. Duerr was responsible solely for writing and performing the lead vocals during the production process while Wiseman was responsible for all of the remaining songwriting.
New members, Reclaimer, and The Instrumentals (2016–2017) On September 19, 2016, they announced the addition of Matt Kohanowski on drums, marking the end of the group's time as a two-man project. On March 31, 2017, they announced the addition of new members Federico Zuccarelli on guitar and Keith Kohlhepp on bass. This brought the total members of the group to five. On April 28, 2017, Shadow of Intent released
Reclaimer, their first album without programmed drum tracks and the first album to feature a unique player on each instrument. The band released
The Instrumentals on October 20, 2017. The album contained instrumental versions of all of the songs from both of the preceding albums.
Melancholy and Elegy (2018–2025) On March 30, 2018, they released their first single 'Underneath a Sullen Moon'. This was the first track which was not
Halo-themed and their second released track which did not begin with the word 'The'. The band went on their first major tour in the spring of 2018 supporting
Carnifex on their Chaos & Carnage tour headliner.
Oceano,
Winds of Plague,
Archspire, Spite, Widowmaker and Buried Above Ground accompanied Shadow of Intent on this tour. In the summer of 2018, the band toured alongside
Whitechapel,
The Black Dahlia Murder,
Fleshgod Apocalypse, and
Aversions Crown. On December 14, 2018, the group announced that Anthony Barone (ex-
A Night in Texas) would be joining the group as their drummer. On August 16, 2019, Shadow of Intent released
Melancholy which included a remastered version of the aforementioned single as one of the tracks on the album. Francesco Ferrini of Fleshgod Apocalypse contributed to the
orchestral work on this album.
Melancholy has been described as a
concept album depicting mass suicides orchestrated by a demonic goddess. This album marked a departure from writing strictly
Halo-themed music. An instrumental version of
Melancholy was also released on November 22, 2019. In the winter of 2020, the band performed on their first major headlining tour throughout the United States accompanied by Inferi,
Signs of the Swarm, and
Brand of Sacrifice. In 2020, the group announced they were parting ways with Anthony Barone and that Bryce Butler (
Contrarian) would be replacing him. In October 2021, The band announced their fourth studio album,
Elegy, for a January 2022 release, which was ultimately met with great critical acclaim. A deluxe edition of the album was released digitally on September 9, 2022, featuring a B-side track titled 'Frozen Tomb' and a cover of
Lamb of God's 'Laid to Rest'. In the winter of 2022, the band toured the United States alongside
Cannibal Corpse,
Whitechapel, and
Revocation. On March 30, 2023, the band released a new single titled 'The Migrant' which showed a return to writing Halo-themed songs. Another new single titled 'Flying The Black Flag' would be released on August 30, 2024. The band has done some touring from September to October 2024 in North America with bands
Fleshgod Apocalypse,
Ingested,
The Zenith Passage, and
Disembodied Tyrant. They also toured with
Cattle Decapitation,
Revocation and
Vulvodynia in
Europe in early 2025.
Imperium Delirium (2025–present) The band released their fifth studio album titled
Imperium Delirium on June 27, 2025. The band would go on tour with
Lorna Shore, however vocalist Ben Duerr needed to sit out of the tour as he awaits the birth of his child. Bassist Andrew Monias and ex-
A Wake in Providence vocalist, Adam Mercer would handle vocal duties on the tour. Ben Duerr was back for the European tour though. == Musical style and influences ==