This programmatic work depicts a dark and intense conflict and conquest of a fierce enemy force. Emphatic brass lines, running woodwind lines and unrelenting percussive parts create the intense atmosphere of the impending clash. The mysterious introduction is given an ominous tone by the dampened pulse of the bass drum, resembling the timbre of a persistent heartbeat. The forces then collide, followed by the defeat of the enemy and a triumphant finish that ends on an assertive and victorious flourish.