If you compare music to a cup of coffee: you have all the ingredients like sugar and coffee etc, but the water is what holds it together. The "elements" as you call it, cant just be left out. The emotion, soul and dynamics of music is the water that holds it together. Without the water all you have is coffee powder: meaningless, tasteless, dry.
Yes, all your ingredients are there, (the notes etc), now make them sound like something. Give it some flavour. Put it together now.
And put the metronome away. Yes, metronome practise is good, but not to the point that you start sounding like one.
Let me know if my coffee theory is unclear. I will try to rephrase.
All the best.
CN