Shadow Of Life

Nothing is more exciting than a supergroup that defies expectations by offering a product that goes in a different direction than expected. Umbra Vitae was formed by singer Jacob Bannon (Converge, Wear Your Wounds, Blood From The Soul), guitarist and singer Mike McKenzie (The Red Chord, Wear Your Wounds, Stomach Earth) and guitarist Sean Martin (ex-Hatebreed, Wear Your Wounds, Twitching Tongues) during rehearsals for Wear Your Wounds, a post-metal band created by Bannon in 2017. The intention of the trio was to return to their aggressive musical roots, and the result is vicious death metal, with grindcore influences on “Mantra of Madness”, “Fear is a Fossil”, “Polluted Paradise” and “Return to Zero”, the most abrasive songs on Shadow of Life. The musical background of bassist Greg Weeks (The Red Chord, Labor Hex) and drummer Jon Rice (ex-Job for a Cowboy, Uncle Acid), who complete the band, also shines through on the compositions, which have everything it takes to seduce fans of Napalm Death, Nails, Arch Enemy, and Gojira, as well as the former outfits of each musician. Umbra Vitae is a project born out of pleasure, you can feel it through the songs that get straight to the point (the album lasts 26 minutes) and quickly become ingrained in the brain.