Umbra Vitae
Light of Death
DEATHWISH
Umbra Vitae made their debut during a time of empty mosh pits and no crowds available for the killing. Made up of members of Converge, The Red Chord, Uncle Acid & the Deadbeats, and Twitching Tongues, the death metal/hardcore supergroup is the kind of outfit that might ordinarily thrive on the movement of bodies flailing in the air and slamming into one another, bruises forming and sweat pooling. This is loud, heavy, physical music that, while not anti-cerebral by any means (Jacob Bannon has long been one of the more introspective vocalists in metal and hardcore) definitely speaks to the human cannonball within the listener.
The group’s debut album, Shadow of Life, arrived in the spring of 2020, in prime lockdown mode—the least opportune moment to deliver a 25-minute burst of blistering deathcore. And while the live activity to make up for that lost opportunity comprised only a handful of shows in the post-vaccine age, the group instead focused on further sharpening their visceral and violent sound, crafting a follow-up album that builds on their firecracker debut with an even more diverse and sophisticated set of scorchers.
There’s a lot more meat on the bone on Light of Death, the group’s sophomore release. At 45 minutes, it nearly doubles the length of its predecessor. And with that expansion comes a greater focus on building out from the blistering foundation established with that album, Umbra Vitae allowing themselves ample room to stretch their limits and explore new territory. The ominous groove of “Velvet Black” finds the band descending into a gnarled psychedelia similar to the territory Converge have navigated on recent albums. Even more unexpected are the flourishes of classical guitar that open “Cause & Effect,” a beautifully elegant introduction to what eventually becomes a particularly harsh and menacing track, complete with Bannon’s tortured growls. And as raw and nasty as “Algorithm of Fear” is, it carries an undeniable swagger in its strut.
Let’s be clear, though—Light of Death is an album built for extreme, muscular feats via relentless rhythms and dissonant guitar riffs. And that’s exactly what it delivers. Satisfying as it can be to hear Umbra Vitae challenge themselves stylistically with songs like “Velvet Black,” it’s just as thrilling to hear them get dirtier and more abrasive through one- and two-minute bashers like “Clear Cutter” and “Belief Is Obsolete.” Light of Death represents an even broader spectrum of what Umbra Vitae is and can be, built for stage diving and headphone listening alike.
