SHADOW OF LIFE

Limited colored vinyl LP pressing. Shadow of Life is the ten song debut album from Umbra Vitae, recorded and mixed by Kurt Ballou at God City Studios. Guitars and bass were recorded by Mike McKenzie at The Black Coast. The album was mastered by Brad Boatright at Audiosiege. Intro oDecadence Dissolveso is a Schuldiner-esque calm before the storm. oEthereal Emptinesso and oAtheist Aesthetico soon rip everything apart, methodically downshifting from blackened to brutal in tone. oMantra of Madnesso then emerges as a monster of a song, driven by inhuman drumming and traditional death metal riffing. This pattern of intensity continues in oFear is a Fossilo, oPolluted Paradiseo, and oIntimate Infernoo. All are motion sickness inducing numbers that violently lurch in aural agony. ItAEs here one realizes that this album never lets up. oReturn to Zeroo takes it to another level, viciously grinding as the lines oReturn to zero, bite down on the chain, bow down to no oneo repeat as mantra. This leads to oBlood Blossomo an amalgamation of metal ferocity and hardcore spirit that could very well be the heaviest track of them all. Infectious closer oShadow of Lifeo then screams in terror as it tells the tale of the internal battle of the dark and light within us all.