New Death Metal supergroup Umbra Vitae brings together guitarists Sean Martin (Twitching Tongues, Ex-Hatebreed) and Mike Mckenzie (The Red Chord, Stomach Earth), bassist Greg Weeks (The Red Chord) and drummer Jon Rice (Uncle Acid & The Deadbeats, Ex-Job For A Cowboy). The name comes from a poem by Georg Heym, first published in 1912. Umbra Vitae’s debut album, Shadow Of Life, will be released on May 1 via Bannon’s own Deathwish Inc. label. Check out the first single, ‘Return To Zero’!
“I absolutely adore being in CONVERGE — it’s been a part of the fabric of my being since I was a kid,” Bannon tells Revolver. “I’ve spent more than half my life in it. But it’s also not really a metal band, although it has metal leanings at times and it’s hyper-aggressive. This is the closest thing I’ve done that’s rooted in more traditional death metal, at least in terms of speed and ferocity and heaviness.”
‘Return To Zero’ is about removing resistance in one’s life in order to be best version of ‘you’ that one can be,” Bannon says. “I feel that this is a relatable topic for many. What resistance is and how it manifests is unique to every single one of us. For me, this is a constant process and essential to being a better husband, father, friend, artist and human. Below you’ll find a section of the lyrics that state this better than I can in paragraph form. Thank you to everyone who continues to listen.’
“Bite down on the chain
Bow down to no one
Destroy the ego
Radiate love
Carve out a purpose
Where there was none
Compassionately
Wipe up the blood
Remove resistance
And exit the cage
Climb to your feet
Accept your rage
It’s time to reclaim
What’s rightfully yours
Bite down on the chain
And bow down to no one”
The Shadow Of Life cover art was created by Janusz Jurek and can be seen below.
Shadow Of Life track listing:
01. Decadence Dissolves
02. Ethereal Emptiness
03. Atheist Aesthetic
04. Mantra Of Madness
05. Fear Is A Fossil
06. Polluted Paradise
07. Intimate Inferno
08. Return To Zero
09. Blood Blossom
10. Shadow Of Life