I’ve never been in a mixed martial arts fight, and thank fuck for that, but I’ve seen plenty of them, and I’m constantly baffled at how people live through some of those things. I’ve hit my head off countless things before, which always sucks, but I can’t imagine wanting to be anywhere near a trained fighter who can kick my brain into submission.

Taking on a record from Umbra Vitae often feels like being locked in the octagon as blow after vicious blow come flying at your head and body. Their malicious second full-length “Light of Death” is another dose of toxic death metal mixed with strains of hardcore, and over these 11 tracks and nearly 46 minutes, the band—vocalist Jacob Bannon, guitarists/vocalists Sean Martin and Mike Mckenzie, bassist/guitarist/vocalist Greg Weeks, drummer Jon Rice—turns the screws and makes the heat get to insurmountable levels. Not to mention this band that combines members of Converge, Tsjuder, the Red Chord, and others lay down a savage beating, one you only can hope to survive in one piece.

“Leave of Absence” starts with dissonant horns as guitars begin to char, the pace blistering as Bannon’s unmistakable howl leaves bruises. Speed is a factor as it mixes with hardcore-style stomps, ripping as guitars let lava flow, and the strings strike out. “Belief Is Obsolete” has riffs boiling, punchy and jarring playing lashing away, eventually trudging as the stiff wails draw blood. “Clear Cutter” is quaking and ravaging, the vocals killing, the playing splattering as wildness and muscular dexterity combine for a whipping. “Anti-Spirit Machine” brawls as Bannon’s raspy voice lacerates, swelling with hardcore brutality, steadily driving as the soloing spits fire. Guitars cut through even deeper as the thrashy goodness peaks, the repeat wails of, “Anti-spirit!” sounding like a rallying cry. “Reality in Retrograde” is fast and ferocious, the drums devastating, a machine-like efficiency accelerating the pain and the suddenness at which is strikes. “Past Tense” unloads with nasty howls, guitars traversing the scenery, a trickier display that spits nails and screws, coming to a blistering end. “Velvet Black” opens with clean singing, Bannon’s deep croon searching, the playing burning as it comes slower but just as heavy, hypnotic sounds dissolving and going silent. Bells chime as the pace roars back, the leads melt faces, and the final sounds of feedback ringing decimate your eardrums.

“Twenty-Twenty Vision” is a savage attack, storming and rattling, ripping through a fiery thrash assault. The vocals circle and split lips, the blazing terror driving to a fiery finish. “Algorithm of Fear” blasts with abrasive madness, howls mashing even as lighter tones take their turn. Then the assault is mounted anew, the vocals choking on smoke, churning and thrashing, hitting the gas pedal and approaching violent waves. “Empty Vessel” has leads fluttering and howls ravaging, at times feeling atmospheric, at others hinting that the world is burning to the ground. “Cause & Effect” starts with acoustics, and then the shrieks explode, the leads showing their teeth and threatening to sink into muscle. From there, the steam rises, vicious shouts mix in with the humidity, and everything burns off into exhaust. “Deep End” is relentless, striking with a passion, gutting with terrifying growls that thirst for carnage, defacing in a pit of ashen thrash. “Nature vs. Nurture” is steely, yet bludgeoning, the vocals trading off and leaving blisters, the playing feeling rubbery but also brutal. Riffs light up as the pace manages to go even harder, smoldering as the soloing erupts and torches everything on front of it. “Fatal Flaw” is blinding, vocals crushing, guitars mounting a burning attack. The drums blister as the shouts open veins, the start/stop viciousness disappearing into a sea of skronking sax. The closing title track lathers with brutality, dizzying and crunching, the guitars slaying with metallic madness. The playing clouds the senses as blow after blow aim to take you down, Bannon wailing, “There’s no escape!” as the cacophony disappears into horns, finishing the ouroboros effect from the opener.

“Light of Death” is a whirlwind display for Umbra Vitae, a devastating collection that gives you almost no time to breath, no chance to take cover because the chaos is coming for you. This is a great step up for this band, who didn’t really need to level up but did anyway, and this is a punishing, channeled affair that’ll take your head off. This is a storm you won’t mind riding to the end because, although there are neck-jerking twists and turns and blistering winds, conquering these 15 tracks will fill your bloodied body with fiery glory.

For more on the band, go here: https://www.facebook.com/umbravitaeofficial/

To buy the album (U.S.), go here: https://deathwishinc.com/collections/umbra-vitae

Or here (Europe): https://deathwishinc.eu/collections/umbra-vitae

For more on the label, go here: https://deathwishinc.com/