If a thunderstorm came to life and started yelling scary poetry at everyone, you might mistake it for the debut album, Shadow of Life, by Umbra Vitae. It might be the first release from this Boston based band, but these guys are veterans of the scene, including members of Converge, The Red Chord, and Hatebreed. Though the sound may not surprise you, given that lineup, it’s no less impressive when it comes to what they do. Four walls of sound, closing in around you with the scorching speed of grindcore. For a nice touch, old-school style solos occasionally soar through the barrage, often during moments when the songs take their foot off the pedal for a classic breakdown. Serious lyrics invoking serious adjectives of gloom and doom, that is, if you take the time to look the lyrics up. You know, because of the monster voices. Genius metal producer Kurt Ballou assisted at the controls of this one, and fans of the genre will know that means you’re getting quality work. Get ready to dissolve into an ethereal aesthetic of polluted madness as you enter the intimate shadow of life.