Umbra – Unclean Spirit (1999)

Country: United States

Tracklist

1. The Valley Of Dry Bones 06:25
2. Poison Control 08:11
3. Lecher 05:23
4. From The Well 04:24
5. Tangleld Gullet 07:01
6. Washed Up On The Banks 07:52
7. Stacking The Dead 06:12
8. The Conscious Dead (Sallow Mix) 07:09
9. Spiders Under The Skin 02:11
10. Hacking The Root 06:26
11. Husk (Remix - Recontextualization By Azoikum) 03:38

Umbra was a collaborative effort between Scott Candey of Gruntsplatter

 and Stephen Petrus of Murderous Vision (In Death's Throes).
The idea for doing a collaborative project arose in late 1998.
Despite the long distance between them, one being in California and the other in Ohio,

by early 1999 they had completed enough material for a full length release

as well as contributing a track to the "Baited Breath" double cassette compilation.
In early April 1999 Stephen visited San Francisco

and together with Scott they were able to play what would be their one and only show.
This performance was recorded and released as a very limited edition CDR titled, "Perish: A Live Document".
The full length album, "Unclean Spirit", was released by The Rectrix Records as their debut offering.
It shows a varied approach while remaining within the sphere of dark experimental.
Moving from dark ambient to more abusive, grating textures,

"Unclean Spirit" also wove in rhythmic elements that shifted from meditative ritualism to tantruming machinery.
Rooted in a dirty lo-fi aesthetic it emerged as a project unique unto itself.
In addition to nine brand new tracks "Unclean Spirit" also features a track, using the album material as soundsource, reinterpreted by Azoikum and a more ambient mix of "The Conscious Dead",

which appeared on the "Baited Breath" compilation.

 
Memory