Umbra was a collaborative effort between Scott Candey of Gruntsplatter and Stephen Petrus of Murderous Vision. The idea for doing a collaborative project arose in late 1998. Despite one of us being in California and the other in Ohio, by early 1999 we 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 we were able to play what would be our one and only show. This performance was recorded,  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. It is a diverse but cohesive listen. Rooted in a dirty lo-fi aesthetic it emerged as a project unique unto itself. “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.

Complete Discography…

“V/A – Baited Breath” – Track “The Conscious Dead” – DMC
limited to 100 – Live Bait Recording Foundation – Nov. 1998
“Perish : A Live Document” – CDR
limited to 30 – Live Bait Recording Foundation/Crionic Mind – September 1999
“Unclean Spirit” – CD
limited to 500 – The Rectrix – December 1999