Album Review: Inhuman Condition - Mind Trap
Reviewed by Gareth Pugh
Sometimes all you need is a bit of old school Floridian Death Metal and Inhuman Condition fits the bill very nicely indeed. Formed by Taylor Nordberg (guitars) and Jeramie Kling (vocals, drums) after they departed Massacre in 2020, their name is taken from the title of Massacre's 1992 EP. “Mind Trap” is the band’s third album following the brilliant debut “Rat°God” in 2021 and sophomore effort “Fearsick” from 2022, both the first two albums were critically acclaimed although some harsh detractors highlighted their strong resemblance to classic Massacre and Death albums, particularly in the vein of "From Beyond", but for album number three, the band, completed by veteran bassist Terry Butler (also ex-Massacre, ex-Death, etc.) has decided to branch out somewhat in sound, let’s take a listen.
Building from the pure Floridian DM base, the band have added more groove to the songs this time around, none so more emphasised by opener ‘Severely Lifeless’, with its start/stop arrangement and track four ‘The Betterment Plan’. There’s more of a sense of melody and the songs seem more naturally flowing than before, showing a growth and maturity away from the meat and potato death metal into a more complex unit, don’t get me wrong, they haven’t suddenly turned into progressive tech metal band, but the songwriting is more nuanced and yet still brutal.
‘Mind - Tool – Weapon’ opens with some bone-crunching chords with a haunting backdrop, before shifting gears into full throttle riffage. ‘Chaos Engine’ is a palm muting delight, with some serious guitar chugging. ‘Recollections Of The Future’ adds eerie clean guitars into the mix making for some excellent juxtaposition, closing track is a rhythmic salad of shifting beats and flat-out riffing, with time changes coming thick and fast, and err, slow.
Dan Goldsworthy has again produced the cover art, both stunning and cheesy in equal measure, with the bands, and I hesitate to use this word, mascot, the ‘Rat°God’ has captured the three band members in his lethal traps, which highlights the brutality of the music, but also conveys a deeper meaning; the sense of dread and imprisonment, a deliberate symbol of being held captive by the world we all currently live in, and reflect well, the overall bleak lyrical landscape painted.
The band have produced, recorded, mixed, and mastered the album themselves at Smoke & Mirrors Productions studio, paying attention to every detail, to get all aspects of the albums sound correct. This is an organic, heavy, well-balanced album, the guitars are thick, the bass gnarly and the drums snap. If you’re already a fan of Inhuman Condition, fear not as album builds on the previous two without forgetting it’s roots, if you have yet to listen, and are a fan of old school Florida death metal, then what are you waiting for, give “Mind Trap” a spin, you won’t be disappointed.
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