Funny how that works out. The cheap-looking album covers of Inhuman Condition got us to pick up Rat God in the first place. There’s some twisted humor in there. These covers look like the front pages of them sleazy Pulp Fiction novels we used to buy many a decade ago. And somehow, the perpetrator’s mug kinda looks familiar. Or is it just me? Hidden messages galore or brain fog brought about by too many conspiracy theories. Whichever comes first. And that the new band sports refugees from the mighty Massacre was just icing on this metal cake.
The band’s oldish brand of Swedish Death Metal ov US Graces of course got us immediately with its warped mighty meat hooks. So, Fearsick made yet another sumpy splash in our review pipe. Pretty much the same style, but a stout reminder of how Rogga Johansson‘s fare should sound like. Wait what? He’s not with this band? Well, hell no, he ain’t – and never was. But he may have acted as some invisible influence on Jeramie Kling and Taylor Nordberg through their joint endeavors.
And then, we got ourselves Mind Trap, the band’s newest concoction. I could easily state that there’s nothing new in Swedeath land. And there isn’t really, this is thrash-laden traditional Death Metal after all. And of the kind we heard a gazillion times already. So, what made us write about metallic banalities all over again? Well, this time Inhuman Condition kinda moved away from their former Massacre revenge porn thing into more serious waters.
This new piece morphed into a tightly written 31-minute affair. Short, concise songs that won’t leave any fat left for the dreaded carving knife. Case in point, only one track sits straight at 4 minutes, all the others are way below. And that injects a punky look and feel into a down-in-the-pit Extreme Metal piece. Sweet! By that token, the RMR crew was kinda glad that Mind Trap turned into a shorty of sorts. Densely written and short also means high intensity. There’s only so much you can take without having the repetitive bug strike too hard, you know. And strike it does, albeit still at barely acceptable levels.
And as it should be, gruff and somewhat barebone growls are the only thing you’re gonna get this time. Apart from some fearsick monologues popping up here and there, that is. Unfortunately, the axe-board rhythm section is a tad too active on Mind Trap with its somewhat repetitive ways. Meaning, whilst some high-pitched solo sometimes rings out, the RMR crew was sorely missing more action.
But, one of the main issues truly is that stop ‘n’ go strategy adopted by the band. True, Face For Later‘s lusty pace injects that much-needed energy boost, which – unsurprisingly – results in one of the juiciest tracks of the pack. In contrast, most other songs move in on some majestic mid-tempo death march broken up by sudden bursts of speedy energy. And that often saddles the record with a sickly and uneven feeling for long stretches of the way.
The band stated that, finally, they’re coming into their own, away from the Massacre-induced Death Metal style. And that truth can indeed be found in the song structures and some tidbits, such as juicy breakdowns into Brutal Death Metal (Obscurer) that suddenly appear from nowhere. The overall production sports new-found hints of a strangely subdued ferocity that wasn’t quite there before. A usually well-balanced affair that even lets the bass’ lusty hum roam freely at times.
So, yes. Mind Trap indeed is the record that sees Inhuman Condition move away from old constraints and enjoy their very own brand of thrashy old-style Death Metal. Methinks, however, that there’s still work to do until they truly reach their home-grown metal nirvana, sure in their step, and full of deliciously rotten meat to throw to their growing fanbase.
Record Rating: 6/10 | Label: High Roller Records | Web: Official Band Site
Release Date: 27 June 2025