High Roller Records, transparent piss yellow vinyl, ltd 500, 425gsm heavy cardboard cover, insert, download code
Choosing the title of Massacre’s 1992 EP “Inhuman Condition” as the name of their new band after having left the death metal flagship in 2020, it is fair to say that Taylor Nordberg and Jeramie Kling have stuck to that well-established old-school sound for the last five years. However, Inhuman Condition’s third full-length “Mind Trap” turns out to be more than Massacre 2.0, upping the ante on all fronts. The fact that the original trio, which is completed by bass veteran Terry Butler (also a member of Massacre at various points in time), never sets any goals for themselves when working on new material has become a blessing: “We feel we have found our identity and finally moved past the link with Massacre,” says Nordberg. “We didn’t rush any part of the writing, recording, mixing and so on. There’s an element of comfortability on this album, while still retaining that super hard edge.” The songs on “Mind Trap” are a “social commentary on the world we live in” according to the guitarist. “Some of my lyrics deal with the crushing grip of technology on our species. The album has it all – blood, guts, serial killers, sci-fi horror, shitty humans.” Having produced the album entirely by themselves in their own studio, the result is nothing but outstanding. “Mind Trap” is graced with another striking cover art by Dan Goldsworthy (Accept, Alestorm) and attests to the special chemistry of the prolific duo behind Inhuman Condition.
