INHUMAN CONDITION, the brainchild of former MASSACRE members Taylor Nordberg (guitars) and Jeramie Kling (vocals, drums), alongside veteran bassist Terry Butler, are set to unleash their third album, “Mind Trap”. Following their departure from the Death Metal institution in 2020, the band named after MASSACRE’s 1992 EP, has steadily carved out its own identity, culminating in this powerful release. At just over 31 minutes across nine tracks, “Mind Trap” is a concise and brutal assault. This isn’t about reinventing the wheel; it’s about honing on the tried-and-true old school Death Metal style. From the relentless opener ‘Severely Faceless’ to the grinding ‘Chaos Engine’ and the thrashing of ‘Recollections Of The Future’ the album hits with intense and massive riffages, ferocious growling vocals and high tempo driving drums. As Nordberg states, “they’ve found identity and are finally over the MASSACRE connection”, achieving a “certain comfort, but still has that hard-hitting edge”. While the pace rarely lets up, tracks like ‘Obscurer’ showcase their ability to mix tempos, shifting from blistering speed to measured power, while the closer ‘Science Of Discontent’ maintains an upbeat drive mark the sense perfectly. And to make the impact heavier, the veterans added more veterans in this record with guest vocals on ‘Face For Later’ by Paul Mazurkiewicz (CANNIBAL CORPSE, UMBILICUS, HEAVEN’S GATE) and Jamie Stewart (THE ABSENCE), another guest vocals on ‘Recollections Of The Future’ by Jonas Kjellgren (CARNAL FORGE, SCAR SYMMETRY). Lyrically, the themes are exactly what you’d expect from a band so deeply rooted in the old school: blood, guts, serial killers. But they also offer sharp social observations on the state of the world, adding a contemporary bite. Self-produced by the band, with Jeramie Kling handling the mix and Taylor Nordberg the mastering, the production is inevitably modern which overall sounds crisp and powerful. All the riffs, blistering solos, guttural roars and deeply mixed distinctive bass line lands with maximum impact. And Dan Goldsworthy’s (known for his work with ACCCEPT and ALESTORM) gruesome artwork graces the cover, perfectly capturing the album’s intense themes, which all together delivers “Mind Trap” as a statement of the band’s strong chemistry and these veterans’ relentless passion and desire for creating and playing Death Metal without compassions. Certainly, it’s a fine addition to the growing list of quality old school Death Metal releases in 2025, and if you’re a fanatic of bashing, no-frills Death Metal, this record can fully quest that thirst. Find out more on the band and label here: www.facebook.com/inhumanconditionband, www.facebook.com/hrrecords