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▓█▌▐█▌  ▓▀    ▀▀ ▓▀   ▀▓    ▀▀▀    ██▓ ██ ▀▀               ▀  █▌       ▓ ▀▀▀▀ ▀ ▐█▓ ▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀ ▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀ ▓██▄█▀ ▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀   ▀▀▀▀▀▀ ▌▀ ░▓█▓░ ▀█▄                ▓▐█▀▀                      ░▓█▓░ ░█▓░░  ▓                      ▓        ▓░▓█░  ░▓▄█████▄░   ▄ ▄  ▓▄██████▄░  ░▐██▀▀▀▀███▓░ ▀▓▀ ▀▓▀ ░███▀▀▀▀██▄▓ ▀▀▀   ▀▀▀▀▀▀  ▀▀▀▀▀   ▀▀▀ ███  ████▀    ▄▀▀▄▄█████▄▄ ▄▄█████▄▄▀▀▄   ▀████   ██  ██   ▀██▄▐▄  ■ ▄██▀▀ ▀██▄ ▄ ▄██▀ ▀▀██▄ ■ ▄ ▄██▌   ▐█▓  ░▓▄   ▀██▄▀▓█▄▄▄█▀▀ ▄ ▄▓▓▄ ▐█▌ ▌ ▀▓▀ ▐▓▓▌ ▄▓▓▄ ▄ ▀▀▓▄▄░▄██▀   ▄▀      ▓░▓▄███   ▐▀ ▀▓▀ ▀▀ ▄██▀ ▀██▄ ▀▀ ▀▓▀  ▀███▄ ▓▓        ▄██▀▓   ■ ▀▄▀ ▀▄▀ ■   ░▀███░       ▓███▓     ░░ ▐▌ ▐▌     ░███▓      ███▌░  ▀ ▀ ███▓    ▐██▀ ▀███░   ██▌  Artist...: Inhuman Condition ░▐██▌  ░▐██   Album....: Rat God  ░██▌░ ▓▐██   Year.....: 2021  ▓▐██▓ ▓▐██   Rel. Date: 2021-10-02  ░▐██▓  ▐██   Genre....: Death Metal   ██▌░ ░ ██▌  Label....: Black Serpent Records   ██▌    ▐██  Source...: CD  ▐██    ░▐██▌ Type.....: Retail ▐██▌░  ▓▄████ Quality..: VBR, 44.1kHz, Joint Stereo ████▌░ ▐██░░▀█▄░         ▓█▌  ███  ▀██▓ ▓█▄        ▄█▀ ▓██▀    ▓██▄ ▓▓▀▄    ▄▓▀  ▄██▓░     ██▌    ▓  ▄▄▄ ░    ▐██▓░       ██▌    ░ ░▀▄▓▓█▀█▄▀▀░     ▓██░         ░██░     ░ ░▄ ▄▄██▐▓▓█▄░▄█▌██▀▀ ▀░ ░ ▄▄▀▀█░░▐█░      ▄  ▐█▌░    ░▄▄▀▓▓███▀▄░ ▓▄▄█▌▓▓█ ▓█░   ▀░▀  ██     ▀▀▀ ░█▓▄▄▄█▀░ ▓█        ░▐█▌    ░█▌▐▓ ▓▄▄░ ▌         ░█░     ▄  ▐▓▓▀▀▀░▓█▄▄░       ░░▄█▄ ▄ ██▄ ▀░▀ ▀█░▄▄▄  ▄█░▄▀▀▄▀▀▄░▀▀▄       ▀▀████████▀░ ▀▀░  ▄█▓░░░░▀░░█ █▄█▓        ▐█░▀██▀ ▄█▓░░░ ▐ ▄ ░▓█▄        ▓  ▐▌  ▐ ▄█▀█░ ░  ░ ▄ ▀█▄▓█░    ░▓▓▀▀░▄ ▌▓   ■░▒ ░ ▄ ▐▀▀▓▄█▓░░ ░ ░ ▄█▀█░█▐▓▌▀▄         ░▀█▌  ▓▬ ▓▀▓ ░▄▄▓▀▓░      ░▀█░▀█▄░░  ░█░ ██ █░▀█▐▌       ░▓░░▐▌   ▌ ░░■  ▄█▐  ▐       ▓▓▓█░▓█▄▄█░  █▓█▓▌░ ▀  ▄         ▓░▓ █▓▐░▌ ▓ ░▓▓ ▓▐▒▄░░▐▓█  ▌         █▀▀░▐▀░█▀▓  ▐▌ █▌    ▀░▀     ▄ ▐░▌░▐█ █▌ ▓   ░█░░█▀ ▐▓▐░ ▀▄▄▀▀▌░   ▄▄███▐████▄▓  ▌        █  ░   █ ─▀▀▀█▓░█▄▌  ▐░▐░ ▄▄▄░██  ░ ░ ░▓░  ▐▌▓▄▌▓▓▌▓▐▓█▀  ■                ▄ ▌     ▀█▄█▌ █▌▐▓░█▓ ▀ ░░░ ░▓█▄█  █▓▓▓▓▓█▄▓▓▐▓  ░        █  ░  ▄ ▀ ░  ░  ▓██  ▄██▀ ░▌█░▄░██░░▐▌  ▄ 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░▄▀▀▄█▓░ ▓▓█░████▓███░██▀▓▓███▓ ▓██▓▐█▌ ███▄▄   ▐███▄ ▓▄█▀▀  ▐█▄█▀  ▄▀▀░ ▄█▀░ ░ ▓████████▐██████▓█▓ ▓█ ██  ░█▓ ▐█▄▓██▄██▄▐█▌░   ▐██▌▓▄█▀▓    ▄▄▀▀▀▀▄▄▄ ▓██▓▓▓▀▄████▐░███ █░█▌▄ ▐█▀██▀ ██▀   ▀███▄▄█▓ ███████▄▓▀▀▀▀▄▓  ░▄██▓ ▓ ▓██▓▀▄█████▓ ▄▄▀▀▓▄▄█▄▐█▄▄▓▄▄▄▄▄▄▄░▄░░░▄▄▀▄▄▀█░▄▄▄▄▄▄▐█▌ ▄██▀▄▄▄▄▄▄ ██░████ ▓     ░  ▓██░                        ▓█▄█▀     ▓██████            ▀▀▄▓                      ▓▀▀▀       ▓ █ 1. Euphoriphobia 2:39 2. The Neck Step 3:42 3. Planetary Paroxysm 3:32 4. Killing Pace 3:05 5. Gravebound 4:11 6. Tyrantula 3:50 7. Rat God 3:25 8. Crown of Mediocrity 4:13 9. Fait Accompli 4:19 10. Killing Pace (Live) (Bonus Track) 3:12 36:08 Rat God. The debut album of Inhuman Condition. I personally had high expectations for this album, and rightly so; these guys are basically Massacre 2.0. With that being said, I am going to compare this record a lot to "From Beyond". I didn't listen to the singles before the album as a whole came out, since I don't want any spoilers. Anyway, without further ado, let's get into the review shall we? First of all, the production and instruments. It's crystal clear; the drums sound great, very clear and satisfying to listen to, the drumming is technically proficient without showing off too much. In terms of blast beats, there aren't any. I was also a bit disappointed about that. Next, the bass. It is definitely audible, and sounds very clear, zingy and bright. Unfortunately. There aren't any standout moments. The guitar tone is great, sounds like a mixture of modern death metal and Morrisound production. The riffs are similar to Massacre and are very headbangable. You can already tell Taylor Nordberg is a more sophisticated guitarist than Rick Rozz, and it shows. Vocals are great, and definitely have more definition than the vocals of the one-dimensional Kam Lee. Every thing is mixed very well too. Now on to the album as a whole. The album starts with a quite fast song entitled "Euphoriphobia" that starts off with a Kam Lee style scream. The next two songs are quite similar, although don't have much change in the dynamics department. Then comes along "Killing Pace" which in my opinion, is definitely the weakest song on the album. The lyrics are quite cringy on that song, and sound like they were written by a 15 year old kid who just got into death metal. The rest of the album is as expected, but very enjoyable, and quite catchy. I'd say my favorite tracks are "Crown of Mediocrity", "Planetary Paroxysm", and "Euphoriphobia". As I said, the riffs are quite Massacre influenced, and also have a thrashy vibe. While they are Massacre influenced, it sounds like a different band. The guitar solos are more melodic than the one's of Massacre, but there still are quite a lot of divebombs and whammy bar tricks; except this time, they sound much more controlled, and quite soothing in a way. One guitar solo is said to be performed by Rick Rozz but I don't know which. The album feels very consistent but gets slightly boring in the second half. There are also some insanely groovy moments such as on the main riff of "Tyrantula". The lyrics are stereotypical, again, similar to those of massacre. The biggest problem I see here that's also preventing me from giving this album a 100 is the lack of dynamic change in the songs. The first half of the album is also a bit better than the second, but not significantly. These aren't really significant issues but they're still present. After listening to this album 3 times, I feel like I'm in 1991. Has a modern edge, but keeps its old school vibe. It sounds like "From Beyond" but more sophisticated in every aspect. A great record if you're looking for some death metal to bang your head to, that's not too technical. Definitely recommend to any fan of straightforward old school death metal, but especially to fans of Cancer, Benediction, Bolt Thrower, Massacre, Gorguts, and Obituary etc. --- Seeing such a name of the band like Inhuman Condition does not put much pressure on the keyboard of a good one, butà it's probably even better. Well, the greater surprise is that there can be still something meaningful from the CDs of (old) Massacre and with much better results than on "Back From Beyond"! After the excesses there, one could have assumed that "Rat░God" would turn out to be a crap - I assumed so, expecting the worst. The most interesting thing is that Terry Butler is the main creator of Inhuman Condition, a musician who - it would seem - was/is the least involved in the post-reunion drama Massacre. Together with Taylor Nordberg (guitar) and Jeramie Kling (drums/vocals) he managed to create an "From Beyond" type longplay, and at the same time to compose it well enough not to fall into cheap sentiments. So there was everything that was so lacking on "Back From Beyond", i.e. the right breath of freshness (of old age), some own identity and memorable arrangements. Only this, and so much. It was also obvious that "Rat░God" would be largely imitative, and sometimes even involving self-plagiarism, buuut it was difficult to expect something completely different from such a name and (partially) band members. After all, it was about the classic return to the past from the very beginning of the Inhuman Condition idea. Anyway, after this album (and the band) you can see that the demand for music like "From Beyond" is still strong, and it makes sense under the guise of new albums. These 9 songs are actually the essence of the style of the known album. This can be heard from the riffs, paces, atmosphere, "whammy" solos (in "Tyrantula" even Rick Rozz was tempted to make a guest appearance), melodies and simple patterns. I would see minor differences here only in terms of slightly larger thrash proportions in relation to those deathy and clearly different vocals, where Kling - in my opinion - is much closer to the frontmen of Cancer or Messiah, than to Kam Lee's deep growls. Fortunately, both of these things come so much to the advantage, that songs such as "Crown Of Mediocrity", "The Neck Step" or "Planetary Paroxysm" - despite the huge number of references - only benefit from it, and not they cause insufficiency or absentmindedness. I was not very convinced about the next incarnation of Massacre and another related pseudo-sentimental nativity reunion, but well!, "Rat░God" is quite a successful debut, nicely referring to the best times of well-known band and better performed than "Back From Beyond". It turned out so well that the whole madness of former and present members of Massacre, while I listened to "Rat░God", ceased to be so important to me. --- To go into the history of Massacre would go beyond the scope of this review and probably end up in a death metal soap opera. So, let's leave that at this point and note that with Inhuman Condition, named after Massacre's 1992 EP, a quasi-successor band is at the start and Rat God will be their debut album, which will be released on June 4 via Listenable Insanity Records on CD (and on August 6 on Black Serpent Records on vinyl). On board are: Massacre founding member Terry Butler (also Obituary, ex-Death, among others), Jeramie Kling (Venom Inc., GoregΣng, The Absence) and Taylor Nordberg (GoregΣng, The Absence). In addition, Rick Rozz (ex-Massacre, ex-Death) contributed a few guitar solos and Paul Mazurkiewicz (Cannibal Corpse) lyrics and a few vocal parts on the title track. Musically, Inhuman Condition offer solid death metal, often reminiscent of the aforementioned Massacre or even older Death from the "Leprosy" / "Spiritual Healing" era and the vocals let memories of "From Beyond" awake in parts. While the first two songs are rippling still a bit they are over pretty quickly but then 'Planetary Paroxysm' offers a Death-like riff as an introduction and the song quickly turns into a pretty casual mid-tempo stomper, which is repeatedly interrupted by fast riffs. 'Killing Pace' is one of the highlights of the album. This is a pretty cool groovy song that is very catchy and strongly reminiscent of Massacre. 'Tyrantula' starts with an almost shamanic intro, spreads a threatening atmosphere but picks up speed in the course of the song and offers the listener some pretty sick guitar solos. 'Rat God' is again a mid-tempo stomper, which could also have been on "From Beyond". Paul Mazurkiewicz has contributed few guest vocals here as already mentioned. Also the last two tracks offer solid fare, some Death here, some Massacre there, also worth listening to. Production-wise there is nothing to complain about on Rat God. Every instrument sounds clean and the vocals punchy, just the way a good death metal record should sound. The cover, which was designed by Dan Goldsworthy (Accept, Cradle of Filth, Xentrix), also deserves a positive mention. It is very detailed and lovingly designed and will be certainly a pretty cool eye-catcher as a LP! In my opinion, Inhuman Condition have managed to create a quite impressive debut, which cannot necessarily take on Massacre's "From Beyond", but is still a lot better than the rather bland 2014 "Back From Beyond". Rat God could well be a contender for the top 10 albums of 2021!                                  ▀▀░                                                                                                                ░▄▀                                  ▄█▀                                             ░▄           ░▐███░               ▀█░▄▄▄                    ▄░       ▀█░░                      ░           ▀▀░                                         ▄  ░                                          ▄     █          ▀                 ▄              ▄█▄ ▄ ██▄         ▀░▀     ▄         ▀                ▀░▀   ▀         ▀▀████████▀░                   ▀ ▄      ░                      ░░       ░▀██▀                    ▀██▄                ▄               ▐     ░      ░  █▀▄    ▐▓▓▌   █                    ▄   ▄▄       ░                    ▄▄▌█  ▄▄▓▓▓▀  ▄                      ▄ ▀   ████      ░                   ▐███▌  ░ ░                  ▄██▀     ▄▄██▄▄           ░           ▄▄███▄▄ ▄  ▓                         ▐▓▓▌  ░   ▓████▄        ▀          ▀    ▓█████▓  ▀ ▄                           ▀▓▓▓▄▄   ▐▓███ ▌                       ▌█████      ▀██▄   ▄                ░▄  ▀▀██▄▐████ ▌▐ ▌▓                ▓▐ ▌█▓███       ▐▓▓▌ ▀░▀           █    █  ░ ░▓▐████▄▌▐ ▌▌ ▌▌▐ ▌▐▄ ▐▐·▌▌▐▐ ▐ ▄█████    ▄▄▓▓▓▀                            ▓ ▓▐████ ▌▐ ▌▌ ▌▌▐ ▌▐▐▓▐▐ ▌▌▐▐ ▐ ▌█████ ▄█▓▀▀  ▄░ ░            ▄▄▄░      ▓     ░▐████▄▌▐▄▌▌▄▌▌▐ ▌▐▐▄▐▐▄▌▄▐▐▓▐▄▌█████ ▓     █               █████      ▐▄░   ▓▐████ ▌▐ ▌▌ ▌▌▐ ▌▐▐ ▐▐ ▌▌▐▐▓▐ ▌█████   ▓░   ▄         ▐▓    █▓███░    ▓▐█░▄▄  ▐████ ▌▐ ▌▌ ▌▌▐ ▌▐█ ▐▐ ▌▌▐▐ ▐ ▌█████    ▄██▄ ▀ ▄      █▌    █████▓   ██▀█▀▀   ▐█▓██ ▌▐ ▌▌ ▌▌▐ ▌▐▐ ▐▐ ▌▌▐▐ ▐ ▌███▓█   ▐█▓██▓   ▀██▄ ▀██▀   █████▓░    ▓█▌    ▐████▓▌▐▄▌▌▄▌▌▄ ▌▐▐▄▐▐▓▌▌▐▐▄▐▄▌█████   ▐████▌    ▐▓▓▌▓█▌   ▄█▓███▄░     ▐█▄▓  ▐████ ▌▐ ▌▌ ▌▌▐ ▌▐▐ ▐▐ ▌▌▐▐ ▐ ▀█▓███   ▐████▌ ▄▄▓▓▓▀  █▓  ████████▄▄▓ ▄█████▌ ▐████ ▌▐ ▌▌ ▌▌▐ ▌▐▐ ▐▐ ▌▌▐▐▓▐ ▌█████   ▓████▌░ ▄▄   ▄▄█▄▄ ██████████████████████████████▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄     █████  ░██▓████▓██▓▓██████ █░█████▄▀█▄░████████▄▄▄▄▄██████▓████████░██████▄▄▄▄▄███████░▄██░█░█████████ ▓██▀█████▓░░ ░ ░ ░ ░ ░ ░░░▓███▓█████ ████████▓ ▓██▓▐████▓ ▓██ █░███ █░██████▓ ███▓▄▀█▓ ▓ ▓█████▓███████ ▓███ ░▄▄▄▓████▓ ▓████████▓ ▓██████▓ ▓████▓