It was a clear and cold night on a wintery Sunday in Detroit, Michigan when Death Metallars, Inhuman Condition brought their “Tourantula” 2022 Tour to town. They arrived at a local’s favorite live music joint, The Sanctuary, along with Midwest’s own Micawber and Crusadist. The quaint-sized venue was the perfect fit for the fans to experience an intimate and enjoyable encounter with these Death Metal experts. Cozied up in the small town of Hamtramck, The Sanctuary caters particularly well to the heavy. With concert spots like this, plus the local acts that opened the evening, Nethergate and Centenary, showed us that the metal scene in Michigan is alive and well.
Once the hometown bands got everyone warmed up with their fervent and hard-hitting sets, Chicago’s Crusadist took the stage. An impressive number of fans had gathered considering it was such a dismal January night. This hearty crowd bubbled with a nuance of anticipation and geniality as vocalist Shaun Albro beckoned everyone to draw closer to the stage. And they happily complied. The band roared with thick riffs and effortless intensity as they played material off their album, The Unholy Grail. This independent act had a keenness in their sound that allowed them to execute their whirlwinds of Thrash and Death influences with precision. Their energy rumbled with catchy guitar hooks and a gripping groove. They did an excellent job of revving the place up and left the stage with the accompaniment of exuberant cheers.
Next up, Micawber came out chopping at the bit ready to unleash their furiously frantic sound. The youthful looking four-piece greeted the audience with a very classic, old-school kind of anger. The severity of their shredding and speed was all-consuming, drawing everyone into the depths of their fierce cries. The heat made by the dueling guitar work between Leighton Thompson and Derek DeBruin boiled over and seeped with a special kind of catchy competence. The precision cut by their strings coupled well with the chaos sung in their dark lyrical themes. Hailing from Wisconsin, these cheeseheads brought a thrilling set that lit a frenzy in the miniature music hall. A fire from their crushing and charismatic exertion emanated and spread through the animated crowd. With faces flushed and perspiration starting to glisten, Micawber took their final bow with cries of approval.
The recently formed act Inhuman Condition is made up of three metal veterans known for their roles in Massacre, The Absence, and more. This was the last gig on the second leg of their tour to promote their latest album Rat°God (Listenable Insanity Records), which came out last summer. The lights dimmed and a mania awakened. Terry Butler is acclaimed for his long serving role in the Florida Death Metal scene and has brought some of that signature sound back to life with this project. Along with Jeramie Kling and Taylor Nordberg, they have recaptured the early nineties Death noise and mood. These seasoned members swept onto the stage with a rare kind of enthusiasm and immediately engaged everyone present. The crowd banged their heads particularly hard on numbers like ‘Euphoriphobia’ and ‘Tyrantula’. The air pounded with the thudding rage of distortion and blast beats. The booming growls provided by Kling thundered and cracked like lightning as he powerfully projected. The animation from each player gave a turbulent and vigorous vibe. A nostalgic feeling blossomed as the band played heavy, groovy troglodyte-like material. They successfully captured the real straightforward extreme of the classic Death Metal sound. The drum patterns, breakdowns, and powerful tempo all paid homage to one of the greatest subgenres in metal. Hearing this trio play their first full-length live was an exceptional treat. As this band recaptures a beloved sound, their fans were moved and were enamored with the set from beginning to finish. The group ended the night with a heartfelt thanks and many high fives. A notable night for metal and many left with hopes to see Inhuman Condition again soon.
Buy the Rat God album here https://www.inhumancondition.bandcamp.com
WORDS AND PHOTOS BY RAGIN ROSIE