Review by Iron Mike
- https://inhumanscourge.bandcamp.com/
- Release date: 5/18/2025
- Mixed and Mastered by ???
- Tags: death metal death thrash metal metal punk old school death metal grindcore Minneapolis,
Setup
This release is a new EP… but an old EP… maybe? It’s complicated.
Depending on where you grab it, it’s either just the new 4-songs or those tracks plus the band’s debut EP (Haunted By Apocalyptic Visions). I tend to listen via Apple, and on there it’s an 8-song LP. Via Bandcamp, where I prefer to purchase music, it’s the 4-song EP. I’ve heard the physical CD is both. My suggestion: get all 8 songs.
Fresh Meat
The EP launches with Hatred Contagion, a ripper that wastes zero time letting you know what this band is all about: unapologetic death metal. This mid-to-fast-paced banger has all the ingredients of a killer death song: rapid fire drums, crushing riffs, pick squeals, growling vocals, thundering bass, etc. The only thing it’s missing is more time, as the track ends as fast as it started, clocking in at just 2:04
These Rotting Empires carries on what the opener began, but adds its own flavor. This one is also on the shorter side, hitting the 3:23 mark before taking a bow.
The title track, Charnel Winds, hammers down next. With more intricate riffing, the song takes off at a similar breakneck pace to the 2-prior offerings. The tempo on this one slows, then accelerates, then hits the passing gear, before slowing down again. Overall, the velocity changes on this song definitely have it standing out from the first 2 songs, while sharing the same intensity.
The last of the new tracks is A Conspiracy of Silence. While it’s a new song, this track has the thickest, old school death vibe of the new EP. Staring with a thrashier guitar riff that gives way to the sort of pounding rhythms you expect from a quality death metal band. They take that vibe to epic levels, before getting down and dirty with it later on.
Not sure where they recorded these tracks, but you almost don’t notice the recording/mixing/mastering difference when you segue from the new EP to the old in the full release.
Of the older 4 songs, To Pierce the Veil of Death is hands down my favorite. Possibly my fave of the whole catalog. It starts with a riff that has this interesting Deftones-White-Pony-if-it-were-death-metal vibe, but chances are a lot of listeners wouldn’t make that connection. The song is very dynamic, with different sections offering different feels.
The Kill
If there’s a “gateway’ track on this release To Pierce the Veil of Death is it. By that I mean, this song will likely hook a lot of people into their catalog. The rest of the tracks are indeed killer, but have that slow burn thing where the more you listen to them, the more you appreciate them. For anyone with the attention span of a goldfish, you need to fight your urge to do a drive-by listen on this one to pass quick judgement. It takes a lot of playthru’s to fully appreciate what Inhuman Scourge brings to the table.
For those who live for the negatives: The only real con that jumps out at me with this one is the time. The first two EPs set a baseline of what this band is all about, while hinting at their ability to really carve out a unique sound all their own. Unfortunately, the original EP was released in January of 2024. The new one almost a year and a half later. By that pattern, we aren’t going to get new Inhuman Scourge til Christmas of 2026. That’s a long time to go without a full album release that hopefully spotlights their evolution as songwriters.
Hopefully these guys find the time necessary and an audience that gives them the ability, inspiration and motivation to crank out more songs at a faster pace.
Final Thoughts
If you didn’t know, the local Minnesota/Twin Cities scene is overflowing with killer death metal and death-adjacent bands. Inhuman Scourge is one of them. Instead of fixating on the international-level bands that tour through once or twice a year, if that, devour some Inhuman Scourge and the other local extreme metal bands. All the killer music you crave is right here for the taking.