Human Trophy: Primary Instinct 12″

Description

There is a thing that happens when depression sets in. It feels like the weight of the world is crushing all will to move or function. The deafening distortion of reality obscures all familiar pathways to success. Momentum is impossible to define yet its so palpable that the feeling is overwhelming. When there is no movement, death is the only way forward. Yet, the primary instinct is survival. This is the unsolvable paradox that we must endure on a daily basis.

On Primary Instinct, Human Trophys second album of atmospheric, metal tinged death rock, these ideas put to music paint a relentlessly cold and antisocial portrait of human failure and the mystical propensity for violence.

Our take: Iron Lung Records brings us the second album from this grimy, noisy death rock band. Their first album came out on Drunken Sailor in 2021, and while we actually still have a couple copies in stock at Sorry State, I dont think I listened to the band closely until now. Perhaps its that I approached Human Trophy at the right time of yearfall seems like the perfect time for death rockbut Primary Instinct has really been hitting the spot. Rather than goth or post-punk, death rock seems like the most appropriate genre tag for Primary Instinct because its so heavy and driving, and while the baritone vocals have shades of Ian Curtis, the more direct musical influences are in the Christian Death / Samhain school. As with those bands, theres a sense of restraint to Human Trophys sound that imbues their music with ever-escalating tension that they rarely release. The first three songs on Primary Instinct feature ever-slowing tempos, and when they finally break out into something like a hardcore rhythm on Devotion, it feels like the first gasp of air after youve been holding your breath for a long time. One benefit of weaving this tension through Human Trophys music is that is focuses the listeners attention, and when theres a hook like the slightly bluesy, Cult-ish chorus in Only a Knife or the big guitar hook in The Cabin, it sinks in much deeper. The back half of Primary Instinct also offers some unique moments like the (comparatively) upbeat, sunny rhythm of Serpentine Grin (which reminds me a little of Ill Melt with You by Modern English) and the shoegaze-y Bright Like Perspex. The murky sound and muted rhythms of Primary Instinct may take you a few listens to warm up to, but once it hits you, this records dense atmosphere and ambitious songwriting will keep you absorbed

• Label: Iron Lung Records
• Format Type: 12″
• Year: 2024