UMUR
Simple Mind Condition is the 7th full-length studio album by US doom metal act Trouble. The album was released in March 2007 by Escapi Records. Trouble had been inactive for a number of years and the last studio recording before this album was the Plastic Green Head album from 1995. The lineup for Simple Mind Condition is the same as the one who recorded Plastic Green Head except that bassist Ron Holzner has been replaced by Chuck Robinson.
Even though 12 years has passed since the last album release, the music on Simple Mind Condition is unmistakably the sound of Trouble. So have the band gone back to the good old days and their eighties doom metal roots on this release? Or have they chosen the more hard rocking metal approach of their nineties releases? I think the music style on Simple Mind Condition sounds a bit like the style on the self-titled 4th album from 1990. This means that the music is a mix of the more uptempo seventies Black Sabbath tracks and touches of alternative/ grunge rock. A good reference could be Tony Iommi´s first solo album from 2000 if you are familiar with that one. All 11 tracks on the album are quality compositions that leaves a lasting impression. Catchy, heavy and powerful riffs and some great memorable songlines. In addition to the heavy tracks on the album we´re also treated to a couple of semi-ballads and the Lucifer´s Friend cover track Ride the Sky. The latter is probably the most uptempo hard rocker on the album. Trouble do the only right thing when playing covers. They make the song their own.
Eric Wagner´s distinct rusty voice is still the center of attention but there are no shortage of the trademark harmony and brick heavy guitar riffing by Bruce Franklin and Rick Wartell either. The rythm section provide the right heavy bottom to the sound.
The production is powerful and not too clean. I wasn´t instantly fond of it, but it´s grown on me.
Simple Mind Condition is quite a good comeback album by Trouble and a most welcome comeback it is. The band do what they do best on this album and that´s churn out heavy rock/ metal songs that leave a lasting impression. When that is said Simple Mind Condition doesn´t add much new to the band´s core sound and therefore it´s hardly essential. A good album nonetheless and a 3.5 star rating is fully deserved ( maybe even a small 4).