Islanders Walter O’Toole and Ian Sides will celebrate the release of their new Mind Vice EP, “Humanimality,” at their February 26 High Dive show. Sides has created hand painted and stenciled CD sleeves.

“The pre-defined and contained nature of the stencils symbolizes the social contract of Humanity,” says Sides, “while the uncontrolled nature of splatter painting depicts the animal within us, constrained by the limits of society’s stencil.”

“Humananimality” continues Mind Vice’s signature “sludgefunk” sound. Walter O’Toole’s soulful vocals complete this energetic homage-turned-tribute. “Congress of the Crow” combines Michael Knapp’s tasty stoner-rock riffage with the signature bass talkbox sound of Ian “liquid fingers” Sides. Miles Hubbard’s heavy hitting drums contrast with Walter O’Toole’s vocals that range from brother’s Gibb style falsetto to powerful rock melodies. A bass-talkbox-slide solo rounds out this groovy number. “Kitty” is a vice-ified version of the Presidents of the United States’ classic tune, complete with funkification and of course, copious meows. “Break the Cage (Little Monkey)” taps into the band’s primal energy for a fast but thought-provoking exploration of the relationship between humanity, nature, and technology.