Initial Impressions: Cattle Decapitation: Monolith of Inhumanity

Ultra gory death metal with grotesque lyrics and artwork has been a little lacking in recent years.  Oh sure there is always Cannibal Corpse, but nothing they do really comes off as shocking anymore.  However, Cattle Decapitation has been steadily filling that niche.  It is a little bit of a juvenile niche, but it is a niche all the same.

I am a little late in checking out Cattle Decapitation.  Mostly the reason for that is my disagreement with their politics when I actually cared about such a thing in a band.  Cattle Decapitation, until recently, was made up of all vegans and PETA activists.  There has been a little bit of band turnover and this is no longer entirely the case.  A few years ago that kind of pissed me off about them.  Now, I don't really give a fuck.

I chose to check them out this time around based on the hype that this album has been receiving and based on hearing "Forced Gender Reassignment", a particularly filthy slab of deathgrind.  Cattle Decapitation definitely bring the pain on this, their fifth full-length album.  The band is absolutely relentless, pounding the listener into submission with rampaging riffs and blasting drums, and some of the most brutal vocals I have ever heard.

The band does not just pound away pointlessly though.  There are melodies and some impressive guitar solos here and there.  While not technical or progressive, they add something more to the otherwise brutal proceedings.  The vocals are delivered in a variety of styles from deep guttural roars, to harsh screams, to some interesting dynamic screaming that is almost melodic.  The band does occasionally slow things down to incorporate some more melodies as well.

I may have been late in checking out Cattle Decapitation, but they have definitely left an impression.  This is a hell of an album.