Cattle Decapitation has rightfully earned their reputation as one of the heaviest bands in metal. Their style of deathgrind with lyrical themes largely focusing on humans being put through the same torture as animals do in slaughterhouses, political corruption, and just straight-up gore paired with the unholy and most satanic-sounding vocals in all of metal being delivered from Travis Ryan makes them pretty hard to top in that department. Their last record, The Harvest Floor (which is also their best in my opinion), added a bit of calm to their frenzied attack by throwing in some progressive elements to the mix. Their latest, Monolith of Inhumanity, has expanded even more upon those elements and it totally works for them (for the most part).
Monolith of Inhumanity, from a musical standpoint, is Cattle Decaptation's best work to date. The compositions are more crushing than ever yet more progressive. The speed and brutality meets progressive style is pretty much unheard of in the deathgrind style and Cattle does a great job with it. Songs like "Lifestalker" and album closer "Kingdom of Tyrants" are prime examples of the two sides of Cattle Decaptation's sound working together perfectly. While "Kingdom of Tyrants" focuses more on the progressive side throughout the stone, "Lifestalker" starts off grinding then descends into a trippy mid-section with an incedible guitar solo from Josh Elmore (who has to be one of the most underrated guitarists in metal. The whole album isn't focused on melody though, Cattle still knows how to do straight deathgrind better than pretty much anyone. The first two tracks on the album "The Carbon Stampede" and "Dead Set on Suicide" get the album out to a whirlwind start. Both these tracks along with "Projectile Ovulation" are amongst the heaviest material they have ever recorded. If you follow this band and you've record heard their earlier records like Humanure and To Serve Man, you know that's quite the accomplishment.
There's only one thing that prevents Monolith of Inhumanity from being the finest album of the career: Travis Ryan's "clean" vocals. The use of his "clean" vocals is way over-the-top. They become really grating to listen to and take away from almost every song they are used in ("Kingdom of Tyrants" is the only time they worked well). It's a shame too because Ryan is such an excellent vocalist, but these particular vocals just don't click at all. I know a lot of people have been raving about them and they are very different, it's just something I can't really get into and I felt they were far too prominent on this album.
Monolith of Inhumanity is a great effort from deathgrind masters Cattle Decaptation. The added focus on the progressive elements of their sound give them a leg-up on most of their peers within that genre. I still give the edge to The Harvest Floor because of the excessive use of Travis Ryan's "clean" vocals. I really appreciate the direction they are going in and if they cut down on Ryan's "clean" vocals, I think they could make an extreme metal masterpiece.
4/5 Stars
Standout Tracks
1.The Carbon Stampede
2.Kingdom of Tyrants
3.Projectile Ovulation
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