CATTLE DECAPITATION — The Harvest Floor (review)

CATTLE DECAPITATION — The Harvest Floor album cover Album · 2009 · Death Metal Buy this album from MMA partners
4.5/5 ·
bartosso
Every genre has its visionaries

I'm pretty sure that "progressive deathgrind" is an unusual combination of terms, and for a good reason. The scene is dominated by imitators, splashing around in the same puddles of gore and brutality their idols did before them. And that's where Cattle Decapitation steps in, shining like a stallion among hordes of muddy cattle. The band got lots of praise for their 2012 release MONOLITH OF INHUMANITY and even though I love the album, it's THE HARVEST FLOOR that deserves to be called their opus magnum.

THE HARVEST FLOOR is the first proper concept album by Cattle Decapitation and you can hear it already on the first listen. Every track is like a jigsaw puzzle piece, making up a consistent sequence of technical deathgrind songs. And what a deathgrind it is! When you hear that a band is technical, you expect the music to be calculated and cold, impressive yet with the human element being of secondary importance at best. THE HARVEST FLOOR is a brilliant exception to the rule though. It combines proper aggression of deathgrind with purely artistic approach to composition. Twisted parts of technical death metal are interspersed with clever and emotionally charged riffs and build-ups. Vocal parts by Travis Ryan are just like the music - brutal yet clever, complex yet passionate, varied yet consistent and most of all, completely inhuman...

It's an evocative and brave masterpiece of technical death metal, hands down. Fans of Cryptopsy's NONE SO VILE and ONCE WAS NOT, Cephalic Carnage and Suffocation should love this. I haven't been mesmerized by a deathgrind album for a very long time but Cattle Decapitation have brought twisted riffs, frantic shrieks and blast beats back to my life. Thank you guys, thank you for the passion and conviction that what you believe in is right. Thank you for putting it all into this intriguing music. Listen to death metal - stay veggie!
Share this review

Review Comments

Post a public comment below | Send private message to the reviewer
Please login to post a shout
bartosso wrote:
more than 2 years ago
Hope you guys gonna like it :)
Tupan wrote:
more than 2 years ago
Indeed, your review made me curious about this album!
bartosso wrote:
more than 2 years ago
Thank you Jeff! Beware, it's one damn addicting album! It's 3:15 am here and I've just put it on again...
J-Man wrote:
more than 2 years ago
I've never listened to this band, but your review really sparked my interest! Awesome review - I'll definitely need to check this one out. :-)

MMA TOP 5 Metal ALBUMS

Rating by members, ranked by custom algorithm
Albums with 30 ratings and more
Master of Puppets Thrash Metal
METALLICA
Buy this album from our partners
Paranoid Heavy Metal
BLACK SABBATH
Buy this album from our partners
Moving Pictures Hard Rock
RUSH
Buy this album from our partners
Powerslave NWoBHM
IRON MAIDEN
Buy this album from our partners
Rising Heavy Metal
RAINBOW
Buy this album from our partners

New Metal Artists

New Metal Releases

For Death And Eternity Metalcore
ANYALA
Buy this album from MMA partners
Gaia Metalcore
RELATIONS
Buy this album from MMA partners
Decievers Deathcore
ORACLE SPECTRE
Buy this album from MMA partners
A Fountain Of Anguish Is Gone Sludge Metal
TIGGUO COBAUC
Buy this album from MMA partners
Colossal Oppressor Sludge Metal
TEN TON SLUG
Buy this album from MMA partners
More new releases

New Metal Online Videos

WOMBMOTHER | ORACLE SPECTRE (LYRIC VIDEO)
ORACLE SPECTRE
Bosh66· 15 hours ago
More videos

New MMA Metal Forum Topics

More in the forums

New Site interactions

More...

Latest Metal News

members-submitted

More in the forums

Social Media

Follow us