Humanure
Cattle Decapitation can be described as the bastard child of Cannibal Corpse and Carcass weaving a vicious blend of Gore-grind and Death Metal into complex structures with the end result being some of the most brutal and catchy songs written in the genre today. Cattle Decapitation takes a different approach to their song writing than most bands of the same sort that tend to focus mainly on fictional subject matter. The new album Humanure starts off where their debut album on Metal Blade To Serve Man left off, dealing with the rape of the earth, it's natural resources, and the unjust treatment of animals. Humanure will be the album that metalheads have been longing for; something as ferocious as Cannibal Corpse, something as gutturally disgusting as Carcass, something offensively disturbing as Autopsy, and something as politically charged as Napalm Death.Hailing from San Diego, CA Cattle Decapitation originally formed in 1996. The lineup initially featured David Astor on bass and Gabe Serbian on drums, both of whom were then also members of the underground phenomena The Locust. Seeking a replacement for their original vocalist, the band turned to Travis Ryan, who had actually been playing drums for another San Diego metal band, Strangulation, in addition to serving as vocalist in a gore metal band called Anal Flatulence. With Ryan on board, Astor moved from bass to drums, and Serbian moved from drums to guitar. The 3-piece quickly released two albums, the Human Jerky LP (on the Nevada label Satan's Pimp) and the Homovore CD/LP. Next, they added a bassist, Troy Oftedal, with whom they recorded their third full-length, To Serve Man, released in the fall of 2002 on Metal Blade, a move that would expose them to more of a death metal-oriented audience (as opposed to the hardcore/grindcore one that they had mostly been playing to before). In 2002, the band added a second guitarist, Josh Elmore (formerly of 7000 Dying Rats), who eventually took over as the band's sole guitarist after Serbian left in order to devote himself more fully into the Locust.Recorded with producer Bill Metoyer (Slayer, WASP, Six Feet Under) Humanure will feature the latest addition to the band, drummer Michael Laughlin. The band parted ways with drummer David Astor in May of 2003 due to inability to live up to the obligations of touring and regular necessities of the band. Michael, previously of CREATION IS CRUCIFIXION, is most definitely a fitting replacement. Humanure has guest appearances by ex-members of the band including Gabe Serbian and the rest of his band The Locust and the original vocalist, Scott Miller.