JARBOE Was 'Stunned' By CATTLE DECAPITATION's Live Performance

Jarboe, the infinitely talented singer, songwriter and composer of SWANS fame, has posted a blog on her MySpace about seeing San Diego extreme metallers CATTLE DECAPITATION live in Atlanta on February 6. She writes, "Last night, I went to the Atlanta show of CATTLE DECAPITATION. I have the new album, 'The Harvest Floor', and have listened to it numerous times. I had recorded some atmospheric vocals on a track for the album because the band intrigued me and the person asking was producer/engineer Billy Anderson who had worked with SWANS and for whom I have the utmost respect.

"The album to me is a type of 'terrifying.' It is unrelenting and punishing and something about it in the overtones of the guitars and vocals and rapidly pounding drums and sounds is otherworldly frightening. To me, it is more than a sound that incorporates elements of terms like 'death metal' and 'grindcore.' It is the nameless feeling that I get that accumulates inside the nervous system and the brain that open to allow the sensation of sheer horror frenzy (extreme mental agitation; wild excitement or derangement) to develop.

"I was curious if this feeling would occur watching the band live.

"I can report that it most definitely did.

"I usually fixate on performance aspects of a band and the overall dramatic impact they make upon me. I find that mostly I respond more to bands with a designated vocalist/front person. (Yes, there are exceptions.)

"The controlled severe vocal acrobatics of Travis Ryan stunned me. So much so that the moment I saw him offstage after the show, I asked him about his technique! His impressive performance also incorporated an elegantly beast-like spew alternately of water and saliva as he bent his head back and sprayed into the air. I have only seen something like it in movies of boxers in slow motion. Travis Ryan's performance was captivating to watch. It is like Olympic ice-skaters or strenuous muscular Russian ballet when the sweat blasts off the forehead, spinning.

"The members of the band are spectacular musicians.

"CATTLE DECAPITATION are on tour. SEE THEM."

MTV's HeadbangersBlog.com recently phoned up CATTLE DECAPITATION vocalist Travis Ryan and talked about writing and recording the band's new album, "The Harvest Floor", the advantages of working under pressure, getting Jarboe (SWANS) to guest on the album, animal rights and the eventual death of deathcore. You can now stream the entire 29-minute chat below.

"The Harvest Floor" sold around 1,700 copies in the United States in its first week of release, according to Nielsen SoundScan. The CD debuted at No. 16 on the Top New Artist Albums (Heatseekers) chart, which lists the best-selling albums by new and developing artists, defined as those who have never appeared in the Top 100 of The Billboard 200.

The drum tracks for "The Harvest Floor" were laid down with Zack Ohren (ALL SHALL PERISH, DECREPIT BIRTH) before the rest of the instruments were recorded and the entire thing was mixed with producer Billy Anderson (MR. BUNGLE, MELVINS, SWANS) at Sharkbite studios in Oakland, California. The CD features guest vocal appearances by Ross Sewage (IMPALED, LUDICRA) and Dino Sommese (DYSTOPIA, ASUNDER). There is also a special appearance by Jarboe (SWANS),lending her beautifully haunting voice to the epic death dirge "The Harvest Floor". Jackie Perez Gratz (GRAYCEON, AMBER ASYLUM) graces a couple tracks with her electric cello and Los Angeles noisician John Wiese also lends his electronic/atmospheric expertise to the album, further separating the band from the typical "cookie-cutter" approach applied all too often by today's extreme acts.