CATTLE DECAPITATION

Long-running extreme metal acts tend to lock into well-worn templates, a comfortable place that's palatable to a specific audience retained over time. CATTLE DECAPITATION is an interesting, relative outlier in that their profile has grown over time while they've never really allowed themselves to be too comfortable. The California quintet's 2019 album "Death Atlas" was a powerful record, to be sure, in terms of depth and might, and on this year's "Terrasite", perhaps somewhat subtly so, they've turned the dial up with a broad spanning and intense new album.

With the blatant thematic finality and apocalyptic essence embedded throughout "Death Atlas", the band inevitably had to pivot and start anew. So with "Terrasite", the unit has intentionally and successfully carried forth its belligerent deathgrind nature while further delving into its exploration of ambience and the sublime. It's equally, if not more so, epic in scope. This is painfully clear with the swelling, score-like introduction of opening number "Terrasitic Adaptation", a track that subsequently explodes with metallic rage in the way that one would predict and desire considering that we are at the release's onset.

The 10-song collection was named by vocalist Travis Ryan's merging of "Terra-," meaning "earth," along with "-site," touching upon the Greek term "-sitos" which means "food." The intended, combined meaning is "earth-eater," a metaphorical suggestion of humankind's role in our planet's downfall. It also hints at the notion of humanity being parasitic. Contrasting the overt darkness of "Death Atlas", Ryan intended for this album's conceptual madness to be set during the daylight, visually represented by legendary metal artist Wes Benscoter's striking cover art.

The second song, "We Eat Our Young", has been corrupting ears and eyes since the beginning of the year with its jarring yet simplistic video. The deeper subtextual meaning seems to be a commentary upon short-sighted and selfish human activity that will cripple the daily lives of future generations. Ryan's thoughtful lyrics throughout "Terrasite" reference various negative perspectives ranging from anger to depression that are viewed from both the prisms of individual experience as well as a broader philosophical outlook.

The release's closer, the gargantuan, 10-minute song "Just Another Body", proves to be one of the most personal lyrical expressions of the band's catalogue, providing catharsis for Ryan in the face of Gabe Serbian's tragic passing, one of CATTLE DECAPITATION's founding members who is probably best known for his work with THE LOCUST, as well as the passing of longtime friend Trevor Strnad of THE BLACK DAHLIA MURDER. There is no need to extend faint praise for something as heartfelt when the music successfully reaches heights that are this dramatic and brilliant. Typically known for its deathgrind, here the band grasps at the most profound of human experience. The song is deeply evocative, highlighted by Ryan's pensive, gothic-styled crooning, which recalls THE SISTERS OF MERCY's Andrew Eldritch, while leveraging deathgrind's inherent jackhammer rage. It's truly as powerful as HATE ETERNAL's "Tombeau (Le tombeau de la fureur et des flammes)" from "Fury & Flames", Erik Rutan's tribute to his fallen friend and bandmate Jared Anderson.

Elsewhere, "…And the World Will Go on Without You" offers flourishes of the unrelenting, more traditional deathgrind that was typical of CATTLE DECAPITATION's early days. "Solastalgia" maintains the frantic tempo, helmed by drummer David McGraw, driving beneath melodies that aren't far removed from symphonic black metal. "The Storm Upstairs" counterpoints such over-the-top fracas with measured, slow- to mid-paced grooves. Amid the frantic bombardment, nuanced textures connect the dots between sections that are both abrasive and smooth.

"Terrasite" doesn't have a notable weak point. There's no fluff or filler. There is a lot to digest, however. Is the onus on the listener to study the album sufficiently, or should the impact be more immediate? The answer to that question is ultimately a matter of preference. "Terrasite" is a phenomenal album that's well worth the time of extreme metal fans who want to hear a band perpetually push itself.