A Further Evolution
Caninus | 01/23/2009
(5 out of 5 stars)
"Cattle Decapitation started as a straightforward grind band. With Humanure they shifted into a more complex mix, and karma.bloody.karma was a true demonstration of the band's vision. the harvest floor is apparently the product of that vision. The production is absolutely brilliant. Travis' vocals are stronger than ever. Josh incorporates many techniques in his riffs and solos. The addition of Dave was a fantastic decision for a drummer, his ability to carry a fast grind beat but also put his own spin on it is great. This cd is brilliant, every song is fantastically written. If you are a fan of any genre of metal you should listen to this."
Progression in grind... even epic?
Mark D. White | New Jersey, USA | 01/20/2009
(5 out of 5 stars)
"This is how progression in metal should happen - with The Harvest Floor, Cattle Decapitation has further developed their style without the risk of alienating their devoted fans. The progression over the last few albums has been gradual - no shocking changes of direction here (ahem, Cryptopsy, ahem). The songwriting is more elaborate while still intensely brutal - some tracks even have an epic feel, very rare in this style of death. The production is crisp and clear, revealing all the complexities (and crushing heaviness) of the music, as well as incorporating some new sounds in their arsenal, while avoiding the trendy pseudo-industrial effects of other bands.
Definitely not a disposable album - rather I think metal fans will be listening - and talking about - this album for years to come. Very highly recommended!"
We. Are. Horrible. People.
Nicholas Foley | San Diego CA | 12/30/2009
(5 out of 5 stars)
"This band of vegetarian stalwarts had me on the fence for years until somewhat recently. It was seeing them earlier this year tear down the Jumple Turtle in San Marcos that I decided they had a spirited quality I really liked that transcends the social floundering of most death metal . Maybe it was frontman Travis Ryan engaging a heckler into a point-counterpoint discussion over the quality of his band or maybe it's just that this music is as intense as it is riveting. Either way, every bruise was worth every dollar and I came home with a newfound appreciation for the music. "The Harvest Floor" is easily their most defined album statement to date, with no two songs sounding the same, a feat for really any modern metal album. Ryan's double tracked vocals have a ludicrous bent to them at times, but they compliment the riffing and drumming just fine and it's the band here that really succeeds this time around with the aid of infamous producer Billy Anderson, who brings these tracks alive with making the bass guitar rumble and the drums pound. The gruesome samples also don't hurt any!"
Track Listings (10) - Disc #1