Cattle Decapitation

Cattle Decapitation, rooted in San Diego, evolved across their career from a minimal, animal-rights-focused gore-grind offshoot tied to the Locust into an independent, full-scale death metal outfit. In the late 1990s the group unleashed a punishing sonic barrage reminiscent of Carcass and Cannibal Corpse; after inking a deal with Metal Blade Records they shifted toward a polished death metal approach on releases such as Monolith of Inhumanity (2012) and Death Atlas (2019) while preserving their original vegetarian advocacy and gore-themed lyrics. Their tenth studio effort, Terrasite, surfaced in 2023.

The band coalesced in San Diego during 1996 with David Astor handling bass and Gabe Serbian on drums, both concurrently active in the Locust, alongside an unnamed guitarist/vocalist who reportedly disappeared without further contact. To fill the vocal slot they recruited Travis Ryan, already drumming for local metal act Strangulation and fronting the gore metal project Anal Flatulence. Once Ryan joined, Astor switched to drums and Serbian moved to guitar. This configuration promptly issued the Human Jerky LP on Nevada’s Satan's Pimp imprint and the Homovore CD/LP.

Bassist Troy Oftedal was subsequently added, and the resulting lineup recorded To Serve Man, issued in fall 2002 on Metal Blade and aimed at a death metal listenership rather than their prior hardcore and grindcore crowds. Also in 2002 they enlisted second guitarist Josh Elmore, formerly of 7000 Dying Rats, who assumed sole guitar duties after Serbian departed to concentrate on the Locust, where he took over drumming from Astor—the same role Astor had vacated earlier to focus on Cattle Decapitation. Following To Serve Man, Astor exited and was succeeded by Michael Laughlin of Creation Is Crucifixion for the 2004 album Humanure. A 2005 split 7" with Caninus preceded the 2006 full-length Karma. Bloody. Karma, which included guest vocals from the Locust’s Joey Karam. In 2009 bassist Troy Oftedal left and the band released Harvest Floor.

Monolith of Inhumanity, the seventh studio album and their first to incorporate melodic elements, arrived in May 2012. The Anthropocene Extinction followed in 2015, marking the first Cattle Decapitation record to enter the Billboard 200; it was also the final studio outing for bassist Derek Engemann, who had joined in 2011 and departed shortly after its release. Cryptopsy bassist Olivier Pinard came aboard for the ninth album, Death Atlas, issued in 2019.

Various members have pursued side endeavors, including Oftedal’s punk/metal group DisreantiyouthhellchristbastardassmanX, Ryan’s noise project 5/5/2000, and UUM, another noise collaboration between Ryan and Oftedal. Cattle Decapitation returned in 2023 with Terrasite.