Cattle Decapitation's 2012 release Monolith of Inhumanity has been hailed by many as perhaps their greatest work, so the expectations were certainly high for the follow-up, The Anthropocene Extinction. Does it hold up well next to that death/grind masterpiece? Well, it certainly seems to, but we'll let the passage of time really determine the true greatness of this brutal, yet quite majestic release. You see, the vegan metal tyrants have injected some moments of beautiful melody into their otherwise pummeling assault in recent years, and that trend continues here as well. "Manufactured Extinct" bludgeons with fierce intent, but there's this underlying melody that floats within, as Travis Ryan drops in the occasional clean vocal passage between his violent screams, growls, and bellows. The same thing happens on the manic "Plagueborne", a brutal display of technical death metal and fierce grind, while "Clandestine Ways (Krokodil Rot)" features some of the heaviest riffs on the album, led by Ryan's venomous vocal attack. David McGraw's uncanny drum skills are on display throughout the album, but check him out on the blazing "Circo Inhumanitas" or the machine-like "Mammals In Babylon" for prime examples of just how talented a player he really is.
Ultimately, The Anthropocene Extinction might not be the album that's going to convert any naysayers out there who still haven't accepted all that is wonderful about Cattle Decapitation, but for those that have been along for the ride all these years, this is another winner in their ever growing discography.
Track Listing
1. Manufactured Extinct
2. The Prophets of Loss
3. Plagueborne
4. Clandestine Ways (Krokodil Rot)
5. Circo Inhumanitas
6. The Burden Of Seven Billion
7. Mammals In Babylon
8. Mutual Assured Destruction
9. Not Suitable For Life
10. Apex Blasphemy
11. Ave Exitium
12. Pacific Grim
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