No doubt there were many waiting to see how Cattle Decapitation would follow up the massive success that was The Anthropocene Extinction. Impressively, they have managed to surpass it in terms of bringing in a variety of extreme influences and moods throughout the album. There’s a real sense of maturity to the release, providing a grim (and needed) message while still providing a bit of entertainment to it at the same time. It’s clear the entire band pushed themselves to the brink with this one, which is why Death Atlas is such a resonating and potent album that will rightly receive praise from much of the death metal community.
An excerpt from Kyle McGinn’s 9.5/10 review, which posted on November 22, 2019:
Everything just seems like it’s a part of a larger scale when listening to Death Atlas. Some of it may not be immediately noticeable in listening to the few pre-release tracks, but when you put it altogether on the album it makes for an almost cinematic sound in scope. The biggest difference to be found, sonically, is the increase in an almost melancholic/sorrow tone to a number of the tracks, as well as some increased pull from other parts of the extreme metal spectrum (notably black and doom). It makes for a riveting contrast when they go all in with the more venomous moments the band has long been known for. “Bring Back the Plague” delves into some black-ish riffing and gloomy melodies at points within the song, only to explode into frenzied speed and pounding riffs the next moment. “Be Still Our Bleeding Hearts” works along in the same fashion, with some desperately melancholic moments offering a spine-tingling chill as the band switches on the fly towards something decidedly more aggressive while keeping the process natural and genuine in tone.
Cattle Decapitation has worked hard over the years to develop a sound that stands apart from others in the death metal realm. Death Atlas sits at the pinnacle of this journey to date, allowing the listener to go through a range of emotions from rage and anger to introspection and sorrow in ways that few other bands can achieve. Easily one of the most rewarding musical experiences of the year as one dissects the combination of assaulting fury and melodic undertones and how the band twists them together.
Read the entire review HERE
Read our interview with Travis Ryan HERE