Interview - CATTLE DECAPITATION

English text


Martín: Hey Travis! Your new album is out now, can you tell us about the evolution of your sound through these years?

Travis: Well it's changed drastically since the first album to the latest one. Primarily due to member changes. Cattle started out to be a straight forward death metal band. However when Josh Elmore took over the guitars, and I added Troy into the mix (remember we didn't have a bass player). Drummers were a bit of an odd thing for us, however David took control of the drums finally in later 2007. And what you get is this massive sounding album, called The Harvest Floor.

M: How do you feel with the new line up?

T: Pretty amazing.

M: Your music is as brutal as technical. How is the process to create that kind of music?

T: Well you need to have a balance of both, if that's what your intent is. If you're writing songs with little creativity, then you're gonna fall flat.

M: Your lyrics are pretty critical with society and inspired by gore topics. Are we living in a sick and stupid world?

T: It's pretty evident humans are our own worst enemy. We create all this nonsense to make our lives better, but yet, all we do is try to survive the horrid situation(s) as a result of that.

M: You put a big attention on your covers, tell us something about the “The Harvest Floor” artwork.

T: It's more than the cover, the entire booklet has a lot going on in the inside. The layout is incredible, the photos are incredible. Wes Benscoter did a bang up job (once again), and it's pretty clear. We're ushering ourselves into oblivion. And the methods we are choosing to do so, are less than enjoyable.

M: What about the special guests in the album?

T: They're all amazing people and musicians. Obviously the Jarboe track is an absolute mind blowing song. I mean, you have a song with Jarboe, John Weisse, and Cattle Decapitation. You really have to listen to the last 2 songs on the album to get the real impact of those songs. Dino (Assunder, Dystopia) and Ross Sewage are also on the record, and add a great flavor to their songs.

M: Does your throat suffer with that kind of singing?

T: Not at all, I've been doing it for 10+ years, and I know how to do it appropriately.



M: Are you planning to make a video for one of the new songs?

T: Indeed, we did a great video for the song "Regret and the Grave" which is pending the "ok" from MTV. We also did a video shoot this past Sunday when we played with BRUJERIA at a surprise show in Los Angeles.

M: What can we expect about CATTLE DECAPITATION’s live on stage?

T: The live set is very cool. We have samples from John Weisse playing in-between the songs. The set list also touches on some old songs that we have not played in quite some time too!

M: How do you see Death/Grind scene in the USA today?

T: Uhhhhhh, that depends on your definition of grindcore is.... For the new kids of "grindcore" that's not grindcore. Let's put it this way, when Brutal Truth go on tour out here again, lets see how the turnout is at the shows. Hopefully we will be on that tour as well.

M: CANNIBAL CORPSE or DEATH?

T: Tough question.... That's not a fair question either. You'd have to break it down album by album.

Scream Bloody Gore or Eaten back to life: Well most people would say Scream Bloody Gore, even though Eaten back to Life has Skull full of Maggots, Scattered remains, Shredded Humans... Cannibal wins

Leprosy vs Butchered at Birth: Whew Pull the Plug is on of the biggest songs for metal ever. Although Cannibal took the album cover thing to a whole new level. But I would say Death wins

Spiritual healing vs. Tomb of the Mutilated: Another great Death album cover and great songs, but Cannibal great a gigantic album. Cannibal wins

Human vs. The Bleeding: Human is a great album, great songs, however Cannibal trumped them with this change in song writing. Cannibal wins

Individual Thought Patterns vs. Vile: This is a neck and neck, even though Corpsegrinder held his own with this one, Chuck knocked it out of the park with Individual Thought Patterns. Death wins

Symbolic vs. Gallery of Suicide: three words.... Inside Crystal Mountain...... Death wins

The Sound of Perseverance vs.Blood thirst: oh man this is a tough one. Both albums aren't the most notable. Although this is Chuck's last gift to us under the Death banner, and it is a great album.... Cannibal also did a knock out record with this one too. New producer and everything. This one is a toss up. It's a tie

So to answer your question, it's tie between them!

M: Thank you very much for your time. Here you have space to write what you want as farewell.

T: I said everything I ever needed to say in my Death or Cannibal Corpse question. hahha...I have a cat

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