San Diego Death Metal band, founded in 1996. Pushing a militant vegetarian message, backed up by suitably horrific graphics, CATTLE DECAPITATION quickly found prominence. Eschewing the standard fare of demons and monsters, the group has successfully employed the cow motif throughout much of its product, using this docile bovine supplier of meat quite uniquely as a figure of horror.

Drummer Dave Astor would be known for his work with Sci-Fi 'Horrorcore' act THE LOCUST, an act which featured former CATTLE DECAPITATION guitarist Gabe Serbian as drummer. As CATTLE DECAPITATION they bowed in with a 7" single 'Ten Torments Of The Damned' that same year. Only 4,000 singles were produced, the single's artwork, a cow awaiting execution from the decapitating blow of an axe, an understated portent of what was to come. However, shortly after their frontman suddenly decamped without warning. The group was brought back up to strength with the enrolment of erstwhile STRANGULATION drummer Travis Ryan, the CATTLE DECAPITATION duo having been impressed by Ryan's vocal performance on a session by his other act ANAL FLATULENCE. With Ryan's induction Astor and Serbian would switch roles, Serbian becoming the band's guitarist.

Under this incarnation the group released their debut 1999 album, 'Human Jerky', through the Reno, Nevada based Satan's Pimp label. Issued in 'urinary tract infection' coloured vinyl the first pressing of 1'000 sold out in it's first week. Establishing a precedent for album covers designed to shock, 'Human Jerky' was emblazoned with a decapitated cow against a background of pulped meat.

A follow up followed remarkably quickly as CATTLE DECAPITATION were keen to prove they were far from a one off and 'Hovomore', issued in 'cow' coloured vinyl, emerged on the Three One G imprint in April 2000. Three tracks from this outing would be re-cut with Spanish vocals for the '¡Decapitacion!' 7" green vinyl single released by Accident Prone Records. These same three songs would form part of the three way split EP, alongside TICWAR and Nebraska's ARMITRON, 'The Science Of Crisis' released by the Toyo label.

The band, adding Troy Oftedal on bass, would include a demo version of 'The Regurgitation Of Corpses' to a Metal Blade Records compilation 'Uncorrupted Steel', prompting a deal with Metal Blade for a 2002 album 'To Serve Man'. Again the band caused consternation with their choice of artwork, a human being, divided in the manner of butchers meat cuts, spilling his intestines onto a plate. After this session CATTLE DECAPITATION recruited guitar player Josh Elmore. CATTLE DECAPITATION would also include their rendition of the CARCASS track 'Burnt To A Crisp' to the Necrpolis Records tribute compilation 'Requiems Of Revulsion'.

The Metal Blade debut would run into immediate controversy in Germany where distribution company SPV reportedly refused to handle the album due to the unnerving and disturbing artwork of Wes Benscoter. November 2002 shows found the band on the road in North America on a package billing with CANNIBAL CORPSE, HATE ETERNAL and MACABRE.

The group severed ties with Dave Astor in May of 2003, pulling in former CREATION IS CRUCIFIXION man Michael Laughlin as substitute. Laughlin's first task with the band was to lay down the track 'Cloacula: The Anthropophagic Copromantik' for the 'Uncorrupted Steel II' compilation. Meantime Scott Miller took time out from the CATTLE DECAPIATION schedule to work with Los Angeles based "Power-Noise-Industrial" Metal band PRO DEATH.

The band announced touring plans for the US in November of 2003, forming up a billing comprising HATE ETERNAL, DEICIDE and KRISIUN. Recording sessions for a new album billed as 'Humanure' were curtailed in January of 2004 after bassist Troy Oftedal broke his wrist. The Bill Metoyer produced 'Humanure' album immediately stoked controversy, being banned in Germany, with its gut wrenching sleeve artwork depicting a cow excreting human remains. Howeverm, before the close of August the band admitted defeat, claiming they had "received too many complaints that people are unable to find the album". The album was re-pressed with an inoffensive barren wasteland cover.

US shows in September saw the band forming up a four way package billing alongside DEICIDE, GOATWHORE and JUNGLE ROT. The band announced plans for a split release in collaboration with CANINUS for 2005 through Wartorn Records.

CATTLE DECAPITATION returned in the summer of 2006 with new studio album 'Karma.Bloody.Karma', again continuing the anti-meat trade theme with an album cover depicting a cow as the war goddess Kali. Produced by Billy anderson, the album included guest appearances from Joey Karam of THE LOCUST and John Wiese of SUNN 0))) and BASTARD NOISE. Shortly after recording the band parted ways with Michael Laughlin, citing "personal reasons" and drafted ex-UNHOLY GHOST and ROYAL ANGUISH man J.R. Daniels. However, they were rejoined by Michael Laughlin for August shows in Los Angeles and San Diego. Subsequent live dates saw alliances with NECROPHAGIST and FROM A SECOND STORY WINDOW. US dates projected for September and October 2006, to see the band hooking up with KRISIUN, SIX FEET UNDER, DECAPITATED and ABYSMAL DAWN, were cancelled, the band claiming their fill-in drummer was not cut out for touring. Further shows saw touring unions with DAATH, GOATWHORE and LAIR OF THE MINOTAUR. New man behind the drum kit would be ex-DYING FETUS, MISERY INDEX, HATE ETERNAL and CHIMAIRA veteran Kevin Talley, who also performed double drum duties each night with DAATH. Meantime, former drummer J.R. Daniels joined the ranks of ANGEL CORPSE.

The group was rejoined by drummer Michael Laughlin in January 2007 then teamed up with MARDUK, SETHERIAL and MONSTROSITY for the "Chaos Metal Attack Mexico 2007" tour. European concerts, along with DYING FETUS, SKINLESS and WAR FROM A HARLOT'S MOUTH, witnessed shows across Germany, France, Italy, Austria, Belgium, Holland, Norway, Denmark Ireland and the UK in May. The band's next tour outing was to be the 'Summer Slaughter' trek across the USA throughout June and July, seeing NECROPHAGIST headlining on a mammoth package billing with DECAPITATED, CEPHALIC CARNAGE, BENEATH THE MASSACRE, THE FACELESS, AS BLOOD RUNS BLACK, ARSIS and ION DISSONANCE.

DOWNSPELL vocalist Tyson Metruccio directed a promotional video for the track 'A Body Farm' from the 2009 album 'The Harvest Floor'. The album The featured guest vocal appearances by Ross Sewage, of IMPALED and LUDICRA, and Dino Sommese, of DYSTOPIA and ASUNDER. There was also a studio appearance by Jarboe, of SWANS, lending her voice to the title track, Jackie Perez Gratz, of GRAYCEON and AMBER ASYLUM, contributed electric cello and Los Angeles "noisician" John Wiese lent his electronic atmospherics.

Released on 14th April, the album, mixed with producer Billy Anderson at Sharkbite studios in Oakland, California, sold around 1,700 copies in the United States in its first week of release, according to Nielsen SoundScan. The set also debuted at no. 16 on the Top New Artist Albums Heatseekers chart.