This grindcore/deathgrind ensemble is known as one of the most grotesque, aggressive, and flat-out hard groups in the game. And with a name like Cattle Decapitation, are you really surprised? Starting out in 1996 in San Diego, California (with a fully vegetarian lineup), the group bonded over their misanthropic woes, namely their dislike of the mistreatment of animals and their despair at the general human condition. They cut their demonic first official LP in 2000; clocking in at a cool 22 minutes, ‘Homovore' was a dark collection of promising grindcore tunes with names like "Colostomy Jigsaw Puzzle" and "Icepick Gag Reflex." Their 2002 album, ‘To Serve Man,' was banned in some countries because of its incredibly graphic cover, while their 2004 album, ‘Humanure,' which was full of wailing riffs and hellish growls, had many record store owners refusing to display it because of its disgusting imagery.

With most of their albums on revered metal label Metal Blade, Cattle Decapitation has enjoyed a healthy output and a dedicated following that's grown steadily over the years. 2012's excellent ‘Monolith of Inhumanity' reconfirmed their pulverizing greatness, reaching No. 6 on Billboard's U.S. Heatseekers chart, as well as No. 18 on the U.S. Hard Rock chart. Their next album, 2015's hyper-focused, black metal-bordering ‘The Anthropocene Exhibition,' debuted at No. 100 on the Billboard 200 and received widespread acclaim. The album scored high marks across numerous charts, including U.S. Independent Albums, U.S. Top Rock Albums, and U.S. Top Tastemaker albums. For a metal group to conquer the charts 20 years into their career is a pretty rare and special achievement. Cattle Decapitation deserved it all.

Cattle Decapitation has toured with groups like Behemoth, The Black Dahlia Murder, and Suffocation, constantly dishing out demolishing, must-see sets. The band is on tour from mid-October until mid-November, traveling across the United States.