I’ve been following the last few Cattle Decapitation albums and I can sum the band up pretty well. Cattle Decapitation is very similar to those grids that had an x and y axis that you’d used in geometry and early high school math classes. You know how some lines would jot themselves so that they’d come infinitely close to an axis to the point of near convergence but never succeed in contact or passing the axis; they would just get closer by infinitely smaller increments? That can aptly describe Cattle Decapitation up to this point: they’ve tightened their sound and skill with each release, but despite the increasing technicality and refining of their sound they never can surpass the line that separates boring, mediocre albums from semi-enjoyable, decent albums.

Thus I come into Karma Bloody Karma incredibly jaded. I’ve set myself up for what to expect, and by God I’m ready to heckle these goofy, "controversial" death metallers (I use that term loosely as Humanure’s artwork was about as offensive as your average Fangoria cover, i.e. not at all). I’m ready to crack every joke I can feasibly construct in my mind involving feces, phalluses, sexuality, retardation, and every other cliché thing you’ve seen me use. But I’m caught off guard.

No, Cattle Decapitation hasn’t overhauled their sound. But for once, something is working. I don’t hate this. I’m not loving this either, but I most certainly don’t hate it. I can beat my head to a lot of tracks and in some instances I’m even minimally enjoying myself. Cattle Decapitation finally did it. They finally got their song writing to a level in which I can honestly say they’re writing decent material. The songs vary themselves from pummeling death metal and more quiet reserved areas in a tasteful manner, the frantic solos sound appropriate to every song their incorporated, and there’s a discernable, enjoyable, underlying rhythm to most of the songs. The vocals I hated so much are still the same, but come off a lot more tolerable in this record for some odd reason. And the drumming, while still lagging behind the guitar work in terms of quality, is markedly getting better. I even chucked a bit at the title track’s mid-section, which features a short, blackened sound thanks to production.

However, it must still be noted that Cattle Decapitation are still a ways off from an opus. The vocals, while tolerable, need to be rethought; the throaty screams just don’t work. And the drumming needs to be varied more. But from the looks of things, Cattle Decapitation is finally getting it right. It’s not amazing or great, but if I came across a used copy of Karma Bloody Karma for a decent price, I’d throw down the money for it.

Written By: Necro-tron