
In a night filled with blistering performances, Cattle Decapitation took the stage as the headliner, leading an impressive lineup of extreme metal bands. Immolation, Sanguisugabogg, and Castrator provided excellent support, creating a diverse blend of metal sub-genres at Montreal’s sold-out Beanfield Theatre.
New York City’s Castrator kicked off the evening with infectious energy. Fronted by the captivating Clarissa Bandini, their old-school death metal sound delivered the goods, although occasionally veering towards predictability. Joining them with limited prep time, guitarist Kurtis Layne injected a fresh dose of vitality into their performance. Tracks like “Tormented By Atrocities” and “Befoul My Existence” resonated well with the crowd, as Castrator’s feminist themes added an unique layer to their music.

Sanguisugabogg brought their internet persona to life on stage, delivering an engaging performance that definitely left a lasting impression. While their music showed promise, it sometimes lacked the depth and variation needed to truly win over the audience. Nevertheless, crowd-pleasers like “Face Ripped Off” and “Dead As Shit” ignited the room, showcasing Sanguisugabogg’s potential as they continue to refine their unique sound.

For those seeking a taste of classic death metal, Immolation reliably delivered with precision and experience. Their polished performance showcased years of dedication to the craft. However, the generational gap between the band and the younger audience resulted in a slight dip in energy. While tracks like “Dawn of Possession” and “An Act of God” were expertly executed, they didn’t seem to resonate as strongly with some of the crowd as I would’ve expected.

Cattle Decapitation, known for their unique fusion of progressive death and grindcore, always make a strong impact with their brutal sound as well as their admirable stance on animal rights and environmental issues. Frontman Travis Ryan’s intense stage antics, including spitting and snorting maybe polarized some of the audience. Most tracks, like “Bring Back the Plague,” hit the mark, while a couple fell a little flat. The heavy bass and powerful sound certainly added impact to their performance, although at times it overpowered other elements. Pulling from albums like “Terrasite” and “Monolith of Inhumanity,” Cattle Decapitation presented a diverse setlist that led to continued circle pits and crowd surfing.

The evening as a whole provided a snapshot of the current state of extreme metal. Each band brought something unique to the stage, resulting in an enjoyable, albeit inconsistent, night. Moments of sheer intensity and skillful performances were interspersed with periods where the connection between the bands and the audience seemed to weaken.

Cattle Decapitation’s headlining set perfectly encapsulated the evening’s theme: intense and engaging at times, but not consistently gripping throughout. For hardcore metal fans, tonight offered a broad perspective on the genre’s evolution. For newcomers to the scene, it served as an intriguing introduction to the multifaceted world of metal.

Setlist
- Terrasitic Adaptation
- We Eat Our Young
- Scourge of the Offspring
- Dead Set on Suicide
- The Storm Upstairs
- Bring Back the Plague
- Finish Them
- Solastalgia
- A Photic Doom
- Vulturous
- Time’s Cruel Curtain
- Pacific Grim
Encore:
- Kingdom of Tyrants

















Review & photos – Steve Gerrard
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