Cattle Decapitation’s Travis Ryan Discusses New Album, Touring, and 10 Year Streak

Been around for over 10 years and on their seventh album to date death metallers Cattle Decapitation have been hitting it hard with touring the upcoming album and just what more they plan to dish out for the fans between now the end of this year! Frontman Travis Ryan discusses this as well as his thoughts into what he thinks about how long his band has been around and how the fans have been there both the diehards and haters alike.

1. You've been around for 16 years now what crosses your mind? Did you ever think that you would have still been around today?

Travis: Oh yeah no kidding, I didn’t think so at the beginning always figured it was going to be band to band and bands back then always try to find other things and thought it would be a off thing; but once we got signed with Metal Blade we had signed a 5 album deal and I didn’t think we would be able to fulfill that but we did even though it took 10 years but we did it.

2. So you have a new album called "Monolith of Inhumanity" how does it feel to have had released seven albums?

Travis: Yeah that’s the thing I always thought I’d run out of ideas by that time but the ideas keep coming somehow. The fans have always been there and been diehard fans with every show and every release.

3. How has the band’s sound evolved from The Harvest Floor to Monolith of Inhumanity?

Travis: We have a new bass player who added a lot to the sound. We knew we had to do better than the last record and had a little more time to write it but had the same time limit because we all work real day jobs so we didn’t have time to practice but managed to pull it off somehow.

4. Did the band have any definitive goals they were shooting for before the recording process began for this album?

Travis: Yeah pretty much to make a better record for the fans so we had something to work off of from our last one so we really did it with this and we’re happy about it.

5. When did you start writing for this album? How was the songwriting process different/similar to previous Cattle Decapitation albums?

Travis: Well started around January 2011 and wrote for all that whole year and had a new bass player came in with a new style come in so new dynamics occur. But at the same time we had maybe about an hour to two hours at night to try to write this record and were a pain in the ass but we were able to do it. It did take a while and we pushed it to the deadline and all we were able to do it but once in the studio we were able to get a hold of the loose ends and the producer thought we were the most prepared band he’s seen.

6. The Harvest Floor was a sizable critical success. Did you feel any pressure to follow it up?

Travis: Oh yes an amount of pressure our last record was critically acclaimed getting reviews all over the place so we really had to follow it up this time. It had made the haters liker’s and the diehard fans become even bigger fans. So this album was becoming better than anything we’ve done before, but some people didn’t know what to make of the vocals but that’s what you get when you try new things in this genre so that’s about it.

7. What are your expectations for the CD?

Travis: Just want to get out there see more countries and places. This release will get us more fans just judging on the reviews and all of the things we want to happen are likely to happen. Pretty much get to air out some things and get some things done.

8. Have you been road testing any of the new material? If so, how have audiences reacted to the new material?

Travis: We have been for the last few months on and off we wanted to test a bunch before on a tour but that didn’t happen. The response to the new stuff though is kinda embarrassing and the fans are like “Yeah” for the old stuff and want to hear the new stuff. Having the fans sing-along to the chorus is kinda weird but glad kids like it and it’s cool.

9. How has the current tour been going for you and the rest of the band?

Travis: Pretty well in some areas we really don’t know what to think of it. It’s just been alright having shows be good and others not so I don’t know a lot of bands out there and tours going on. I’m going to tell you the truth, the truth is it are only okay just to let you know.

10. What else can we expect to see from the almighty Cattle Decapitation?

Travis: Going to be doing a lot more international touring and doing another U.S. tour in July. After that I’m not so sure maybe some off things but we’re trying to get to South East Asia, Asia, Australia, but we want to get out to the places we haven’t been than the usual U.S. tours. We’ll probably do another video and just do the usual stuff.

11. Anything else you'd like to say or add?

Travis: Check out the new album and new video and see you on the road.