Although its name may suggest otherwise, San Diego, California's Cattle Decapitation is pretty invested in the well-being of animals. Since forming in 1996, each member of the deathgrind powerhouse has stayed vegetarian, and frontman and resident doomsday prophet Travis Ryan's lyrics tend to focus on the various failures of our species and the havoc we wreak upon our planet's ecosystems. It's the kind of thing that could register as "preachy" if it wasn't grounded in fact and wrapped up in some seriously impressive metal. The band's latest album, "The Anthropocene Extinction," is a nauseating horror-show of off-kilter riffs and bowl-churning vocals. Hail seitan.
Cattle Decapitation will play with Eternal Sleep on Thursday, September 29, at the Montage Music Hall, 50 Chestnut Street. 7:30 p.m. $18-$20. themontagemusichall.com; cattledecapitation.com.