The problem with a lot of intense grindcore/death metal style CDs is that everything is played really, really fast and begins to sound the same. That's definitely not the case with the latest from Cephalic Carnage. The Denver, Colorado band shows a lot of different sides on their new release.
Yes, they amp it up to warp speed on Xenosapien, but there are also slower parts and interludes, and even a slow, doomy ballad with some melodic vocals ("G.lobal O.verhaul D.evice"). There are a couple other songs with doom influences as well. Cephalic Carnage is a band whose bread and butter is grindcore and death metal, but they also branch out with some songs that are really unusual and experimental and venture into Mastodon territory.
This is an album filled with crushing riffs, searing solos and music that can be relentlessly intense or surprisingly catchy. Xenosapien is a great mix of technicality, brutality, melody, and groove. It's diverse and extreme, and an outstanding CD.
