Cannibal Corpse

When I think of Cannibal Corpse, I remember that interview where Chuck mentioned that real life is way scarier than any demons or Satan because some of the most gruesome images you may get by reading their lyrics are, unfortunately, things that do exist and I guess this is the point they make through their music, like a constatation of mortality, violence and human nature on its most unevolved forms with rape, murder, suicide, cannibalism and brutal violence.

Cannibal Corpse is an American Death Metal band created in 1988 in Buffalo, New York. With three decades since their founding, the group has macabre and bloody themes in their lyrics, which constantly talk about murder, death and necrophilia. In 2015, they reached the 2 million sold album mark, becoming the world’s most commercially successful death metal band.

The members of Cannibal Corpse originally sought inspiration from Thrash Metal bands like Slayer and Kreator and other Death Metal bands like Morbid Angel, Autopsy, and Death. The group’s album covers (usually designed by Vincent Locke) and lyrics were heavily influenced by horror literature and horror films and are considered quite controversial. Several times, Cannibal Corpse was prevented from performing in certain countries or banned the sale and display of their album covers.

History

The band Cannibal Corpse emerged in 1988 in Buffalo (in New York state) but quickly moved to Tampa, Florida, to build their future. The band came about with the demise of two bands called Tirant Sin and Beyond Death. The first lineup had vocalist and main lyricist Chris Barnes, bassist Alex Webster, drummer Paul Mazurkiewicz, and guitarists Bob Rusay and Jack Owen.

Early in their career, in 1989, the demo Cannibal Corpse earned the group a contract with the Metal Blade label. The first album, “Eaten Back to Life”, hit the stores in 1990. The legion of fans began to appear after the albums Butchered at Birth, 1991, and the classic Tomb of the Mutilated, 1992, produced by Scott Burns. After this release occurred the first fall in the band with the departure of Bob Rusay; to his place came Rob Barrett, who had played in bands like Dark Deception, Solstice and Malevolent Creation.
The group became even better known after their appearance in the movie Ace Ventura: Pet Detective. In one scene, they play the song “Hammer Smashed Face” by Tomb of the Mutilated. After this Hollywood tip, Cannibal Corpse emerged as the first death metal band on Billboard’s Top 200. The group was invited to record the scene. This happened unusually and unexpectedly because Jim had in mind to call Pantera to participate in the film. Still, as the band was at the peak of its career then, the amount charged would be very expensive, so they opted for Cannibal Corpse, which did its participation for 500 dollars. Another curiosity is that the members of the band Malevolent Creation are in the audience as extras.

In 1993, they recorded an EP called Hammer Smashed Face, which featured a Black Sabbath cover of the song “Zero The Hero”, and also featured a Possessed cover of “The Exorcist”.

In 1994, the band recorded the album The Bleeding. From this same album, they recorded their first music video for the classic “Staring Through The Eyes Of The Dead”, and in 1995, they recorded the demo tape Created To Kill, the last record with vocalist Chris Barnes, who left to start another band, Six Feet Under. He was recording the next album, “Vile”, which was to be called “Created To Kill”.

In 1996, the album Vile was recorded, marking vocalist George Fisher’s entrance into the band, also known as Corpsegrinder, coming from Monstrosity. The band did not hesitate to call Corpsegrinder. The band’s second music video from this album, “Devoured By Vermin”, demonstrates the new line-up’s brutality. From then on, Cannibal Corpse played even faster. On this tour, the band played for the first time in Australia.

In 1997, they released the VHS video “Monolith Of Death”, shown in Canada, Poland and the United States. Some of these shows are still with guitarist Rob Barrett, but others are with his replacement, Pat O’Brien. The picture quality is not good, but the fans positively received the release.

In 1998, they released the album “Gallery of Suicide”, which marks the entrance of Pat O’Brien, former Nevermore guitarist, in place of Rob Barrett, and they recorded a video for the track “Sentenced To Burn”.

In 1999, they recorded Bloodthirst; in 2000, they released the CD and DVD Live Cannibalism.

In 2002, they released Gore Obsessed, an album that shows the band’s constant evolution after the new vocalist’s entrance. And the six-song EP Worm Infested.

In 2003, the Box 15-Year Killing Spree came out (with four discs full of rarities).

In 2004, they released The Wretched Spawn, which caught the attention of critics for its speed and even more refined technique than usual. Two videos were recorded for “Decency Defied” and “Festering In The Crypt”.

Still, in 2004, guitarist Jack Owen left the band, temporarily replacing Origin’s guitarist Jeremy Turner. And then, in 2005, guitarist Rob Barrett returned to record the acclaimed album Kill. From this album, two videos were recorded for the songs “Make Them Suffer” and “Death Walking Terror”.

In 2009, the band released the album Evisceration Plague by Metal Blade Records. Also, in 2009, the video of the song “Evisceration Plague” and in 2010 of “Priests of Sodom”. On this album is present the track that is perhaps the fastest and most ferocious of the band, “Scalding Hail”.

“Evisceration Plague’s” successor, “Torture”, was released in March 2012. Production was under the responsibility of Erik Rutan, the same as on the albums “Kill” (2006) and “Evisceration Plague” (2009).

“Torture” followed the brutality presented in its predecessors. The video for “Encased in Concrete” is on this album.

The band’s most recent work is “Red Before Black”, released November 3, 2017.

Death metal icons CANNIBAL CORPSE will unleash their sixteenth studio album, Chaos Horrific, on September 22, 2023, via Metal Blade Records

Eaten Back to Life
Released: August 17, 1990

Butchered at Birth
Released: July 1, 1991

Tomb of the Mutilated
Released: September 22, 1992

The Bleeding
Released: April 12, 1994

Vile
Released: May 21, 1996

Gallery of Suicide
Released: April 21, 1998

Bloodthirst
Released: October 19, 1999

Gore Obsessed
Released: February 26, 2002

The Wretched Spawn
Released: February 24, 2004

Kill
Released: March 21, 2006

Evisceration Plague
Released: February 3, 2009

Torture
Released: March 13, 2012

A Skeletal Domain
Released: September 16, 2014

Red Before Black
Released: November 3, 2017

Violence Unimagined
Released: April 16, 2021

Chaos Horrific
Released: September 22, 2023