Cannibal Corpse
Encyclopedia
Cannibal Corpse is an American death metal
band from Buffalo, New York
. Formed in 1988, the band has released eleven studio albums, one box set, and one live album. Throughout the years the band has been established, they have had little radio or television exposure, although a cult following
began to build behind the group with the release of albums such as 1991's Butchered at Birth
and 1992's Tomb of the Mutilated
which both reached over one million in worldwide sales by 2003, including 558,929 in the United States, making them the top-selling death metal band of all time in the US, and second worldwide.
The members of Cannibal Corpse were originally inspired by thrash metal
bands like Kreator
, and Slayer
, as well as other death metal bands such as Morbid Angel
, Autopsy
and Death. The band's album art (most often done by Vincent Locke) and its lyrics, which draw heavily on horror fiction
and horror films, are highly controversial. At different times, several countries have banned Cannibal Corpse from performing within their borders, or have banned the sale and display of original Cannibal Corpse album covers.
. Within a year of that first gig, the band was signed to Metal Blade Records
, apparently after the label had heard their demo that was sent in by the manager of the record store at which Chris Barnes was working, and their full-length debut album, Eaten Back to Life
, was released in August 1990.
The band has had many line-up changes over the years. In 1993, founding member and guitarist Bob Rusay was dismissed from the group (after which he became a golf instructor) and was ultimately replaced by Malevolent Creation
guitarist Rob Barrett
. In 1995, singer Chris Barnes
was dismissed and was replaced by Monstrosity
singer George "Corpsegrinder" Fisher
. Barnes went on to perform with the band Six Feet Under
, and later Torture Killer
.
In 1997, Barrett, who had originally replaced Rusay on guitar, left Cannibal Corpse to rejoin his previous bands Malevolent Creation and Solstice
. After Barrett left, he was replaced by guitarist Pat O’Brien, who first appeared on Cannibal Corpse's 1998 release Gallery of Suicide
. Founding member and guitarist Jack Owen
left Cannibal Corpse in 2004 to spend more time on his second band, Adrift
. He joined Deicide
in late 2005. Jeremy Turner
of Origin briefly replaced him as second guitarist on 2004's Tour of The Wretched Spawn
. Barrett rejoined the band in 2005 and was first featured on the album Kill
, released in March 2006.
Writing for the next album began in November 2007, as presaged in an interview with bassist Alex Webster
. Evisceration Plague
, Cannibal Corpse's eleventh studio album was released February 3, 2009, to a highly positive response from fans. They also released a live dvd in 2011 entitled Global Evisceration.
As of September 6, 2011, Cannibal Corpse has begun recording a new album, which is due for release in early 2012.
Bob Dole
accused Cannibal Corpse—along with hip hop
acts like the Geto Boys
and 2 Live Crew
—of undermining the national character of the United States. A year later, the band came under fire again, this time as part of a campaign by conservative activist William Bennett
, Senator Joe Lieberman
, then-Senator Sam Nunn
, and National Congress of Black Women
chair C. Delores Tucker
to get major record labels—including Time Warner
, Sony
, Thorn-EMI
, PolyGram
and Bertelsmann—to "dump 20 recording groups...responsible for the most offensive lyrics."
Cannibal Corpse also had a brief cameo
in the 1994 Jim Carrey
film Ace Ventura: Pet Detective
, performing an abridged version of their song "Hammer Smashed Face". Being a death metal enthusiast, Carrey insisted that they make an appearance in the movie.
As of October 23, 1996, the sale of any Cannibal Corpse audio recording then available was banned in Australia
and all copies of such had been removed from music shops. At the time, the Australian Recording Industry Association
and the Australian Music Retailers Association were implementing a system for identifying potentially offensive records, known as the "labelling code of practice".
All ten of Cannibal Corpse's albums, as well as the live album Live Cannibalism
, the boxed set 15 Year Killing Spree
, the EP Worm Infested
, and the single "Hammer Smashed Face", were re-released in Australia between 2006 and 2007, or finally classified by ARIA and allowed for sale in Australia. However, they are all "Restricted", and only sold to those over 18 years of age. Some are sold in "censored" and "uncensored" editions, which denotes the change of cover art. Despite this, when displayed in some stores, even the "uncensored" editions are censored manually.
After discussion of banning them from touring, Australian comedy act The Chaser
did a lounge music
version of their song "Rancid Amputation
" on their show The Chaser's War on Everything
, claiming that the music, and not the lyrics are the problem, by performing a lounge music version.
were banned upon release from being sold or displayed in Germany
due to their graphic cover art and disturbing lyrics; the band was also forbidden to play any songs from those albums while touring in Germany. This prohibition was not lifted until June 2006. In a 2004 interview, George Fisher attempted to recall what originally provoked the ban:
, saying that such depictions actually happened. Some of Cannibal Corpse's most controversial song titles include "Meat Hook Sodomy", "Entrails Ripped from a Virgin's Cunt", "Necropedophile", and "Fucked with a Knife".
Of their music, George Fisher once said in an interview: "We don't sing about politics. We don't sing about religion...All our songs are short stories that, if anyone would so choose they could convert it into a horror movie. Really, that's all it is. We like gruesome, scary movies, and we want the lyrics to be like that. Yeah, it's about killing people, but it's not promoting it at all. Basically these are fictional stories, and that's it. And anyone who gets upset about it is ridiculous."
In response to accusations that his band's lyrics desensitize people to violence, Alex Webster argued death metal fans enjoy the music only because they know the violence depicted in its lyrics is not real:
He also believes the violent lyrics can have positive values: "It’s good to have anger music as a release."
George Fisher said of their songs "There’s nothing ever serious. We’re not thinking of anybody in particular that we’re trying to kill, or harm or anything."
Former
Death metal
Death metal is an extreme subgenre of heavy metal. It typically employs heavily distorted guitars, tremolo picking, deep growling vocals, blast beat drumming, minor keys or atonality, and complex song structures with multiple tempo changes....
band from Buffalo, New York
Buffalo, New York
Buffalo is the second most populous city in the state of New York, after New York City. Located in Western New York on the eastern shores of Lake Erie and at the head of the Niagara River across from Fort Erie, Ontario, Buffalo is the seat of Erie County and the principal city of the...
. Formed in 1988, the band has released eleven studio albums, one box set, and one live album. Throughout the years the band has been established, they have had little radio or television exposure, although a cult following
Cult following
A cult following is a group of fans who are highly dedicated to a specific area of pop culture. A film, book, band, or video game, among other things, will be said to have a cult following when it has a small but very passionate fan base...
began to build behind the group with the release of albums such as 1991's Butchered at Birth
Butchered at Birth
-Personnel:* Chris Barnes – vocals* Jack Owen – guitar* Bob Rusay – guitar* Alex Webster – bass* Paul Mazurkiewicz – drums* Glen Benton – guest vocals on track 6...
and 1992's Tomb of the Mutilated
Tomb of the Mutilated
Tomb of the Mutilated is the third studio album by American death metal band Cannibal Corpse. It was released in 1992 through Metal Blade Records and is the last album featuring founding guitarist Bob Rusay...
which both reached over one million in worldwide sales by 2003, including 558,929 in the United States, making them the top-selling death metal band of all time in the US, and second worldwide.
The members of Cannibal Corpse were originally inspired by thrash metal
Thrash metal
Thrash metal is a subgenre of heavy metal that is characterized usually by its fast tempo and aggression. Songs of the genre typically use fast percussive and low-register guitar riffs, overlaid with shredding-style lead work...
bands like Kreator
Kreator
Kreator is a thrash metal band from Essen, Germany, formed in 1978, but formalized in 1982 under the name Tormentor. They originally performed a speed metal style with Venom influences. Their style of music is similar to their compatriots Destruction and Sodom, the other two big German thrash metal...
, and Slayer
Slayer
Slayer is an American thrash metal band formed in Huntington Park, California, in 1981 by guitarists Jeff Hanneman and Kerry King. Slayer rose to fame with their 1986 release, Reign in Blood, and is credited as one of the "Big Four" thrash metal acts, along with Metallica, Megadeth and...
, as well as other death metal bands such as Morbid Angel
Morbid Angel
Morbid Angel is an American death metal band based in Tampa, Florida. UK music magazine Terrorizer ranked one Morbid Angel album in its “Top 40 greatest death metal albums”, with their 1989 debut Altars of Madness appearing at number 1...
, Autopsy
Autopsy (band)
Autopsy is a death metal band, founded in 1987 in the United States by Chris Reifert. They disbanded in 1995, but have reunited as of July 2009.-Biography:...
and Death. The band's album art (most often done by Vincent Locke) and its lyrics, which draw heavily on horror fiction
Horror fiction
Horror fiction also Horror fantasy is a philosophy of literature, which is intended to, or has the capacity to frighten its readers, inducing feelings of horror and terror. It creates an eerie atmosphere. Horror can be either supernatural or non-supernatural...
and horror films, are highly controversial. At different times, several countries have banned Cannibal Corpse from performing within their borders, or have banned the sale and display of original Cannibal Corpse album covers.
History
Cannibal Corpse was established by members from three earlier Buffalo-area death metal bands; Beyond Death (Webster, Owen), Leviathan (Barnes), and Tirant Sin (Barnes, Rusay, Mazurkiewicz). The band played their first show at Buffalo's River Rock Cafe in April 1989, shortly after recording a five-song demo tape, Cannibal CorpseCannibal Corpse (album)
Cannibal Corpse is the demo by American death metal band Cannibal Corpse. The demo is the predecessor to Cannibal Corpse's debut full-length album Eaten Back to Life and all the songs were re-recorded for that album...
. Within a year of that first gig, the band was signed to Metal Blade Records
Metal Blade Records
Metal Blade Records is a record label which was founded by Brian Slagel in 1982. The U.S. corporate office for Metal Blade is located in Agoura Hills, California. It also has offices in Arizona, Germany, Japan, Canada, and the UK. The label is distributed in the U.S. by Sony BMG Music...
, apparently after the label had heard their demo that was sent in by the manager of the record store at which Chris Barnes was working, and their full-length debut album, Eaten Back to Life
Eaten Back to Life
Eaten Back to Life is the debut album by American death metal band Cannibal Corpse. It was released on 17 August 1990 through Metal Blade Records. The album was banned in Germany and other countries because of the violent cover and the extreme nature of the lyrics. Glen Benton of Deicide and...
, was released in August 1990.
The band has had many line-up changes over the years. In 1993, founding member and guitarist Bob Rusay was dismissed from the group (after which he became a golf instructor) and was ultimately replaced by Malevolent Creation
Malevolent Creation
Malevolent Creation is a death metal band originally hailing from Buffalo, New York. Moving to Florida in 1987, they became a part of the emergent local death metal scene, landing a deal with Roadrunner Records...
guitarist Rob Barrett
Rob Barrett
Rob Barrett is the rhythm guitarist for the death metal band Cannibal Corpse and currently resides in Tampa, FL. He joined in 1993 and left in 1997, but rejoined in 2005. He features on the albums The Bleeding, Vile, Kill, and Evisceration Plague...
. In 1995, singer Chris Barnes
Chris Barnes (musician)
Chris Barnes is an American singer-songwriter, best known as a death metal vocalist recognized for his very low guttural vocals and explicitly violent lyrics...
was dismissed and was replaced by Monstrosity
Monstrosity (band)
Monstrosity is a death metal band originating from Fort Lauderdale, Florida during the death metal scene of the early 1990s. Vocalist, George "Corpsegrinder" Fisher and drummer, Lee Harrison, were the founders of Monstrosity. Harrison had just left the band Malevolent Creation and George Fisher...
singer George "Corpsegrinder" Fisher
George Fisher (musician)
George "Corpsegrinder" Fisher is the vocalist for the American death metal band Cannibal Corpse and the lesser-known melodic death metal band Paths of Possession. He previously recorded two albums with Florida's Monstrosity before leaving and joining Cannibal Corpse in late 1995, replacing former...
. Barnes went on to perform with the band Six Feet Under
Six Feet Under (band)
Six Feet Under is an American death metal band from Tampa, Florida, formed in 1993. The band was originally a side project by Cannibal Corpse vocalist Chris Barnes with guitarist Allen West of Obituary...
, and later Torture Killer
Torture Killer
Torture Killer is a Finnish death metal band from Turku, Finland, formed in 2002. The band consists of four members, Jari Laine , Tuomas Karppinen , Kim Torniainen , and Tuomo Latvala...
.
In 1997, Barrett, who had originally replaced Rusay on guitar, left Cannibal Corpse to rejoin his previous bands Malevolent Creation and Solstice
Solstice (US band)
Solstice is an American death metal band. They were formed in 1990 and released two albums on Steamhammer Records.-Members:Current members *Christian Rudes - guitars, vocals*Dennis Muñoz - guitars*Garrett Scott - bass*Brian Harris - drums...
. After Barrett left, he was replaced by guitarist Pat O’Brien, who first appeared on Cannibal Corpse's 1998 release Gallery of Suicide
Gallery of Suicide
Gallery of Suicide is the sixth studio album by American death metal band Cannibal Corpse. It was released in 1998 through Metal Blade Records...
. Founding member and guitarist Jack Owen
Jack Owen
Jack Owen is an American guitarist, best known for his work in the death metal genre. He was one of the founding members of Cannibal Corpse. He stayed with the band from their formation in 1988 until 2004 when he left because he wanted to move on as stated in the Centuries of Torment DVD...
left Cannibal Corpse in 2004 to spend more time on his second band, Adrift
Adrift (band)
Adrift is a Tampa, Florida based American heavy rock band featuring Jack Owen, current guitarist for Deicide, formerly of Cannibal Corpse, on guitar...
. He joined Deicide
Deicide (band)
Deicide is an American death metal band formed in 1987. Their first two albums, Deicide and Legion, are ranked second and third place in best-selling death metal albums of the SoundScan era.-As Amon/Carnage :...
in late 2005. Jeremy Turner
Jeremy Turner
Jeremy Turner was the guitarist/ vocalist for the Kansas-based death metal band Origin.He performed on Origin's A Coming Into Existence , the self-titled debut on Relapse, Informis Infinitas Inhumanitas, and Origin's latest, Antithesis. He performed on Unmerciful's debut on Unique Leader Records,...
of Origin briefly replaced him as second guitarist on 2004's Tour of The Wretched Spawn
The Wretched Spawn
The Wretched Spawn is the ninth studio album by American death metal band Cannibal Corpse. The cover art is by Vincent Locke. This is the last studio album to feature Jack Owen, one of the band's founding members, and to date, the last with a graphic album cover. The album was distributed with a...
. Barrett rejoined the band in 2005 and was first featured on the album Kill
Kill (album)
Kill is the tenth studio album by American death metal band Cannibal Corpse, released on March 21, 2006. This release marks the return of guitarist Rob Barrett, who had previously played on The Bleeding and Vile. The European version of the album comes with a live DVD filmed in Strasbourg in 2004...
, released in March 2006.
Writing for the next album began in November 2007, as presaged in an interview with bassist Alex Webster
Alex Webster
Alex Webster is an American bass player, who is best known as a member of the American death metal band Cannibal Corpse. He is one of two current members who were of the original lineup of Cannibal Corpse, the other being drummer Paul Mazurkiewicz...
. Evisceration Plague
Evisceration Plague
Evisceration Plague is the eleventh studio album by American death metal band Cannibal Corpse. The album was produced at Mana Recording Studios by Hate Eternal guitarist Erik Rutan....
, Cannibal Corpse's eleventh studio album was released February 3, 2009, to a highly positive response from fans. They also released a live dvd in 2011 entitled Global Evisceration.
As of September 6, 2011, Cannibal Corpse has begun recording a new album, which is due for release in early 2012.
United States
In May 1995, then-US SenatorUnited States Senate
The United States Senate is the upper house of the bicameral legislature of the United States, and together with the United States House of Representatives comprises the United States Congress. The composition and powers of the Senate are established in Article One of the U.S. Constitution. Each...
Bob Dole
Bob Dole
Robert Joseph "Bob" Dole is an American attorney and politician. Dole represented Kansas in the United States Senate from 1969 to 1996, was Gerald Ford's Vice Presidential running mate in the 1976 presidential election, and was Senate Majority Leader from 1985 to 1987 and in 1995 and 1996...
accused Cannibal Corpse—along with hip hop
Hip hop music
Hip hop music, also called hip-hop, rap music or hip-hop music, is a musical genre consisting of a stylized rhythmic music that commonly accompanies rapping, a rhythmic and rhyming speech that is chanted...
acts like the Geto Boys
Geto Boys
Geto Boys is a rap group from Houston, Texas, consisting of Scarface, Willie D and Bushwick Bill. The Geto Boys earned notoriety for its lyrics which included misogyny, gore, psychotic experiences, and necrophilia...
and 2 Live Crew
2 Live Crew
2 Live Crew was a hip hop group from Miami, Florida. They caused considerable controversy with the sexual themes in their work, particularly on their 1989 album As Nasty As They Wanna Be.- Early career :...
—of undermining the national character of the United States. A year later, the band came under fire again, this time as part of a campaign by conservative activist William Bennett
William Bennett
William John "Bill" Bennett is an American conservative pundit, politician, and political theorist. He served as United States Secretary of Education from 1985 to 1988. He also held the post of Director of the Office of National Drug Control Policy under George H. W...
, Senator Joe Lieberman
Joe Lieberman
Joseph Isadore "Joe" Lieberman is the senior United States Senator from Connecticut. A former member of the Democratic Party, he was the party's nominee for Vice President in the 2000 election. Currently an independent, he remains closely affiliated with the party.Born in Stamford, Connecticut,...
, then-Senator Sam Nunn
Sam Nunn
Samuel Augustus Nunn, Jr. is an American lawyer and politician. Currently the co-chairman and Chief Executive Officer of the Nuclear Threat Initiative , a charitable organization working to reduce the global threats from nuclear, biological and chemical weapons, Nunn served for 24 years as a...
, and National Congress of Black Women
National Congress of Black Women
The National Congress of Black Women, Inc. is a 5013 non-profit organization dedicated to the educational, political, economic and cultural development of African American women and their families...
chair C. Delores Tucker
C. Delores Tucker
C. DeLores Tucker was a U.S. politician and civil rights activist best known for her participation in the Civil Rights Movement and stance against gangsta rap music.-Early life:...
to get major record labels—including Time Warner
Warner Music Group
Warner Music Group is the third largest business group and family of record labels in the recording industry, making it one of the big four record companies...
, Sony
Sony Music Entertainment
Sony Music Entertainment ' is the second-largest global recorded music company of the "big four" record companies and is controlled by Sony Corporation of America, the United States subsidiary of Japan's Sony Corporation....
, Thorn-EMI
EMI
The EMI Group, also known as EMI Music or simply EMI, is a multinational music company headquartered in London, United Kingdom. It is the fourth-largest business group and family of record labels in the recording industry and one of the "big four" record companies. EMI Group also has a major...
, PolyGram
PolyGram
PolyGram was the name of the major label recording company started by Philips from as a holding company for its music interests in 1945. In 1999 it was sold to Seagram and merged into Universal Music Group.-Hollandsche Decca Distributie , 1929-1950:...
and Bertelsmann—to "dump 20 recording groups...responsible for the most offensive lyrics."
Cannibal Corpse also had a brief cameo
Cameo appearance
A cameo role or cameo appearance is a brief appearance of a known person in a work of the performing arts, such as plays, films, video games and television...
in the 1994 Jim Carrey
Jim Carrey
James Eugene "Jim" Carrey is a Canadian-American actor and comedian. He has received two Golden Globe Awards and has also been nominated on four occasions. Carrey began comedy in 1979, performing at Yuk Yuk's in Toronto, Ontario...
film Ace Ventura: Pet Detective
Ace Ventura: Pet Detective
Ace Ventura: Pet Detective is a 1994 American comedy film directed by Tom Shadyac and starring Jim Carrey. It co-stars Courteney Cox, Tone Loc, Sean Young and former Miami Dolphins quarterback Dan Marino....
, performing an abridged version of their song "Hammer Smashed Face". Being a death metal enthusiast, Carrey insisted that they make an appearance in the movie.
Australia
- For more details on this topic, see Censorship in Australia.
As of October 23, 1996, the sale of any Cannibal Corpse audio recording then available was banned in Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
and all copies of such had been removed from music shops. At the time, the Australian Recording Industry Association
Australian Recording Industry Association
The Australian Recording Industry Association is a trade group representing the Australian recording industry which was established in 1983 by six major record companies, EMI, Festival, CBS, RCA, WEA and Universal replacing the Association of Australian Record Manufacturers which was formed in 1956...
and the Australian Music Retailers Association were implementing a system for identifying potentially offensive records, known as the "labelling code of practice".
All ten of Cannibal Corpse's albums, as well as the live album Live Cannibalism
Live Cannibalism
Live Cannibalism is a live album by American death metal band Cannibal Corpse, released in 2000 through Metal Blade Records. It was also released as a DVD.-Track listing:...
, the boxed set 15 Year Killing Spree
15 Year Killing Spree
15 Year Killing Spree is a box set by the American death metal band Cannibal Corpse. The cover art contains demons and skeletons placed in windows in a castle surrounded by a moat of blood...
, the EP Worm Infested
Worm Infested
Worm Infested is the second EP by American death metal band Cannibal Corpse released in 2003 through Metal Blade Records.-Track listing:#"Systematic Elimination" – 2:53...
, and the single "Hammer Smashed Face", were re-released in Australia between 2006 and 2007, or finally classified by ARIA and allowed for sale in Australia. However, they are all "Restricted", and only sold to those over 18 years of age. Some are sold in "censored" and "uncensored" editions, which denotes the change of cover art. Despite this, when displayed in some stores, even the "uncensored" editions are censored manually.
After discussion of banning them from touring, Australian comedy act The Chaser
The Chaser
The Chaser are an Australian satirical comedian group, known for their television programmes on the Australian Broadcasting Corporation channel. The group take their name from their production of satirical newspaper, a publication known to challenge conventions of taste...
did a lounge music
Lounge music
Lounge music is a retrospective description of music popular in the 1950s and 1960s. It is a type of mood music meant to evoke in the listeners the feeling of being in a place — a jungle, an island paradise, outer space, et cetera — other than where they are listening to it...
version of their song "Rancid Amputation
Butchered at Birth
-Personnel:* Chris Barnes – vocals* Jack Owen – guitar* Bob Rusay – guitar* Alex Webster – bass* Paul Mazurkiewicz – drums* Glen Benton – guest vocals on track 6...
" on their show The Chaser's War on Everything
The Chaser's War on Everything
The Chaser's War on Everything is an Australian television satirical comedy series broadcast on the Australian Broadcasting Corporation television station ABC1. It has won an AFI Award. The cast perform sketches mocking social and political issues, and often feature comedic publicity stunts...
, claiming that the music, and not the lyrics are the problem, by performing a lounge music version.
Germany
All Cannibal Corpse albums up to (and including) Tomb of the MutilatedTomb of the Mutilated
Tomb of the Mutilated is the third studio album by American death metal band Cannibal Corpse. It was released in 1992 through Metal Blade Records and is the last album featuring founding guitarist Bob Rusay...
were banned upon release from being sold or displayed in Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
due to their graphic cover art and disturbing lyrics; the band was also forbidden to play any songs from those albums while touring in Germany. This prohibition was not lifted until June 2006. In a 2004 interview, George Fisher attempted to recall what originally provoked the ban:
Responses to critics
Cannibal Corpse prides itself on overtly violent-themed songs and album artwork as nothing more than an extreme form of over-the-top entertainment. In the film Metal: A Headbangers Journey, George Fisher said death metal is best viewed "as art," and claimed that far more violent art can be found at the VaticanApostolic Palace
The Apostolic Palace is the official residence of the Pope, which is located in Vatican City. It is also known as the Sacred Palace, the Papal Palace and the Palace of the Vatican...
, saying that such depictions actually happened. Some of Cannibal Corpse's most controversial song titles include "Meat Hook Sodomy", "Entrails Ripped from a Virgin's Cunt", "Necropedophile", and "Fucked with a Knife".
Of their music, George Fisher once said in an interview: "We don't sing about politics. We don't sing about religion...All our songs are short stories that, if anyone would so choose they could convert it into a horror movie. Really, that's all it is. We like gruesome, scary movies, and we want the lyrics to be like that. Yeah, it's about killing people, but it's not promoting it at all. Basically these are fictional stories, and that's it. And anyone who gets upset about it is ridiculous."
In response to accusations that his band's lyrics desensitize people to violence, Alex Webster argued death metal fans enjoy the music only because they know the violence depicted in its lyrics is not real:
He also believes the violent lyrics can have positive values: "It’s good to have anger music as a release."
George Fisher said of their songs "There’s nothing ever serious. We’re not thinking of anybody in particular that we’re trying to kill, or harm or anything."
Members
Current- Paul MazurkiewiczPaul MazurkiewiczPaul Mazurkiewicz is the Polish-American drummer of Cannibal Corpse, and one of two remaining original members, the other being bassist Alex Webster.-Musical History:...
– drums (1988–present) - Alex WebsterAlex WebsterAlex Webster is an American bass player, who is best known as a member of the American death metal band Cannibal Corpse. He is one of two current members who were of the original lineup of Cannibal Corpse, the other being drummer Paul Mazurkiewicz...
– bass guitar (1988–present) - Rob BarrettRob BarrettRob Barrett is the rhythm guitarist for the death metal band Cannibal Corpse and currently resides in Tampa, FL. He joined in 1993 and left in 1997, but rejoined in 2005. He features on the albums The Bleeding, Vile, Kill, and Evisceration Plague...
– rhythm guitar (1993–1997, 2005–present) - George "Corpsegrinder" FisherGeorge Fisher (musician)George "Corpsegrinder" Fisher is the vocalist for the American death metal band Cannibal Corpse and the lesser-known melodic death metal band Paths of Possession. He previously recorded two albums with Florida's Monstrosity before leaving and joining Cannibal Corpse in late 1995, replacing former...
– lead vocals (1995–present) - Patrick O'BrienPat O'Brien (guitarist)Pat O'Brien is the lead guitarist for the death metal band Cannibal Corpse. He was born in Northern Kentucky. He graduated from Conner High School in Hebron, Kentucky in 1983. He currently resides in Florida and is a lifetime member of the National Rifle Association. He owns a collection of guns...
– lead guitar (1997–present)
Former
- Jack OwenJack OwenJack Owen is an American guitarist, best known for his work in the death metal genre. He was one of the founding members of Cannibal Corpse. He stayed with the band from their formation in 1988 until 2004 when he left because he wanted to move on as stated in the Centuries of Torment DVD...
– lead guitar (1988–2004) - Chris BarnesChris Barnes (musician)Chris Barnes is an American singer-songwriter, best known as a death metal vocalist recognized for his very low guttural vocals and explicitly violent lyrics...
– lead vocals (1988–1995) - Bob Rusay – rhythm guitar (1988–1993)
Discography
Studio albums- 1990: Eaten Back to LifeEaten Back to LifeEaten Back to Life is the debut album by American death metal band Cannibal Corpse. It was released on 17 August 1990 through Metal Blade Records. The album was banned in Germany and other countries because of the violent cover and the extreme nature of the lyrics. Glen Benton of Deicide and...
- 1991: Butchered at BirthButchered at Birth-Personnel:* Chris Barnes – vocals* Jack Owen – guitar* Bob Rusay – guitar* Alex Webster – bass* Paul Mazurkiewicz – drums* Glen Benton – guest vocals on track 6...
- 1992: Tomb of the MutilatedTomb of the MutilatedTomb of the Mutilated is the third studio album by American death metal band Cannibal Corpse. It was released in 1992 through Metal Blade Records and is the last album featuring founding guitarist Bob Rusay...
- 1994: The BleedingThe BleedingThe Bleeding is the fourth studio album by American death metal band Cannibal Corpse, released in 1994 through Metal Blade Records. It is the last album featuring singer and founding member Chris Barnes and is the first album featuring guitarist Rob Barrett...
- 1996: VileVile (album)Vile is the fifth studio album by American death metal band Cannibal Corpse. It was released in 1996 through Metal Blade Records. It was originally titled Created to Kill and was recorded with founding vocalist Chris Barnes...
- 1998: Gallery of SuicideGallery of SuicideGallery of Suicide is the sixth studio album by American death metal band Cannibal Corpse. It was released in 1998 through Metal Blade Records...
- 1999: BloodthirstBloodthirstBloodthirst is the seventh studio album by American death metal band Cannibal Corpse, and the third to feature George 'Corpsegrinder' Fisher as vocalist...
- 2002: Gore ObsessedGore ObsessedGore Obsessed is the eighth studio album by American death metal band Cannibal Corpse released in 2002 through Metal Blade Records.There is also a Japanese version with "Compelled to Lacerate " as bonus track.-Track listing:...
- 2004: The Wretched SpawnThe Wretched SpawnThe Wretched Spawn is the ninth studio album by American death metal band Cannibal Corpse. The cover art is by Vincent Locke. This is the last studio album to feature Jack Owen, one of the band's founding members, and to date, the last with a graphic album cover. The album was distributed with a...
- 2006: KillKill (album)Kill is the tenth studio album by American death metal band Cannibal Corpse, released on March 21, 2006. This release marks the return of guitarist Rob Barrett, who had previously played on The Bleeding and Vile. The European version of the album comes with a live DVD filmed in Strasbourg in 2004...
- 2009: Evisceration PlagueEvisceration PlagueEvisceration Plague is the eleventh studio album by American death metal band Cannibal Corpse. The album was produced at Mana Recording Studios by Hate Eternal guitarist Erik Rutan....