Eternal Carnage

For a quarter of a century, their name has been synonymous with death metal – that vicious and vile sub-sect of metal that delves into the darkest recesses of our minds and draws forth all that's disturbing about humanity. Blastbeats, pummelling riffs and the distinctive guttural roar of George Corpsegrinder are what makes Cannibal Corpse's glimpses into terrifying gore-filled horror worlds so unmistakable to fans the world over. Every visit they make to Australia is a cause for celebration amongst death metal fans, and the band's live reputation is infallible, an hour-long assault that bassist Alex Webster describes as “ultra-heavy death metal played with no frills, no light show, no stage props... just raging music.”

Earlier this year the Buffalo, New York quintet launched album number twelve, Torture, the latest in an unbroken string of releases every two or three years. Some bands have taken breaks, but Cannibal Corpse have powered through, undoubtedly due to the constant presence of Paul Mazurkiewicz and Alex Webster; the rhythm section and remaining founders of the band.

A quick appraisal of the song titles on the back of an album is a glimpse into the lyrical content within. Previous albums have featured glorious descriptors like Hammer Smashed Face and Meat Hook Sodomy, and Torture has its share, including some unique material. “I think that the lyrics for Scourge Of Iron are fairly different for us,” Webster says of the new track. “It's a literal description of Hell, which is a little different from our other songs, which are usually more gore/splatter.” The rest of the album's pretty straight up, according to Mazurkiewicz. “We don't stray from our formula so it contains the usual subjects of murder, death, and, of course, zombies! I'm really happy how Followed Home Then Killed turned out - a cool story about a stalker.”

Torture saw the band working with Erik Rutan (Hate Eternal, Morbid Angel) again in the producer chair. Finding a producer and engineer that can push the limits of heaviness in the recorded medium is always a challenge, but with Rutan, the band has a kindred spirit. “We want the producer to be someone who understands our type of music, and what it really means to be heavy,” Webster explains. “Erik definitely hits the mark in that regard. He has an impressive background in death metal, both as a musician and as a producer. We can always trust him to make good musical decisions.”

Studios are responsible for giving certain eras in music their distinctive sound, especially in the analogue days. The studios in Florida patronised by death metal bands even gave rise to the term Florida Death Metal as a descriptor. To record Torture, the band took Rutan west to Sonic Ranch in Texas, miles from his Florida based Mana Studios where they completed a couple of previous albums. “The isolation at Sonic Ranch gives you a lot of time to focus on the project at hand. It's a residential studio, meaning you live there during the recording,” Webster explains. “For the entire time you're there you can be totally immersed in the project you're working on. I like that, but it's certainly not for everybody. Some people prefer to work for a few hours and then go home or to a hotel, which is the case at non-residential studios. For me, I prefer the distraction-free environment of a residential studio like Sonic Ranch.

“We had a few technical difficulties, and when they happened it took a while to correct them since the nearest technicians were 45 minutes away,” he continues. “So there was that to deal with. Also, Erik has a smooth workflow system at Mana, and he had to make some adjustments to get the same thing going at Sonic Ranch.”

The best part of the stigma surrounding Cannibal Corpse comes from their unapologetically brutal live shows. It's hard to describe a Cannibal Corpse show to someone who hasn't experienced one. Plenty of bands play complicated, extreme music and lots of bands can churn out said music note-mperfectly in front of a live audience, but few bands have mastered the delivery quite like Cannibal Corpse. According to Webster, it takes a lot of hard work. “Even when we are not preparing for a tour we meet four days a week to practice for two to three hours together each session. That way we are ready to play at a moment's notice, 365 days a year.” The result is a show that pummels the senses and leaves fans eagerly awaiting the band's next visit. Their not a band to skimp on the classics in order to highlight a new release either, so fans aren't left wanting after an hour-plus Cannibal Corpse set. “Hammer Smashed Face and Stripped, Raped And Strangled are a couple of the biggest of the older stuff,” Webster says. “Make Them Suffer and Evisceration Plague are extremely popular as far as the newer stuff goes. But really, the fans seem to enjoy the whole set. We have enough albums that we can pick out the strongest tracks from our career and create a very dynamic set.”

Amongst all the classics the new album gets a fair airing, according to Mazurkiewicz. “We've been playing six songs from the record on our headlining set, which is half the album! I think the song that stands out the most to the fans is Scourge Of Iron. I'm sure that song will be a staple in the set well into the future.”

We've grown accustomed to Cannibal Corpse records on our shelves here in Australia, but it hasn't always been a comfortable relationship. A few of us remember a time in the '90s when we couldn't get our fill of gore-drenched 'Corpse releases, thanks to Australian censors. Those days have passed, and Torture also sees the band return with a fully painted morbid cover after two releases that seemed to have toned back on the drawn-and-quartered corpses, resplendent with maggots and entrails spewing forth. The cover art of Vincent Locke is in some ways as powerful as the music within. It definitely sets up our expectations and for many it's the first thing that pops into our minds when we hear the name Cannibal Corpse. “I think that having quality packaging/artwork for your CD definitely creates an incentive for fans to buy the physical version rather than download it,” Webster emphasises. “I think that metal fans in general like to collect the physical versions of their favourite bands' releases, so we are surely not the only band who benefits from this. All metal bands should be grateful to have such loyal fans that have such interest in their releases.”

25 years is a milestone for any band, but Cannibal Corpse are staying close-lipped on any special plans. “Yes, we are working on some special releases for our 25th anniversary as a band. Stay tuned,” Webster warns. A new album, a long-awaited tour and the year's far from over for Cannibal Corpse fans. And for those anticipating their first Cannibal Corpse live experience, Mazurkiewicz has this to say: “I would tell them to expect brutal, in-your-face death metal! Nothing more... Nothing less!”

Cannibal Corpse will be playing the following shows:

Thursday 4 October - Fowler's Live, Adelaide SA
Friday 5 October - Billboard The Venue, Melbourne VIC
Saturday 6 October - Metro Theatre, Sydney NSW
Monday 8 October - The Hi-Fi, Brisbane QLD
Tuesday 9 October - Capitol, Perth WA