For the first time in Exclaim!'s history, we've decided to not print a Timeline feature in the print version of the magazine due to its shocking content. But when it's an in-depth look at the history of controversial death metal legends Cannibal Corpse, enough blood, guts and gore to shock most casual readers is to be expected. Still, as the band release their 12th full-length, Torture, they deserve to have as many eyes as possible check out the online-only Timeline, because there are tons of interesting facts to learn about the crew. Here are five of them.
Five Noteworthy Facts You May Not Know About Cannibal Corpse:
1. One of their most gruesome and controversial album covers, in fact, has some feminist overtones.
The cover art for 1992's Tomb of the Mutilated is extremely graphic and controversial (zombie dude going down on gutted zombie woman… or something like that); however, artist Vincent Locke later says that he drew the woman on this cover having the upper hand, as opposed to being in a position of weakness. "I didn't want there to be a pattern of covers depicting violence against women," he tells Decibel in 2008. "I tried to put the woman on the cover in some position of power, with her sitting up, and the male zombie grovelling on the floor."
2. When the band had to fire guitarist Bob Rusay they were scared to break the news to him. Literally. No arms are broken but friendships get severed.
"I wasn't going to break the news to him," guitarist Jack Owen tells Decibel in 2008. "I really thought he'd kill me. Bob was a badass." Bassist Alex Webster, who had to tell Rusay he was fired, added: "He was a good friend of ours. And the fact that he hasn't wanted to communicate with us since that happened isn't something we feel good about." Webster calls Rusay to tell him the band's decision; Rusay hangs up the phone, quits the music industry and Webster never hears from him again. Rusay goes on to become a golf instructor.
3. Jim Carrey has a favourite Cannibal Corpse song.
Cannibal Corpse hit the big screen in 1994, with a surprising guest cameo in Ace Ventura: Pet Detective. Turns out Jim Carrey is a fan; the band play "Hammer Smashed Face" in the flick (look closely to see the guys from Malevolent Creation in the audience during the clip). "I remember when we met Jim Carrey, he was talking about "Rancid Amputation" [off Butchered at Birth]," says drummer Paul Mazurkiewicz. "To this day, for us, it's like, 'Man, did that happen?' Surreal."
4. On Tomb of the Mutilated, the band delivered some of their most shocking song titles ever. One of them, by the group's own admission, wasn't even that great of a song, but everyone loved the title; another one, with perhaps one of the most cringe-worthy titles ever, later ended up in a hugely popular videogame.
They up the ante with the song titles on Tomb, with such hits as "Entrails Ripped from a Virgin's Cunt" ("'Entrails' isn't even that great," Owen told Decibel in 2008. "People were so floored by the song title.") and worst pickup line ever, "I Cum Blood," which, amazingly, will later show up in the videogame Grand Theft Auto IV: The Lost and Damned.
5. Cannibal Corpse, in fact, are not serial killers.
"We come from a standard, middle-class American background," bassist Alex Webster told Monday Magazine in 2004. "It's not like we're maniacs. People from outside the death metal scene get a little spooked sometimes because they just don't understand we're just doing this for entertainment. It's really ugly entertainment, but if we enjoy it, and it's harmless, why not?"
Five Noteworthy Facts You May Not Know About Cannibal Corpse:
1. One of their most gruesome and controversial album covers, in fact, has some feminist overtones.
The cover art for 1992's Tomb of the Mutilated is extremely graphic and controversial (zombie dude going down on gutted zombie woman… or something like that); however, artist Vincent Locke later says that he drew the woman on this cover having the upper hand, as opposed to being in a position of weakness. "I didn't want there to be a pattern of covers depicting violence against women," he tells Decibel in 2008. "I tried to put the woman on the cover in some position of power, with her sitting up, and the male zombie grovelling on the floor."
2. When the band had to fire guitarist Bob Rusay they were scared to break the news to him. Literally. No arms are broken but friendships get severed.
"I wasn't going to break the news to him," guitarist Jack Owen tells Decibel in 2008. "I really thought he'd kill me. Bob was a badass." Bassist Alex Webster, who had to tell Rusay he was fired, added: "He was a good friend of ours. And the fact that he hasn't wanted to communicate with us since that happened isn't something we feel good about." Webster calls Rusay to tell him the band's decision; Rusay hangs up the phone, quits the music industry and Webster never hears from him again. Rusay goes on to become a golf instructor.
3. Jim Carrey has a favourite Cannibal Corpse song.
Cannibal Corpse hit the big screen in 1994, with a surprising guest cameo in Ace Ventura: Pet Detective. Turns out Jim Carrey is a fan; the band play "Hammer Smashed Face" in the flick (look closely to see the guys from Malevolent Creation in the audience during the clip). "I remember when we met Jim Carrey, he was talking about "Rancid Amputation" [off Butchered at Birth]," says drummer Paul Mazurkiewicz. "To this day, for us, it's like, 'Man, did that happen?' Surreal."
4. On Tomb of the Mutilated, the band delivered some of their most shocking song titles ever. One of them, by the group's own admission, wasn't even that great of a song, but everyone loved the title; another one, with perhaps one of the most cringe-worthy titles ever, later ended up in a hugely popular videogame.
They up the ante with the song titles on Tomb, with such hits as "Entrails Ripped from a Virgin's Cunt" ("'Entrails' isn't even that great," Owen told Decibel in 2008. "People were so floored by the song title.") and worst pickup line ever, "I Cum Blood," which, amazingly, will later show up in the videogame Grand Theft Auto IV: The Lost and Damned.
5. Cannibal Corpse, in fact, are not serial killers.
"We come from a standard, middle-class American background," bassist Alex Webster told Monday Magazine in 2004. "It's not like we're maniacs. People from outside the death metal scene get a little spooked sometimes because they just don't understand we're just doing this for entertainment. It's really ugly entertainment, but if we enjoy it, and it's harmless, why not?"
