Tomb of the Mutilated

Last updated

Tomb of the Mutilated
Tombofthemutilated.jpeg
Studio album by
Cannibal Corpse
ReleasedSeptember 22, 1992
RecordedJune 1–15, 1992 at Morrisound Recording, Tampa, Florida
Genre
Length35:11
Label Metal Blade
Producer Scott Burns
Cannibal Corpse chronology
Butchered at Birth
(1991)		Tomb of the Mutilated
(1992)		 Hammer Smashed Face
(1993)
Alternate cover
Tombofthemutilated-alt.jpg
Censored version

Tomb of the Mutilated is the third studio album by American death metal band Cannibal Corpse, released on September 22, 1992, by Metal Blade Records.

Contents

It is the band's final album to feature their original lineup, as founding guitarist Bob Rusay was fired and replaced with Malevolent Creation guitarist Rob Barrett after the album's release.

Background and recording

The album was recorded at Morrisound Recording studios in Tampa, Florida in February 1992. Guitarist Jack Owen tracked all of the album's rhythm guitar sections at the request of producer Scott Burns; he had observed that the duo had radically different playing styles, and argued that a tighter sound would result from having the band's strongest rhythm guitar player track all rhythms. Lead guitarist Bob Rusay was a self-taught guitarist, whose playing style was described as "unorthodox" by vocalist Chris Barnes. He performed the album's guitar guitar solos with Owen polishing them afterward. [1]

Tomb was the band's first album in which they had the budget to work longer hours in the studio with producer Burns. Webster commented further,

"Many fans have told me that "Tomb..." is their favorite album because the production is so heavy. There is no doubt that Scott helped Cannibal Corpse a great deal with the excellent production work he did on this album." [2]

Because the liner notes on Butchered at Birth feature quotations from American serial killer Albert Fish, he is often incorrectly credited with being the voice at the beginning of "Addicted to Vaginal Skin". However, the taped confession heard at the beginning of the song most likely belongs to the "Genesee River Killer" Arthur Shawcross. [3]

Composition

Music

The material on Tomb of the Mutilated is considered to be faster and more complex than its predecessors. [4] Bassist Alex Webster recalled that the band's increasingly technical approach to songwriting made the album's sessions the most challenging they had endured at that point, saying:

I think when you listen to the album, and compare it with the first two, you can hear the progression. The songs on "Tomb..." were the fastest and most technical we had done at that time [...] but it was this technical push and the challenging music it created that made "Tomb" a fan favorite. [5]

Lyrics

Vocalist Chris Barnes single-handedly penned all of the album's lyrics, with Webster recalling that the band "placed no limits" on him throughout the process.

"He’d come to us with the most vile, repugnant stuff and we’d be like, ‘Sure! Why not?’ We were trying to make the most extreme and aggressive music we could, so why not have the most antagonistic lyrics too?" [6]

The album's seventh track, "Entrails Ripped From a Virgin's Cunt" has been referred to as "arguably the most offensive song in the Cannibal Corpse canon". [7]

Reception and legacy

Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar empty.svgStar empty.svg link
Collector's Guide to Heavy Metal 8/10 [8]
Rock Hard 8.5/10 [9]

Tomb of the Mutilated has received positive reviews from critics, both contemporarily and retrospectively. Heavy metal webzine Kicked in the Face praised the album's musicianship but criticized the tone of Barnes' vocals and Scott Burns' production. [10] Metal Storm praised the album's songwriting, production and progression over its predecessor, but criticized the one-dimensional nature of the album's lyrics. [11]

In a retrospective review of the album, Vincent Jefferies of Allmusic wrote:

"Listeners unfamiliar with the belching vocal style and pummeling drum and guitar attack typical of death metal probably won't understand what separates this or any other record that adheres so stringently to the genre's formula, but learned fans have come to appreciate Tomb of the Mutilated as a solid, if not important, offering [...] Cannibal Corpse somehow managed to outlast many of their more critically accepted contemporaries due in no small part to early career efforts like Tomb of the Mutilated, with its powerful musical focus." [12]

Dom Lawson of Metal Hammer wrote that the album is "bulging with moments of stomach-churning horror, ranging from the cross-your-legs revulsion of I Cum Blood through to the provocatively over-the-top Entrails Ripped From A Virgin’s Cunt. [13]

The album's opening track "Hammer Smashed Face" is considered the band's signature song. Jon Weiderhorn of Loudwire included the song in his list of "The Most Disgusting Metal Lyrics of All Time". [14]

In 2005, Tomb of the Mutilated was ranked number 278 in Rock Hard magazine's book of The 500 Greatest Rock & Metal Albums of All Time. [15]

Current Cannibal Corpse guitarist Rob Barrett has called Tomb of the Mutilated his favorite album by the band, saying "the energy level is amazing on it". [16] Trivium guitarist Corey Beaulieu claims his mother confiscated his copy of Tomb of the Mutilated when he was a teenager after reading the album's song titles. [17] Late The Black Dahlia Murder vocalist Trevor Strnad claimed he had to shelve the album after purchasing it, recalling "me and my bowl cut and my Harry Potter glasses are not ready for this shit". [18] Rapper Ice-T referred to the album's lyrical content as "crazy shit". [19]

"Hammer Smashed Face" was featured during the band's cameo appearance in the 1994 comedy film Ace Ventura: Pet Detective starring Jim Carrey. [20] [21] [22] [23] [24] [25] [26] Carrey was a fan of the band and requested they appear in the film. Guitarist Rob Barrett recalled the actor was more excited to meet the band than they were to meet him. [27] Drummer Paul Mazurkiewicz recalls:

They took us over to the [actors’] trailers, and Jim comes over to us wearing his Ace Ventura garb, going, “Oh my god! Cannibal Corpse! It’s so great to have you guys here!” Then he starts rattling off lyrics and tells us he wants us to play “Hammer Smashed Face.” It was insane. [28]

Paul Mazurkiewicz has stated that the band is frequently told by fans that they were introduced to the band and (death metal in general) through the film, adding "if you worked out an average, it would probably be one person a day". [26]

After the band had shot scenes for Ace Ventura, they were offered another cameo in the film Airheads , though this offer was revoked when the producer learned the band had already done a cameo for Ace Ventura. [24]

The song was also added as downloadable content for the Rock Band video game series. [29] [30] The song "I Cum Blood" is also featured in the video game Grand Theft Auto IV: The Lost and Damned . [31]

Track listing

All lyrics written by Chris Barnes. All music written by Cannibal Corpse.

No.TitleLength
1."Hammer Smashed Face"4:02
2."I Cum Blood"3:40
3."Addicted to Vaginal Skin"3:29
4."Split Wide Open"3:01
5."Necropedophile"4:05
6."The Cryptic Stench"3:57
7."Entrails Ripped from a Virgin's Cunt"4:14
8."Post Mortal Ejaculation"3:35
9."Beyond the Cemetery"4:52
Total length:35:11
Bonus track
No.TitleLength
10."I Cum Blood (live)"4:13
Total length:39:24

Personnel

Cannibal Corpse

Additional musicians

Production

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Cannibal Corpse</span> American death metal band

Cannibal Corpse is an American death metal band formed in Buffalo, New York, in 1988, now based out of Tampa, Florida.

<i>Ace Ventura: Pet Detective</i> 1994 film by Tom Shadyac

Ace Ventura: Pet Detective is a 1994 American comedy film starring Jim Carrey as Ace Ventura, an animal detective who is tasked with finding the abducted dolphin mascot of the Miami Dolphins football team. The film was directed by Tom Shadyac, who wrote the screenplay with Jack Bernstein and Carrey. The film co-stars Courteney Cox, Tone Loc, Sean Young, and then–Miami Dolphins quarterback Dan Marino and features a cameo appearance from death metal band Cannibal Corpse.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Paul Mazurkiewicz</span> American drummer (born 1968)

Paul Mazurkiewicz Jr. is an American musician best known as the drummer of the death metal band Cannibal Corpse.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Alex Webster</span> American bassist (born 1969)

Alex Webster is an American musician who is the bassist and a co-founder of the death metal band Cannibal Corpse. He is one of two original remaining members, alongside drummer Paul Mazurkiewicz. He is also the bassist of Blotted Science and the supergroup Conquering Dystopia. Before Cannibal Corpse was formed, he was a member of Beyond Death.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jack Owen</span> American guitarist

Jack Owen is an American guitarist and a member of the death metal band Six Feet Under. He was one of the founding members of Cannibal Corpse. He also had a stint with Deicide—another influential and long-running Florida death metal band—with whom he recorded four albums.. In 2007, Owen played shows with Adrift before joining Order of Ennead at times when their guitarist, John Li, was unavailable.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Chris Barnes (musician)</span> American death metal vocalist

Chris Barnes is an American death metal vocalist who is the frontman of Six Feet Under. He is noted for his low guttural vocals and explicitly violent lyrics.

<i>Butchered at Birth</i> 1991 studio album by Cannibal Corpse

Butchered at Birth is the second studio album by American death metal band Cannibal Corpse. It was released on July 1, 1991 through Metal Blade Records.

<i>The Wretched Spawn</i> 2004 studio album by Cannibal Corpse

The Wretched Spawn is the ninth studio album by American death metal band Cannibal Corpse. It was released on February 24, 2004 by Metal Blade Records. The cover art is by Vincent Locke. This is the last studio album to feature guitarist Jack Owen, one of the band's founding members, and up to the 2012 album Torture, the last with an album cover depicting violence and gore. The album was distributed with a making-of DVD produced by Nick Sahakian. The Wretched Spawn is Cannibal Corpse's fourth album to be named after one of the tracks on the album, after Butchered at Birth, The Bleeding and Gallery of Suicide.

<i>Eaten Back to Life</i> 1990 studio album by Cannibal Corpse

Eaten Back to Life is the debut studio album by American death metal band Cannibal Corpse. It was released on August 17, 1990, through Metal Blade Records.

<i>The Bleeding</i> (album) 1994 studio album by Cannibal Corpse

The Bleeding is the fourth studio album by American death metal band Cannibal Corpse, released on April 12, 1994 through Metal Blade Records.

<i>Vile</i> (album) 1996 studio album by Cannibal Corpse

Vile is the fifth studio album by American death metal band Cannibal Corpse, released on May 21, 1996 through Metal Blade Records.

<i>Gallery of Suicide</i> 1998 studio album by Cannibal Corpse

Gallery of Suicide is the sixth studio album by American death metal band Cannibal Corpse, released on April 21, 1998, through Metal Blade Records.

<i>Hammer Smashed Face</i> 1993 EP by Cannibal Corpse

Hammer Smashed Face is the debut EP and single by American death metal band Cannibal Corpse, released on March 23, 1993 by Metal Blade Records.

<i>Kill</i> (Cannibal Corpse album) 2006 studio album by Cannibal Corpse

Kill is the tenth studio album by American death metal band Cannibal Corpse, released on March 21, 2006, through Metal Blade Records. 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 called Hammer Smashed Laiterie. The album was produced at Mana Recording Studios by Hate Eternal and future Cannibal Corpse guitarist Erik Rutan. It is also the first album in which the band tuned down to G♯ standard.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Cannibal Corpse discography</span>

Cannibal Corpse is a five-piece American death metal band formed in 1988 in Buffalo, New York. In 1989, their self-titled demo drew the attention of Metal Blade Records, with whom they signed a contract to record their debut album Eaten Back to Life, which was released in 1990, followed by two studio albums, 1991's Butchered at Birth, and 1992's Tomb of the Mutilated. In 1993, lead guitarist Bob Rusay was fired, and was replaced by Rob Barrett, who joined the group in time to appear with the band in Jim Carrey's film Ace Ventura: Pet Detective.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Rob Barrett</span> Musical artist

Robert Joseph Barrett III is an American death metal musician, best known as the current guitarist for Cannibal Corpse. He played with the band from 1993 to 1997 and rejoined in 2005. He has cited Gary Moore, Malcolm Young, Randy Rhoads, Eddie Van Halen, Tony Iommi and Steve Vai, among others, as his influences. He currently resides in Tampa, Florida.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Pat O'Brien (guitarist)</span> American guitarist

Pat O'Brien is an American musician best known as the former lead guitarist for death metal band Cannibal Corpse. He is also a former member of heavy metal band Nevermore, a former live guitarist for Slayer, and is currently the lead guitarist for Exhorder.

<i>Centuries of Torment: The First 20 Years</i> 2008 video by Cannibal Corpse

Centuries of Torment: The First 20 Years is the third video album by American death metal band Cannibal Corpse, released in 2008. It contains a three-hour documentary on the history of the band and several concert performances as extra features. It was released on July 8 in USA and July 14 in Europe. This DVD has also been certified platinum in Canada.

<i>Global Evisceration</i> 2011 video by Cannibal Corpse

Global Evisceration is the fourth video album by American death metal band Cannibal Corpse, released in 2011.

<i>Red Before Black</i> 2017 studio album by Cannibal Corpse

Red Before Black is the fourteenth studio album by American death metal band Cannibal Corpse, released on November 3, 2017. This is the band's final album to feature guitarist Pat O'Brien before producer Erik Rutan officially replaced him in 2021.

References

  1. ↑ "Cannibal Corpse - Centuries of Torment - DVD 1 - History (OFFICIAL)". YouTube . November 20, 2013.
  2. ↑ "Alex Webster on "Tomb Of The Mutilated"". July 29, 2021. Archived from the original on July 29, 2021. Retrieved September 6, 2024.
  3. ↑ Cannibal Corpse FAQ – Frequently Asked Questions
  4. ↑ "Cannibal Corpse - Tomb of the Mutilated review".
  5. ↑ "Alex Webster on "Tomb of the Mutilated"". Archived from the original on July 29, 2021.
  6. ↑ "Blood, guts and Jim Carrey: How Cannibal Corpse became death metal's first million selling band". March 13, 2024.
  7. ↑ "The 5 most gruesome Cannibal Corpse songs". November 10, 2017.
  8. ↑ Popoff, Martin (2007). The Collector's Guide to Heavy Metal: Volume 3: The Nineties. Burlington, Ontario, Canada: Collector's Guide Publishing. p. 71. ISBN   978-1-894959-62-9.
  9. ↑ Albrecht, Frank. "Rock Hard review". Rock Hard . Retrieved June 1, 2013.
  10. ↑ Cannibal Corpse – Tomb Of The Mutilated review Archived November 1, 2006, at the Wayback Machine
  11. ↑ "Cannibal Corpse - Tomb of the Mutilated review".
  12. ↑ "Tomb of the Mutilated - Cannibal Corpse | Album | AllMusic". AllMusic .
  13. ↑ "Blood, guts and Jim Carrey: How Cannibal Corpse became death metal's first million selling band". March 13, 2024.
  14. ↑ "The Most Disgusting Metal Lyrics of All Time". Loudwire . October 6, 2023.
  15. ↑ Best of Rock & Metal - Die 500 stärksten Scheiben aller Zeiten (in German). Rock Hard. 2005. p. 103. ISBN   3-89880-517-4.
  16. ↑ "Cannibal Corpse - Centuries of Torment - DVD 1 - History (OFFICIAL)". YouTube . November 20, 2013.
  17. ↑ "Cannibal Corpse - Centuries of Torment - DVD 1 - History (OFFICIAL)". YouTube . November 20, 2013.
  18. ↑ "Cannibal Corpse - Centuries of Torment - DVD 1 - History (OFFICIAL)". YouTube . November 20, 2013.
  19. ↑ "Cannibal Corpse - Centuries of Torment - DVD 1 - History (OFFICIAL)". YouTube . November 20, 2013.
  20. ↑ "Blood, guts and Jim Carrey: How Cannibal Corpse became death metal's first million selling band". March 13, 2024.
  21. ↑ Cannibal Corpse Fanbase (March 6, 2023). How Cannibal Corpse Filmed in Ace Ventura: Pet Detective . Retrieved September 6, 2024– via YouTube.
  22. ↑ Ramptonpublished, Mike (July 26, 2021). "A deep dive into Cannibal Corpse's appearance in Ace Ventura: Pet Detective". louder. Retrieved September 6, 2024.
  23. ↑ West, Thomas (January 21, 2023). "Ace Ventura's Death Metal Cameo Is Actually A Sweet Story". ScreenRant. Retrieved September 6, 2024.
  24. 1 2 Pasbani, Robert (February 11, 2015). "CANNIBAL CORPSE Almost Turned Down Working with Jim Carrey on Ace Ventura". Metal Injection. Retrieved September 6, 2024.
  25. ↑ Pasbani, Robert (October 12, 2017). "Never Before Seen Photos of CANNIBAL CORPSE On Set on Ace Ventura: Pet Detective Surface". Metal Injection. Retrieved September 6, 2024.
  26. 1 2 Bennett, J. (February 10, 2015). "We Interviewed Cannibal Corpse About That One Time They Were in 'Ace Ventura: Pet Detective'". VICE. Retrieved September 6, 2024.
  27. ↑ "Cannibal Corpse - Centuries of Torment - DVD 1 - History (OFFICIAL)". YouTube . November 20, 2013.
  28. ↑ "CANNIBAL CORPSE Almost Turned Down Working with Jim Carrey on Ace Ventura". February 11, 2015.
  29. ↑ "Buy "Hammer Smashed Face" - Cannibal Corpse | Xbox". www.xbox.com. Retrieved September 6, 2024.
  30. ↑ "'Hammer Smashed Face' - Cannibal Corpse". store.playstation.com. Retrieved September 6, 2024.
  31. ↑ "GRAND THEFT AUTO IV - The Lost and Damned - Music: Soundtrack, Radio, Songs". www.gta4.net. Retrieved September 6, 2024.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.