The short version: Cannibal Corpse is coming out with a new album, and this past week they dropped a video in support of the first single. Said video being watchable here. (Though: CONTENT WARNING for the squeamish… this is a) death metal generally; b) Cannibal Corpse specifically).
The longer version: Cannibal Corpse has been together for going on thirty-two years, and they remain one of the most consistent bands in the genre. Their fifteenth full-length album, Violence Unimagined, drops on April 16, thanks to our friends at Metal Blade Records.
The released song, “Inhumane Harvest” is driven by a head-banging mid-tempo chug. The video itself is wonderfully horrific. If death metal is the “horror movie of music,” then it stands to reason that a death metal video should be a horror short. Puppies and rainbows ain’t gonna cut it. The directing is strong, and it strikes a lovely mood of impending doom.
(Though I did wonder why the bodies are disposed of with a… Zippo in a Dumpster? I’m guessing production didn’t have access to something that looked like an incinerator or crematorium).
George “Corpsegrinder” Fisher‘s harsh bellow sounds fucking badass on the offered track. Erik Rutan, who produced four Cannibal Corpse albums, has come on board to play guitar alongside Rob Barrett, joining Alex Webster on bass, and of course the legendary Paul Mazurkiewicz on drums. Fans should recognize Vince Locke‘s wonderfully lurid cover art. The press release mentions the difficulties of recording in the midst of a pandemic, but if the mighty Cannibal Corpse can handle an evisceration plague, a little Covid isn’t gonna get in the way.
I’ll be the first to admit I’m biased as hell when it comes to Cannibal Corpse. I’ve been listening to this band since Tomb of the Mutilated was a new release. I made a horror movie with two of their songs in the soundtrack. I’m an unabashed fan. But there’s a reason for that… life (and death) is better when this band brings a new gore-soaked album into the world.
Watch the video above, and stream the track in our Banger of the Weeks Playlist!
The Indy Review 