Tomb of the Mutilated
Encyclopedia
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. The album was banned in Germany
, due to the violent cover and the extreme nature of the lyrics.
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
.
The song "Hammer Smashed Face
" was featured during the band's cameo appearance in the film Ace Ventura: Pet Detective
, and downloadable content for the Rock Band video game series
. The song "I Cum Blood" is also featured in the video game Grand Theft Auto IV: The Lost and Damned
.
Esteemed reviewers Jack Murray and Connur Joyce have both stated their belief that Tomb of the Mutilated is a high-concept album concerned with extreme necrophilia and sadism. Murray said "It's a very clever idea concerning the rape and murder of a young girl with a large knife, and continuing to rape the corpse until orgasm. This theme is particularly present in the last four tracks on the album", while Joyce announced in Finnish metal magazine Mutilate, "The album has heavy connotations throughout. It's definitely linked; especially in the last three tracks. The explicit nature in which Barnes grunts his way through the increasingly morbid lyrics certainly demonstrates the theme running through the album, that is to say the increasingly deteriorating mental state of the protagonist."
While Metal Storm announced "the music here is a little more complex and better elaborated, the effort is shown in songs like 'Hammer Smashed Face' with maddening and unforgettable riffs, a crushing bass playing, and incredibly fast drumming, and 'I Cum Blood' showing incredible pulsations", "a high-quality album in general, really one of the greatest albums in Cannibal Corpse history and maybe in Death Metal history too".
. Music by Cannibal Corpse.
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 Cannibal Corpse
Cannibal Corpse
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...
. It was released in 1992 through 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...
and is the last album featuring founding guitarist Bob Rusay. The album was banned 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 the violent cover and the extreme nature of the lyrics.
Because the liner notes on Butchered at Birth feature quotations from American serial killer
Serial killer
A serial killer, as typically defined, is an individual who has murdered three or more people over a period of more than a month, with down time between the murders, and whose motivation for killing is usually based on psychological gratification...
Albert Fish
Albert Fish
Hamilton Howard "Albert" Fish was an American serial killer. He was also known as the Gray Man, the Werewolf of Wysteria, the Brooklyn Vampire, the Moon Maniac and The Boogey Man. A child rapist and cannibal, he boasted that he "had children in every state," and at one time put the figure at...
, 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
Arthur Shawcross
Arthur John Shawcross was an American serial killer, also known as The Genesee River Killer in Rochester, New York...
.
The song "Hammer Smashed Face
Hammer Smashed Face
-Popular culture:* An abridged version of the song "Hammer Smashed Face" appeared in the film, Ace Ventura: Pet Detective, while Jim Carrey was present at a death metal concert featuring Cannibal Corpse....
" was featured during the band's cameo appearance in the 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....
, and downloadable content for the Rock Band video game series
Rock Band
Rock Band is a music video game developed by Harmonix Music Systems, published by MTV Games and Electronic Arts. It is the first title in the Rock Band series. The PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 versions were released in the United States on November 20, 2007, while the PlayStation 2 version was...
. The song "I Cum Blood" is also featured in the video game Grand Theft Auto IV: The Lost and Damned
Grand Theft Auto IV: The Lost and Damned
Grand Theft Auto IV: The Lost and Damned is the first of two episodic expansion packs developed for the Xbox 360, PlayStation 3 and PC versions of Grand Theft Auto IV, developed by Rockstar North. It was first released for the Xbox 360 on 17 February 2009 and on PlayStation 3 and Microsoft Windows...
.
Reception
Reviewers praised the album, heavy metal webzine, Kicked in the Face stated "I loved every second of it. This is a must have for any Cannibal Corpse fan." "It would be hard to pick out the good or the bad tracks on this one because, well, they're all pretty damn good."Esteemed reviewers Jack Murray and Connur Joyce have both stated their belief that Tomb of the Mutilated is a high-concept album concerned with extreme necrophilia and sadism. Murray said "It's a very clever idea concerning the rape and murder of a young girl with a large knife, and continuing to rape the corpse until orgasm. This theme is particularly present in the last four tracks on the album", while Joyce announced in Finnish metal magazine Mutilate, "The album has heavy connotations throughout. It's definitely linked; especially in the last three tracks. The explicit nature in which Barnes grunts his way through the increasingly morbid lyrics certainly demonstrates the theme running through the album, that is to say the increasingly deteriorating mental state of the protagonist."
While Metal Storm announced "the music here is a little more complex and better elaborated, the effort is shown in songs like 'Hammer Smashed Face' with maddening and unforgettable riffs, a crushing bass playing, and incredibly fast drumming, and 'I Cum Blood' showing incredible pulsations", "a high-quality album in general, really one of the greatest albums in Cannibal Corpse history and maybe in Death Metal history too".
Track listing
All lyrics and vocal arrangements by 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...
. Music by Cannibal Corpse.
Personnel
- 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...
– vocals - Bob Rusay – lead guitar
- 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...
– rhythm guitar - 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 guitars - 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
Production
- ProducedRecord producerA record producer is an individual working within the music industry, whose job is to oversee and manage the recording of an artist's music...
, EngineeredAudio engineeringAn audio engineer, also called audio technician, audio technologist or sound technician, is a specialist in a skilled trade that deals with the use of machinery and equipment for the recording, mixing and reproduction of sounds. The field draws on many artistic and vocational areas, including...
& MixedAudio mixingAudio mixing may refer to:*Audio mixing *Audio mixing *Live sound mixing...
by Scott BurnsScott BurnsScott Burns is a former Australian rules footballer in the Australian Football League.-Football career:Originally from Norwood Football Club in the South Australian National Football League, Burns was drafted by the Collingwood Football Club with the 90th selection in the 1992 National Draft...