In May 1996, Cannibal Corpse was going through one of the most delicate moments of its career. The turbulent departure of vocalist Chris Barnes cast doubt on the band's future shortly before the recording of Vile, an album released on May 21 of that year.
Thirty years later, the album continues to be remembered as a landmark of death metal, not only for its sonic brutality, but also for becoming the first work of the extreme genre to enter the Billboard 200.
First album with George Fisher
Cannibal Corpse entered Morrisound Studio with producer Scott Burns to record what would be their fifth album, initially titled Created to Kill. At the time, vocalist Chris Barnes was already dividing his attention with Six Feet Under, who had released the album Haunted a few months earlier. Despite rumors of internal friction, Burns believed that Cannibal Corpse was still experiencing a great moment, especially after the exposure gained with "Hammer Smashed Face" in the film Ace Ventura: Pet Detective (1994).
The recording sessions, however, quickly turned into one of the most tense in the band's history. Conflicts over Barnes' vocals, which had existed since The Bleeding, intensified during the process. According to reports published by Decibel Magazine, arguments between Barnes, bassist Alex Webster , and drummer Paul Mazurkiewicz were frequent in the studio. "Barnes had an attitude like, 'I'm the vocalist, I write the lyrics, and I'm going to do what I want. Period.' Then it turned into a fight," guitarist Rob Barrett in an excerpt from the book The Scott Burns Sessions: A Life in Death Metal 1987 – 1997.
The situation worsened when Barnes left the recordings unfinished to go on a European tour with Six Feet Under, a decision that ultimately marked his definitive departure from Cannibal Corpse before the album was completed, which was later renamed Vile.
To replace Barnes, the group recruited George “Corpsegrinder” Fisher, then known for his work in Monstrosity. The arrival of “Corpsegrinder” represented a significant change in the identity of Cannibal Corpse.
The members of Cannibal Corpse stated that the new vocalist brought more power and precision to the guttural vocals, especially during the re-recording of "Devoured by Vermin," one of the album's best-known tracks. Bassist Alex Webster also highlighted in the documentary Centuries of Torment: The First 20 Years that Fisher's arrival helped renew the band's creative energy.
Extreme death metal on the Billboard charts
Musically, Vile raised the technical level of Cannibal Corpse. Webster's bass lines gained even more prominence, while the guitars relied on fast riffs and constant changes. "The band brought in seven-string guitars, and Alex started using a five-string. That instantly made them heavier," said producer Scott Burns.
At the same time, Cannibal Corpse remained surrounded by controversy. The album artwork ended up being censored in several stores and promotional versions, maintaining the group's controversial reputation at a time when death metal still faced strong commercial and media resistance.
Despite everything, Vile achieved a historic feat by entering the Billboard 200, something rare for extreme bands in the 1990s. The performance showed that death metal could transcend the underground circuit without abandoning its identity. In a 2021 interview with the website Dead Rhetoric, Alex Webster commented that he never expected to see such a heavy album reach the American charts.
“That was our first appearance on that chart. So, we were very happy about it, as you can imagine. We were on tour when we got the news. I think it debuted at number 151 on the chart, and then, of course, it immediately dropped the following week, but even so, being on that chart, especially in 1996, was a great achievement for a death metal band. We were excited and eager to see how people would react to George, and it was extremely positive,” said Alex.
“Perhaps it was partly due to the hard work we did with The Bleeding, and also because we matured as a band. But it was a great moment when Vile entered the charts. It was proof that people had embraced what we were doing, in greater numbers than ever before. And it was a confirmation of our decision to bring in the new member,” revealed drummer Paul Mazurkiewicz to the Lauder
The album not only cemented George “Corpsegrinder” Fisher as one of the most recognizable voices in extreme metal, but also opened doors for death metal to reach new audiences in the years to come.
It's worth noting that the first death metal album to enter the chart was Scream Bloody Gore (1987) by Death, followed by The End Complete (1992)by Obituary. However, Cannibal Corpse's achievement with Vile had a different significance within extreme music.
While Death and Obituary helped solidify death metal in its early stages, Cannibal Corpse took the sound to even more brutal and controversial levels – defined as brutal death metal. More aggressive vocals, explicit lyrics, censored album covers, and a more extreme musical approach made the band a constant target of controversy in the 1990s.
Therefore, Vile into the Billboard 200 represented more than just good commercial performance. The album helped popularize the heavier and more radical side of death metal and gore, managing to break through the underground circuit and achieve visibility.
READ ALSO: The day Dee Snider first heard Cannibal Corpse: “I threw that thing in the trash”
