Paul Mazurkiewicz's Drum Setup on Cannibal Corpse's Eaten Back to Life (1990) | MetalForge

Frequently Asked Questions

What was Cannibal Corpse's first album and who played drums on it?

Cannibal Corpse's first album was Eaten Back to Life, released on August 17, 1990 through Metal Blade Records. Paul Mazurkiewicz played drums on the debut — he was a co-founding member of the band since their formation in Buffalo, New York in 1988 and has been Cannibal Corpse's only drummer across their entire career. Eaten Back to Life was recorded at Morrisound Studios in Tampa, Florida, produced by Scott Burns, and is considered one of the earliest death metal records released on a nationally distributed major independent label.

What drums did Paul Mazurkiewicz play on Eaten Back to Life?

On Cannibal Corpse's debut album Eaten Back to Life (1990), Paul Mazurkiewicz played a Pearl Export-range kit — the entry-pro tier Pearl drums available in the pre-endorsement era. His setup included two 22-inch x 16-inch bass drums for double-kick independence, 10-inch and 12-inch rack toms, and a single 16-inch floor tom. His snare was a 14-inch x 5.5-inch wood-shell drum (maple or birch construction) tuned medium-high for brightness and cut. He had no Pearl endorsement in 1990 — the Pearl Reference kit that defines his modern setup was years in the future.

How does Eaten Back to Life compare to Tomb of the Mutilated in terms of drum setup?

Both albums used pre-endorsement Pearl kits at Morrisound Studios with producer Scott Burns, but the Eaten Back to Life (1990) setup was the earliest iteration — Pearl Export-range drums with individual single pedals on each kick drum, era-typical Paiste/Zildjian cymbals, and Vic Firth 5B sticks. By Tomb of the Mutilated (1992), the gear had been refined toward the Pearl Masters MX or similar higher-tier Pearl shells, and the Morrisound production approach had matured with slightly more low-mid weight and body in the drum sound. The core Mazurkiewicz philosophy — conventional grip, locomotive double-bass, serve-the-riff phrasing — is present and fully formed on both records. See the [Tomb of the Mutilated drum setup article](/articles/tomb-of-the-mutilated-drum-setup) for a direct comparison.

What are the most important tracks for hearing Mazurkiewicz's debut-era drumming?

The three most essential tracks on Eaten Back to Life for studying Paul Mazurkiewicz's debut-era drumming are 'Skull Full of Maggots' (opens with the earliest recorded document of his locomotive double-kick approach), 'Scattered Remains, Splattered Brains' (demonstrates the serve-the-riff phrasing philosophy in its earliest form), and 'Edible Autopsy' (the most intense blast beat passage on the debut, at speeds that approach the tempos the band would develop further on Butchered at Birth and Tomb of the Mutilated). All three are foundational death metal drum performances.

Where can I learn more about Paul Mazurkiewicz's full career gear evolution?

The full Paul Mazurkiewicz drum setup article at MetalForge covers his modern Pearl Reference / Meinl / Pearl Eliminator rig and traces the gear evolution from Eaten Back to Life (1990) through Violence Unimagined (2021). See also the Butchered at Birth drum setup article for the follow-up 1991 recording, and the Tomb of the Mutilated drum setup article for the 1992 recording that cemented the band's death metal landmark status. All three early-era articles document the pre-endorsement period before Mazurkiewicz's current gear relationships were established. Full profile: [Paul Mazurkiewicz at MetalForge](/drummer/paul-mazurkiewicz).