Paul Mazurkiewicz's Drum Setup on Cannibal Corpse's Vile (1996) | MetalForge

Frequently Asked Questions

Who sang on Vile?

George "Corpsegrinder" Fisher sang on Vile (1996), Cannibal Corpse's fifth studio album. Fisher, formerly of Monstrosity, was brought in mid-session after original vocalist Chris Barnes was dismissed from the band during recording (the album was initially tracked under the working title 'Created to Kill'). Vile was Fisher's debut as a Cannibal Corpse vocalist, and he has recorded every Cannibal Corpse album since, including Gallery of Suicide (1998), Bloodthirst (1999), and Violence Unimagined (2021).

What was Cannibal Corpse's first album with George Fisher?

Vile (1996) was Cannibal Corpse's first album with vocalist George 'Corpsegrinder' Fisher. He replaced founding vocalist Chris Barnes, who was dismissed partway through the recording sessions. Because the drums, guitars, and bass were largely tracked before the vocalist change, Fisher recorded his vocals over instrumental beds that had already been completed by Paul Mazurkiewicz, Alex Webster, Jack Owen, and Rob Barrett. Fisher has been Cannibal Corpse's vocalist on every album since, making Vile the definitive dividing line between the Barnes era (1990–1994) and the Fisher era (1996–present).

What drums did Paul Mazurkiewicz use on Vile?

On Vile (1996), Paul Mazurkiewicz played the same pre-endorsement Pearl kit documented on The Bleeding (1994) — a Masters MX or Export-range configuration with dual 22-inch x 16-inch bass drums, 10-inch and 12-inch rack toms, and a 16-inch floor tom, paired with a 14-inch x 5.5-inch wood-shell snare. Cymbals were era-typical Paiste 2002 or Zildjian A, and sticks were Vic Firth 5B Wood Tip. Because the instrumental tracks were recorded before Chris Barnes's dismissal, Mazurkiewicz's gear and performance on Vile are a direct continuation of his setup on The Bleeding rather than a new configuration.

Who produced Vile and where was it recorded?

Vile was produced by Scott Burns at Morrisound Recording in Tampa, Florida — his fifth and final Cannibal Corpse production. Burns had produced every Cannibal Corpse album from Eaten Back to Life (1990) through Vile (1996). After Vile, Jim Morris took over production duties for Gallery of Suicide (1998) as Burns stepped back from extreme metal production, and the band moved to producer Colin Richardson for Bloodthirst (1999).

How does Vile fit between The Bleeding and Gallery of Suicide?

Vile (1996) sits directly between The Bleeding (1994) and Gallery of Suicide (1998) in both Cannibal Corpse's lineup history and Paul Mazurkiewicz's gear timeline. The Bleeding was the last album with original vocalist Chris Barnes; Vile introduced George 'Corpsegrinder' Fisher mid-session after Barnes's dismissal; and Gallery of Suicide was Fisher's second album, recorded as Mazurkiewicz's Pearl setup began its gradual transition toward the Reference-era rig. Mazurkiewicz's kit and technique on Vile are essentially unchanged from The Bleeding, making it the technical bridge between the two documented eras. See the [The Bleeding drum setup](/articles/the-bleeding-drum-setup) and [Gallery of Suicide drum setup](/articles/gallery-of-suicide-drum-setup) articles for direct comparison.