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

> Complete drum gear breakdown for Cannibal Corpse's Vile (1996) — the first album with George "Corpsegrinder" Fisher on vocals. Paul Mazurkiewicz's pre-endorsement Pearl kit, Scott Burns's final Morrisound production, and the arc between The Bleeding and Gallery of Suicide.

**Type:** Album Drum Setup
**Drummer(s):** [Paul Mazurkiewicz](/llms/drummers/paul-mazurkiewicz.md)
**Band / Album:** Cannibal Corpse — *Vile* (1996)
**Genre:** Death Metal
**Label:** Metal Blade Records
**Studio:** Morrisound Recording, Tampa, Florida
**Producer:** Scott Burns

## Overview

Released on May 21, 1996 through Metal Blade Records, "Vile" is Cannibal Corpse's fifth studio album and the most consequential lineup transition in the band's history: it is the first Cannibal Corpse album to feature vocalist George "Corpsegrinder" Fisher, formerly of Monstrosity, in place of founding vocalist Chris Barnes. The sessions began under the working title "Created to Kill" with Barnes still fronting the band, but Barnes was dismissed partway through recording and Fisher was brought in to complete the vocal tracks. Fisher has remained Cannibal Corpse's vocalist on every album since.

For Paul Mazurkiewicz, "Vile" was his fifth studio recording. Because the instrumental tracking — drums, guitars, and bass — was largely complete before the vocalist change, his performance on "Vile" was recorded in essentially the same working environment as "The Bleeding" two years earlier: same studio, same producer, same pre-endorsement Pearl kit.

Scott Burns returned to produce at Morrisound Recording in Tampa, Florida — his fifth and final Cannibal Corpse production. "Vile" also became the band's first Billboard 200 entry, debuting at #151, and was guitarist Rob Barrett's final Cannibal Corpse album until his return a decade later on "Kill" (2006).

## Gear Breakdown

- **Drums:** Pearl Masters MX or Export (pre-endorsement, carried over from The Bleeding) — dual 22" x 16" kicks, 10" and 12" rack toms, 16" floor tom
- **Snare:** 14" x 5.5" wood-shell snare (maple or birch, Pearl Masters MX-range or comparable)
- **Cymbals:** Era-typical Paiste 2002 / Zildjian A — 14" hi-hats, 16" and 18" medium crashes, 20" medium ride, 18" China
- **Hardware / Pedals:** Individual single pedals (one per kick drum, Camco-style or Pearl P-201); Pearl heavy-duty hi-hat stand
- **Sticks:** Vic Firth 5B Wood Tip (pre-signature)
- **Heads:** Remo Powerstroke 3 Clear (kicks), Remo Emperor Clear (tom batters), Remo Ambassador or Emperor Coated (snare batter), Remo Ambassador Snare Side (resonant)
- **Snare tuning:** Medium-high tension — bright crack consistent with the Morrisound catalog

### Pearl Masters MX: Unchanged Through the Lineup Shakeup

Because tracking was largely finished before Chris Barnes's dismissal, Mazurkiewicz's kit on "Vile" is effectively identical to "The Bleeding": dual 22" x 16" kicks, a compact two-rack, one-floor-tom layout, and the same medium-tight, attack-forward Morrisound tuning Scott Burns had refined across four prior sessions.

### Scott Burns's Final Cannibal Corpse Session

"Vile" was Scott Burns's fifth and final Cannibal Corpse production. He tracked drums, guitars, and bass before Barnes's dismissal, then completed the album after George Fisher recorded vocals over the existing instrumental beds — meaning the drum sound is a direct engineering continuation of "The Bleeding." After "Vile," Jim Morris produced "Gallery of Suicide" (1998), and Colin Richardson took over for "Bloodthirst" (1999).

### Locomotive Consistency Through a Lineup Earthquake

"Vile" asked nothing new of Mazurkiewicz technically — the same locomotive double-bass and conventional-grip blast beats documented on "The Bleeding" carry through unchanged. Because the drum tracking predates Fisher's arrival, Fisher adapted his vocal phrasing to parts that were already locked in, the reverse of the usual writing relationship on the albums that followed.

## Key Facts

- Released May 21, 1996 — Cannibal Corpse's fifth album on Metal Blade Records
- George "Corpsegrinder" Fisher's debut as Cannibal Corpse vocalist, replacing Chris Barnes mid-session
- Chris Barnes dismissed during recording (working title "Created to Kill"); Fisher, formerly of Monstrosity, completed the vocals
- Scott Burns's fifth and final Cannibal Corpse production, recorded at Morrisound Recording, Tampa
- Cannibal Corpse's first Billboard 200 entry — debuted at #151
- Rob Barrett's last CC album on guitar until his 2006 return on "Kill"
- Mazurkiewicz's drum kit and technique carried over unchanged from The Bleeding (1994)
- Pre-endorsement gear — Pearl Masters MX or Export configuration, dual 22" x 16" kicks
- Pure acoustic drum capture — no triggers, no samples

## Frequently Asked Questions

**Q: Who sang on Vile?**

A: 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 during recording. Vile was Fisher's debut as a Cannibal Corpse vocalist, and he has recorded every Cannibal Corpse album since.

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

A: 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 instrumental tracks were largely complete before the vocalist change, Fisher recorded his vocals over beds that Paul Mazurkiewicz, Alex Webster, Jack Owen, and Rob Barrett had already finished.

**Q: What drums did Paul Mazurkiewicz use on Vile?**

A: 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" x 16" bass drums, 10" and 12" rack toms, a 16" floor tom, and a 14" x 5.5" wood-shell snare. Cymbals were era-typical Paiste 2002 or Zildjian A, with Vic Firth 5B Wood Tip sticks. Because the instrumental tracks were recorded before Barnes's dismissal, the gear is a direct continuation of The Bleeding rather than a new configuration.

**Q: Who produced Vile and where was it recorded?**

A: Vile was produced by Scott Burns at Morrisound Recording in Tampa, Florida — his fifth and final Cannibal Corpse production. After Vile, Jim Morris took over for Gallery of Suicide (1998), and the band moved to producer Colin Richardson for Bloodthirst (1999).

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

A: 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 Chris Barnes; Vile introduced George "Corpsegrinder" Fisher mid-session; and Gallery of Suicide was Fisher's second album, recorded as Mazurkiewicz's Pearl setup began its 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 eras.

**Source:** https://metalforge.io/articles/vile-drum-setup

**Related articles:**
- [The Bleeding drum setup (1994)](/llms/articles/the-bleeding-drum-setup.md) — the Barnes-era predecessor, tracked in the same room with the same producer
- [Gallery of Suicide drum setup (1998)](/llms/articles/gallery-of-suicide-drum-setup.md) — the transitional Pearl setup two albums later
- [Paul Mazurkiewicz drum setup](/llms/articles/paul-mazurkiewicz-drum-setup.md) — modern Pearl Reference / Meinl / Pearl Eliminator rig

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*Last updated: 2026-07-01 · Source: [MetalForge.io](https://metalforge.io)*