Cannibal Corpse

Though its shtick of gross-out lyrics, lightning-fast riffs and truly vile artwork should have worn thin by now, Cannibal Corpse is still the most extreme and unflinching band in death metal. Though some of the faces have changed, the Buffalo-based quintet’s sound is much the same today as it was on its 1990 debut, Eaten Back to Life. Bassist Alex Webster and frenzied drummer Paul Mazurkiewicz lay down breakneck beats that are quickly mutilated by the kneecap-crushing chords and fretboard sprints of guitarists Jack Owen and Pat O’Brien. Onto this musical screen, vocalist George “Corpsegrinder” Fisher — with the requisite Cookie Monster growls and screams — projects lyrical horror movies about mutilation, rape, castration and other delightful dinner-table topics. With uncompromising energy, brutality and commitment, these gore-core veterans still have the power to scare the hell out of screaming fans around the world.