Editing Cannibal Corpse (section)

==Controversy and censorship==
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| quote = "[The controversy] actually almost got me killed at gunpoint in 1994 before a show in [[East Los Angeles, California|East L.A]]. Some gang members came on the bus and told me they didn't like my lyrics. One of them had just got out of [[San Quentin Rehabilitation Center|San Quentin]], and he had a [[.38 caliber|.38 [caliber]]] stuffed [[Concealed carry|into his belt lining]]. He said, 'We're gonna kill you if you keep writing about this stuff.' I just tried to talk to him calmly and say, 'Hey, I respect your opinion,' but it was pretty scary. Luckily, we had a really good [[tour manager]], who somehow got those guys off the bus."
| author = - [[Chris Barnes (musician)|Chris Barnes]] interviewed by ''[[Revolver (magazine)|Revolver]]'' <ref>{{Cite web |last=Wiederhorn |first=Jon |title=Florida Death Metal's Gory Rise, Groundbreaking Reign: The Definitive Oral History |url=https://www.revolvermag.com/music/florida-death-metals-gory-rise-groundbreaking-reign-definitive-oral-history/ |access-date=2025-01-21 |website=Revolver |language=en-US}}</ref>
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Cannibal Corpse's lyrics, song titles, [[Vincent Locke|album covers]] and merchandise artwork frequently feature [[transgressive art|transgressive]] and [[macabre]] imagery, including depictions of [[extreme violence]]. Throughout their career, the band has consistently defended the violent imagery in their work as simply [[artistic expression]] that is ''clearly'' fictional. Joel McIver of ''[[The Quietus]]'' wrote, "Almost as depressing as the song themes is the regularity with which the members of Cannibal Corpse have been forced to explain that a) no, they don’t take their violent lyrics seriously, b) no, they don’t advise that anyone tries these things at home and c) no, they themselves are not violent or in any way generally extreme as human beings."<ref>{{Cite web |last=Quietus |first=The |date=2012-03-13 |title=The Horror! The Horror! In Defence Of Cannibal Corpse |url=https://thequietus.com/opinion-and-essays/black-sky-thinking/cannibal-corpse-lyrics/ |access-date=2025-02-25 |website=The Quietus |language=en-GB}}</ref> Bassist [[Alex Webster]] commented, "most [[Western music (North America)|Western music]] is people singing from the heart — singing to a girlfriend, so a lot of people are freaked out by our songs".<ref>{{cite web | url=https://loudwire.com/heavy-metal-101-history-of-death-metal/?utm_source=tsmclip&utm_medium=referral%22 | title=Death Metal 101: The History of Death Metal | website=[[Loudwire]] | date=August 31, 2017 }}</ref> The band's album covers are [[watercolor painting]]s (most often done by comic book artist [[Vincent Locke]]) that draw heavily on [[horror fiction]] and [[horror film]]s, and are highly controversial. At various points points in the band's career, several countries, such as [[Germany]] and [[Russia]], have banned the group from performing within their [[border]]s, or have [[Music censorship|banned the sale and display]] of original Cannibal Corpse album covers.<ref>{{cite web|author=Joe DiVita |url=https://loudwire.com/rock-metal-bands-banned-from-countries/ |title=13 Hard Rock + Metal Bands Who Were Banned From Countries |website=Loudwire.com |date=2020-10-27 |access-date=2022-03-16}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|date=2014-12-02|title=Russian court bans music and artwork of Cannibal Corpse|url=http://www.theguardian.com/music/2014/dec/02/russian-court-ban-artwork-lyrics-cannibal-corpse|access-date=2021-11-18|website=the Guardian|language=en}}</ref>

Webster recalled, "It got to the point where it entered [[global politics]]. That's something I never imagined, and I never heard [Senator] [[Joe Lieberman]] actually say these words, but he said this about us: "[Cannibal Corpse] is [[wikt:deplorable|deplorable]]. They have a song about having sex with a [[Decapitation|severed head]]." I wish I could have heard him say that shit. I'd love that sound bite."<ref name="revolvermag.com"/> Vocalist George Fisher recalled, "people were bitching us out on TV but it was like ‘cool, you’re not hurting us and you’re telling millions of people who we are’ – good job."{{Citation needed|date=March 2025}} Original vocalist [[Chris Barnes (musician)|Chris Barnes]], who wrote the lyrics to the band's first four albums, said: "I never did anything for controversy. That was more a nuisance. I wanted to just write something that was exciting to me. Controversy was secondary."<ref>{{cite book |last1=Dick |first1=Chris |title=Precious Metal: Decibel Presents the Stories Behind 25 Extreme Metal Masterpieces |publisher=Da Capo Press |page=149}}</ref> According to [[Metal Blade Records]] president [[Brian Slagel]], "there were times in [[Europe]] that were really scary, to the point where the [[local government]] said if they played their songs then [they] would [[arrest]] them immediately."<ref>{{cite book |last1=Coles |first1=T |title=Death Metal |publisher=Bloomsbury Academic |page=64}}</ref> Webster stated: "I think for our band in particular, a lot of the reason we have so much trouble is [because] we're so visible. I mean, there's a lot of great gore death metal bands out there that have lyrics that are even worse than what we do – which therefore means they're ''better'' – but they're just not as well known as us, so we catch a lot more heat."<ref>{{Cite AV media |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dpvS3SfLdWw |title=CANNIBAL CORPSE'S Alex Webster and Corpsegrinder 2004 interview {{!}} Raw & Uncut |date=2017-10-31 |last=BANGERTV - All Metal |access-date=2025-05-27 |via=YouTube}}</ref>

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| quote = The things we sing about in this band are incredibly brutal and negative -- we want everything in this band to be brutal and negative. Really. And that might sound strange to the average person, but it's what we want. You know, that's the way to make it effective death metal and to effectively capture the emotion we're going for. If you're gonna make music that sounds aggressive and hateful, then [obviously] the lyrics should also be aggressive and hateful. It makes complete sense to me. And if it's something that is about something negative, but it makes you feel good when you're done listening to it, and no one's been harmed by doing that, then there's nothing wrong with it at all. [...] I mean, we're not too surprised that people want to censor us, because most of the people who are in political offices [...] they were teenagers when Elvis was being censored for moving his hips around on Sullivan's Show. So people who grew up with that -- what are they going to think of a band that sings about eating people?
| source = [[Alex Webster]] of Cannibal Corpse in the ''Making of the Wretched Spawn'' documentary <ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pgs48nbNHKw | title=Why i like death metal HD | website=[[YouTube]] | date=January 29, 2010 }}</ref>
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Current vocalist [[George Fisher (musician)|George Fisher]] has explained that death metal is best understood as "art" and claims that far more violent art can be found at the [[Apostolic Palace|Vatican]]; he expressed his belief that such depictions of violence are arguably more transgressive – as they actually happened.<ref>''Metal: A Headbanger's Journey'' (2005, Sam Dunn, director)</ref> On the same topic, George "Corpsegrinder" Fisher stated the band does not sing about [[religion]] or [[politics]], and that the band's songs are simply "short stories" that could be converted into horror films: "Really, that's all it is. We like gruesome, scary movies, and we want the lyrics to be like that. Yeah, it's about killing people, but it's not promoting it at all. Basically these are fictional stories, and that's it. And anyone who gets upset about it is ridiculous."<ref name=markprindle>{{cite web|last=Fisher|first=Mark|title=Interview: George 'Corpsegrinder' Fisher|work=Mark's Record Reviews|date=January 2004|url=http://www.markprindle.com/fisher-i.htm|access-date=February 5, 2009}}</ref> Webster also said, "It's not like we're maniacs. People from outside the death metal scene get a little spooked sometimes because they just don't understand we're just doing this for entertainment. It's really ugly entertainment, but if we enjoy it, and it's harmless, why not?"<ref>{{Cite web |title=Five Noteworthy Facts You May Not Know About Cannibal Corpse │ Exclaim! |url=https://exclaim.ca/music/article/five_noteworthy_facts_you_may_not_know_about_cannibal_corpse |access-date=2025-01-22 |website=Five Noteworthy Facts You May Not Know About Cannibal Corpse │ Exclaim! |language=en}}</ref>

In response to accusations that his band's lyrics desensitize people to violence, Alex Webster argued [[Heavy metal subculture|death metal fans]] enjoy the music only because they know the violence depicted in its lyrics is [[horror fiction|not real]]: "If you really saw someone get their brains bashed in right in front of you, I think it would have a pretty dramatic impact [...] you'd react to it, no matter how many movies you've watched or how much gore metal you've listened to [...] even though we've got crazy entertainment now, our social realities are actually a bit more civilized than they were back then [...] we're not hanging people or whipping them in the street and I think that's positive improvement for any society".<ref name=puregrain>{{cite web|last=Wilschick|first=Aaron|title=Cannibal Corpse: Interview with bassist Alex Webster|work=puregrainaudio.com|publisher=PureGrain Inc|date=February 15, 2007|url=http://www.puregrainaudio.com/interviews/cannibal-corpse2|access-date=February 5, 2009|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111229183023/http://puregrainaudio.com/interviews/cannibal-corpse2|archive-date=December 29, 2011|url-status=dead|df=mdy-all}}</ref> He also believes the violent lyrics can have positive value, saying "it's good to have anger music as a release."<ref name=waytooloud>{{cite web|title=Cannibal Corpse&nbsp;— Alex Webster and George 'Corpsegrinder' Fisher |work=Way Too Loud! |publisher=Xtremely Media |date=October 23, 2007 |url=http://www.waytooloud.com/2007/10/23/cannibal-corpse-alex-webster-and-george-%E2%80%9Ccorpsegrinder%E2%80%9D-fisher/ |access-date=June 9, 2008 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080604092255/http://www.waytooloud.com/2007/10/23/cannibal-corpse-alex-webster-and-george-%E2%80%9Ccorpsegrinder%E2%80%9D-fisher/ |archive-date=June 4, 2008 }}</ref>

George Fisher has dismissed the notion that extreme music "[undermines] the youth," sarcastically saying, "yeah, because we want people to get arrested and not come to our shows. We want regular jobs – great plan!”{{Citation needed|date=March 2025}} He further explained, "there's nothing ever serious. We're not thinking of anybody in particular that we're trying to kill, or harm or anything."<ref name="HM">{{cite web |last=Van Pelt |first=Doug |title=What Cannibal Corpse Says |work=[[HM (magazine)|HM: The Hard Music Magazine]] |publisher=HM Magazine |date=April 2004 |url=http://www.hmmagazine.com/says/archive/what_cannibal_corpse_says200404.php?page=all |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120220085529/http://www.hmmagazine.com/says/archive/what_cannibal_corpse_says200404.php?page=all |archive-date=February 20, 2012 |url-status=dead |df=mdy }}</ref> When pressed on his personal feelings in regard to performing some of Barnes' more extreme lyrics, being the father of two daughters, he assessed, "If one of my daughters went to college and was raped or something [...] would I then want to play those songs on stage? I don’t know. I’d have to cross that bridge. I can understand how some people would be like, “If it’s happening with you and your daughters, you should feel that uncomfortable with everybody,” and I don't have a problem with at least listening to people's opinions about it."<ref>{{Cite web |last=Kelly |first=Kim |date=2017-11-03 |title=Chewing the Fat with Cannibal Corpse's Corpsegrinder |url=https://www.vice.com/en/article/chewing-the-fat-with-cannibal-corpses-corpsegrinder/ |access-date=2025-01-27 |website=VICE |language=en-US}}</ref>

===United States===
[[File:CannibalCorpse@Innsbruck2009.jpg|thumb|Cannibal Corpse have been subject to obscenity controversy since virtually the beginning of their career.]]
In May 1995, then-[[United States Senate|US Senator]] [[Bob Dole]] accused Cannibal Corpse—along with [[Hip hop music|hip hop]] acts including the [[Geto Boys]] and [[2 Live Crew]]—of undermining the national character of the United States.<ref name=doleNYT>{{cite news|last=Weinraub|first=Bernard|title=Films and Recordings Threaten Nation's Character, Dole Says|work=[[The New York Times]]|date=June 1, 1995|url=https://www.nytimes.com/1995/06/01/us/films-and-recordings-threaten-nation-s-character-dole-says.html|access-date=February 6, 2009}} Although the article seems to imply that Cannibal Corpse is a "rap group" rather than a metal band, it is one of the few reliable sources on the Internet for Dole's exact words.</ref> A year later, the band came under fire again, this time as part of a campaign by [[William Bennett]], Senator [[Joe Lieberman]], then-Senator [[Sam Nunn]], and [[National Congress of Black Women]] chair [[C. Delores Tucker]] to get major record labels—including [[Warner Music Group|Time Warner]], [[Sony Music Entertainment|Sony]], [[EMI|Thorn-EMI]], [[PolyGram]] and [[Bertelsmann Music Group|Bertelsmann]]—to "dump 20 recording groups [...] responsible for the most offensive lyrics".<ref name="latimes">{{cite news|last1=Philips|first1=Chuck|last2=Salem-Fitzgerald|first2=D. J.|title=Rap foes put 20 artists on a hit list|work=[[Los Angeles Times]]|date=May 31, 1996|url=http://www.latimes.com/news/local/la-tupaclyrics31may3196,0,3035451.story|access-date=February 6, 2009}}</ref>

===Australia===
{{further|Censorship in Australia}}
As of October 23, 1996, the sale of any Cannibal Corpse audio recording then available was banned in [[Australia]] and all copies of such had been removed from music shops.<ref name=greenleft>{{cite web|last=Sinnet |first=Natasha |date=October 23, 1996 |title=Censorship and heavy metal |work=[[Green Left Weekly]] |url=http://www.greenleft.org.au/1996/251/13234 |access-date=February 6, 2009 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081110172945/http://www.greenleft.org.au/1996/251/13234 |archive-date=November 10, 2008 }}</ref> At the time, the [[Australian Recording Industry Association]] and the Australian Music Retailers Association were implementing a system for identifying potentially offensive records, known as the "labelling code of practice".<ref name=ariaconsumer>{{cite web |url=http://www.aria.com.au/pages/documents/classification.pdf.pdf.pdf |title=What music is your child listening to? |author=<!--Not stated--> |date=<!--Not stated--> |publisher=[[Australian Recording Industry Association]] |type=leaflet |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20040712061804/http://www.aria.com.au:80/pages/documents/classification.pdf.pdf.pdf |archive-date=July 12, 2004 |url-status=dead |access-date=July 22, 2024}}</ref><ref name=amraintro>{{cite web |title=Labelling Guidelines |work=Labelling code of practice for recorded music containing potentially offensive lyrics and/or themes |publisher=Australian Music Retailers Association |date=March 2003 |url=http://www.amra.org.au/pdf/ARIA-AMRA_Code_april2003.PDF |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110216171929/http://www.amra.org.au/pdf/ARIA-AMRA_Code_april2003.PDF |archive-date=February 16, 2011 |access-date=February 6, 2009 |url-status=dead |df=mdy }}</ref>

All ten of Cannibal Corpse's albums, the live album ''[[Live Cannibalism]]'', the boxed set ''[[15 Year Killing Spree]]'', the EP ''[[Worm Infested]]'', and the single "[[Hammer Smashed Face]]" were re-released in Australia between 2006 and 2007, finally classified by ARIA and allowed for sale in Australia. However, they are all "restricted" and only sold to those over 18 years of age. Some are sold in "censored" and "uncensored" editions, which denotes the change of cover art.<ref name=labeledtitles5>{{cite web |url=http://www.aria.com.au/pages/documents/Level3-010406-310307.pdf |title=AMRA Restricted Warning – 01.4.06 – 30.9.06 |author=<!--Not stated--> |date=<!--Not stated--> |publisher=[[Australian Recording Industry Association]] |type=table |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080719082414/http://www.aria.com.au/pages/documents/Level3-010406-310307.pdf |archive-date=July 19, 2008 |url-status=dead |access-date=July 22, 2024}}</ref> Despite this, when displayed in some stores, even the "uncensored" editions are censored manually.{{citation needed|date=July 2024}}

After discussion of banning them from touring, Australian comedy act [[The Chaser]] did a [[lounge music]] version of their song "[[Butchered at Birth|Rancid Amputation]]" on their show ''[[The Chaser's War on Everything]]'', arguing that being able to perform the same song as lounge music on television proves that the music, and not the lyrics, is the problem.<ref>{{Cite AV media |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ryli3byylns |title=Chaser's War On Everything - Cannibal Corpse Parody |date=2010-08-03 |last= |access-date=2024-10-30 |via=YouTube}}</ref>

===Germany===
In Germany, numerous albums have been indexed by the [[Federal Agency for Child and Youth Protection in the Media]], which means that these albums may only be offered and sold to adults and must disappear from regular retail outlets.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Wie wirkt die Indizierung? |url=https://www.bzkj.de/bzkj/indizierung/was-bewirkt-die-indizierung |access-date=2024-10-30 |website=Bundeszentrale für Kinder- und Jugendmedienschutz |language=de}}</ref>

* ''[[Eaten Back to Life]]'' (1990), on the index since August 1995<ref name=":0">{{Cite web |last=Wurm |first=Gerald |title=Indizierung - Cannibal Corpse  |url=https://www.schnittberichte.com/svds.php?Page=IndexDocs&ID=2841&idid=1230 |access-date=2024-10-30 |website=www.schnittberichte.com |language=de}}</ref>
* ''[[Tomb of the Mutilated]]'' (1992), on the index since November 1995<ref name=":0" />
* ''[[Hammer Smashed Face]]'' EP (1993), on the index since November 1995<ref name=":0" />
* ''[[Worm Infested]]'' EP (2003), on the index since January 2005<ref name=":0" />
* ''[[Evisceration Plague]]'' (2009), on the index since April 2010<ref name=":0" />

The indexed songs may only be played in front of an adult audience and the organizer must ensure that no minors attend the event by means of an age check.

Some albums have even been confiscated by the courts and may no longer even be sold to adults.<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.gesetze-im-internet.de/englisch_stgb/englisch_stgb.html#p1392 | title=German Criminal Code (Strafgesetzbuch – StGB) }}</ref><ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.gesetze-im-internet.de/englisch_stgb/englisch_stgb.html#p1793 | title=German Criminal Code (Strafgesetzbuch – StGB) }}</ref>

* ''[[Butchered at Birth]]'' (1991), on the index since October 1991,<ref name=":0" /><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.schnittberichte.com/svds.php?Page=IndexDocs&ID=2841&idid=1228|title=Indizierung - Cannibal Corpse|first=Gerald|last=Wurm|website=Schnittberichte.com|access-date=March 13, 2025}}</ref> confiscated since 1994<ref>Beschlagnahmebeschluss des Amtsgericht Stuttgart vom 3. September 1994, Az.: 21 Js 58315/94</ref>
* ''[[Vile (album)#Created to Kill|Created to Kill]]'' (2000, a bootleg release consisting of demo recordings), on the index since August 2011,<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.schnittberichte.com/svds.php?Page=IndexDocs&ID=2841&idid=1233|title=Indizierung - Cannibal Corpse |first=Gerald|last=Wurm|website=Schnittberichte.com|access-date=March 13, 2025}}</ref> confiscated since November 2012<ref>Beschlagnahmebeschluss des Amtsgericht Saarbrücken vom 25. Juli 2012, Az.: 7Gs 3248/12</ref>
* ''[[Torture (album)|Torture]]'' (2012), on the index since December 2012,<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.schnittberichte.com/svds.php?Page=IndexDocs&ID=2841&idid=1236|title=Indizierung - Cannibal Corpse|first=Gerald|last=Wurm|website=Schnittberichte.com|access-date=March 13, 2025}}</ref> confiscated since December 2013<ref>Beschlagnahmebeschluss des Amtsgericht Fulda vom 28. Oktober 2013, Az.: 27 Gs – 51 UJs 50930/13</ref>
* ''[[Vile (album)|Vile]]'' (1996), on the index since September 2015,<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.schnittberichte.com/svds.php?Page=IndexDocs&ID=2841&idid=1237|title=Indizierung - Cannibal Corpse|first=Gerald|last=Wurm|website=Schnittberichte.com|access-date=March 13, 2025}}</ref> confiscated since July 2017<ref>Beschlagnahmebeschluss des Amtsgericht Marburg vom 19.08.2016, Az.: 54 Gs – 1 Js 10068/16</ref>

In a 2004 interview, George Fisher attempted to recall what originally provoked the ban: "A woman saw someone wearing one of our shirts, I think she is a schoolteacher, and she just caused this big stink about it. So [now] we can't play anything from the first three records. And it really sucks because kids come up and they want us to play all the old songs&nbsp;— and we would&nbsp;— but they know the deal. We can't play 'Born in a Casket' but can play 'Dismembered and Molested'."<ref name=innerview>{{cite web|last=Falina|first=Melanie|title=Cannibal Corpse Just Wants to Sing About Ripping Apart Human Flesh in Peace|work=Chicago Innerview|publisher=Innerview Media, Inc|date=February 2004|url=http://www.chicagoinnerview.com/archives/feb04_cannibal_corpse.htm|access-date=February 5, 2009|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090311003400/http://www.chicagoinnerview.com/archives/feb04_cannibal_corpse.htm|archive-date=March 11, 2009}}</ref>

In a 2019 interview with [[:de:Christa Jenal|Christa Jenal]], the teacher behind the numerous banning proceedings, spoke about the band: "I have been dealing with the potential for brutalization in society for decades. In this context, I came across the band around 25 years ago because, as a teacher, I saw pupils wearing T-shirts depicting babies on grappling hooks. They were freely available on the market at the time. I've been educating people ever since. Cannibal Corpse is not the only band, but I see it as symptomatic of how far things can go when state institutions turn a blind eye.<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.kreiszeitung.de/kultur/ausverkauf-moral-12753626.html | title=Cannibal Corpse spielt in Bremen – Lehrerin Christa Jenal hat damit ein Problem | date=July 2019 }}</ref>

===Russia===
Six of the eight planned shows from the band's 2014 Russian tour were canceled after protests from local Orthodox activists. A month before the tour, religious activist Dimitry Tsorionov said Cannibal Corpse's music was punishable under Russian law because it "incites religious division." He commented unfavorably on the lyrics, saying they promoted "death, violence, as well as various kinds of sexual perversion."<ref>{{cite magazine|last=Kozlov|first=Vladimir|title=Cannibal Corpse's Russia Tour Under Pressure from Orthodox Protestors|url=http://www.billboard.com/articles/news/6281675/cannibal-corpses-russia-tour-under-pressure-from-orthodox-protestors|magazine=[[Billboard (magazine)|Billboard]]|date=October 14, 2014|access-date=October 18, 2014}}</ref> The gig in [[Nizhny Novgorod]] was stopped halfway through the set, after police conducted a search for drugs at the venue.<ref name="Loudwire">{{cite web|last=Hartmann|first=Graham|title=Cannibal Corpse Concert Stopped Mid-Show by Russian Police|url=http://loudwire.com/cannibal-corpse-concert-stopped-mid-show-russian-police/|work=[[Loudwire]]|date=October 16, 2014|access-date=October 18, 2014}}</ref> The concert in Saint Petersburg was canceled at the last minute because of unspecified "technical reasons", [[OMON]] arrived shortly after and arrested eighteen concertgoers.<ref>{{cite web|last=Munro|first=Scott|title=Cannibal Corpse fans arrested in Russia|url=http://metalhammer.teamrock.com/news/2014-10-17/cannibal-corpse-fans-arrested-in-russia|work=[[Metal Hammer]]|date=October 17, 2014|access-date=October 18, 2014}}</ref> Cannibal Corpse members stated that Russian authorities threatened to detain the members if they performed because they did not have the correct [[work visa]]s.<ref name="Loudwire"/>