Editing Cannibal Corpse (section)

===Formation and self-titled demo (1988–1989)===
[[File:Chris Barnes.jpg|left|thumb|Original vocalist Chris Barnes was in the band from its formation until his dismissal in 1995. Barnes appeared on the band's first four studio albums.|300x300px]]
Cannibal Corpse was formed in December 1988 when members from recently disbanded [[Buffalo, New York|Buffalo]]-area death metal bands Beyond Death ([[Alex Webster]] and [[Jack Owen]]) and Tirant Sin ([[Paul Mazurkiewicz]], [[Chris Barnes (musician)|Chris Barnes]], Bob Rusay) started jamming and writing music together. Mazurkiewicz, Barnes and Rusay knew each other from [[high school]], and met Webster and Owen while attending area shows. Webster recalled, "when we got going, there were only a few other bands that you’d really call death metal".<ref name="loudersound.com" /><ref name="disposableunderground.com">{{cite web | url=https://disposableunderground.com/cannibal-corpse-interview-with-chris-barnes-from-the-vault/ | title=Go back in time with Chris Barnes to the "Eaten Back to Life" album | date=October 28, 2020 }}</ref>

Bassist [[Alex Webster]] came up with the name Cannibal Corpse. The band played its first show at Buffalo's River Rock Cafe in March 1989, shortly after recording a five-song self-titled demo tape, which is now commonly known as ''A Skull Full of Maggots''. The band's first live performance was opening for thrash metal band [[Dark Angel (band)|Dark Angel]] at a sold-out show in a small club. The band promoted the show by printing off thousands of posters in multiple colors, and handing them out at a [[Metallica]] concert. Afterward, the band gained traction in the Buffalo area, going as far to receive mentions by ''[[The Buffalo News]]''. During this time, the band also opened for [[Blood Feast (band)|Bloodfeast]], [[The Accüsed]], [[Death (metal band)|Death]] and [[Kreator]]. Cannibal Corpse would also often play shows with Malevolent Creation, as the latter were local to Buffalo as well. The band signed to [[Metal Blade Records]] in July 1989. Mike Faley at Metal Blade wanted to sign the band immediately after reading the song titles in their tracklist. He heard the demo tape after having had it sent to him by the manager of the record store in which Barnes was working. Metal Blade president [[Brian Slagel]] recalled, "I thought it was really interesting and cool. Plus, 'A Skull Full of Maggots' is one of the greatest song titles ever."<ref>{{Cite web |title=Cannibal Corpse │ Exclaim! |url=https://exclaim.ca/music/article/cannibal_corpse-staring_through_eyes_of_banned |access-date=2025-01-22 |website=Cannibal Corpse │ Exclaim! |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|title=Talk Today: Cannibal Corpse: Jack Owen|work=[[USA Today]]|publisher=[[Gannett Company]]|date=March 22, 2001|url=https://www.usatoday.com/community/chat/2001-03-22-cannibal.htm|access-date=February 5, 2009}}</ref><ref name="loudersound.com">{{cite web | url=https://www.loudersound.com/features/cannibal-corpse-death-metal-history-interview-2012 | title=Blood, guts and Jim Carrey: How Cannibal Corpse became death metal's first million selling band | date=March 13, 2024 }}</ref><ref name="Metal Blade Records">{{Cite AV media |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aGPot3rP53o&t=3153s |title=Cannibal Corpse - Centuries of Torment - DVD 1 - History (OFFICIAL) |date=2013-11-20 |last=Metal Blade Records |access-date=2025-01-23 |via=YouTube}}</ref> Mazurkiewicz said, "It was unbelievable; it was a dream come true. When we signed the contract with Metal Blade, we were only a band for eight months. And here we are having to finish off writing material and record a record."<ref name="Cannibal Corpse │ Exclaim!">{{Cite web |title=Cannibal Corpse │ Exclaim! |url=https://exclaim.ca/music/article/cannibal_corpse-staring_through_eyes_of_banned |access-date=2025-01-23 |website=Cannibal Corpse │ Exclaim! |language=en}}</ref>