Erik Rutan Assures Fans That Hate Eternal “Will Absolutely Continue on” Despite His Joining Cannibal Corpse
Unless you’ve been living under Corpsegrinder’s neck, you are no doubt aware of yesterday’s big news (err, yesterday’s other big news): Erik Rutan has officially joined Cannibal Corpse as their new guitarist. He replaces Pat O’Brien. He’ll make his writing and recording debut on their upcoming album, Violence Unimagined, which he also produced.
Rutan is both a great get and a logical choice for Cannibal Corpse. When it comes to death metal, there is nothing this man can’t do — he writes, he produces, and he performs, all at the highest possible level of mastery. He also has a longstanding working relationship with Cannibal Corpse, having produced five of their last six albums (2006’s Kill, 2009’s Evisceration Plague, 2012’s Torture, 2017’s Red Before Black, and the aforementioned Violence Unimagined). On top of all of that, Cannibal Corpse bassist Alex Webster played on Fury & Flames, the 2008 release from Rutan’s Hate Eternal.
Point being, bringing Rutan deeper into the fold makes a whole lotta sense; even the biggest O’Brien fan will have a hard time begrudging the band this line-up change.
Despite this excellent development, the announcement made a lot of Hate Eternal fanatics — myself included! — wonder what this meant for the future of that long-running project.
Now we can all breathe one big sigh of relief: in a statement released last night, Rutan declares his intention to keep doing Hate Eternal even though he is now also a member of the Corpse. I’m glad he reassured us, but I’m also ashamed of us for having any doubts… I mean, it’s Hate Eternal, for Satan’s sake, not Hate for the Time Being or Hate Until a Better Gig Comes Along!
(Also, this probably goes without saying, but Rutan ain’t giving up his studio, Mana Recording, either.)
Rutan’s statement reads:
“I felt it very important to personally share some big news with all of you today…. I am officially joining Cannibal Corpse!
“I am super excited and honored and honestly it still seems a bit surreal. Cannibal Corpse has been a big part of my life and career having listened to them for over 30 years, produced 5 albums with them, done many many tours together and having decades of friendships with everyone involved. Anyone that knows me knows that I will give everything I have to being the best I can be with CC.
“For the new album ‘Violence Unimagined’ I contributed and wrote 3 songs of music and lyrics as well as playing guitar, producing and mixing it at Mana Recording. I am very very proud of what we achieved together.
“I have been sitting here today reflecting on my life and career and the journey to get here. 30 years ago I was recording my first album with Ripping Corpse at 19 years of age, then onto Morbid Angel, then starting and continuing with Hate Eternal and Mana Recording and now Cannibal Corpse. I feel so grateful to have been and still continue to be a part of this music that I feel so passionate about and embrace.
“Hate Eternal will absolutely continue on. JJ [Hrubovcak, Hate Eternal bassist], Johnny [Longstreth, Hate Eternal drummer] and I look forward to recording another unrelenting Hate Eternal album in the future when the time is right. As many people know I have always done multiple things in my career and I plan on continuing that starting with Cannibal Corpse as well as Hate Eternal, Mana Recording, producing and other musical endeavors when time allows. We will have some other great HE news to share in the near future and look forward to continuing down the path I have been a part of for decades.
“Hope everyone is doing well and staying healthy and excited to what the future shall behold! Thank you all for your unwavering and undying support. It means the world to me.
“Eternal Gratitude… RUTAN”
Violence Unimagined comes out April 16 on Metal Blade. Check out the first single, “Inhumane Harvest,” below, and pre-order it here.
[via The PRP]
