Editing Cannibal Corpse (section)

===Lyrical themes===
{{quote box
| align = left
| width = 28%
| border = 2px
| quote = [Barnes] was never writing any of these lyrics from the point of view that the characters in the songs were [[coolness|cool]] [...] or were people that he related to. [...] It’s just interesting stuff to write about. If you have a movie with evil characters, people understand that the guy who made the movie doesn’t relate to those characters. If you have a [[horror novel]] with evil characters in it – like a horror novel that features a rapist or a killer or a molester – you understand that the author doesn’t relate to those characters, and isn’t espousing that type of behavior. Neither are we. [...] Death metal is a type of horror music, and we’re not saying that any of the characters in our songs are people that we admire.
| author = [[Alex Webster]] of Cannibal Corpse
| source = <ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.metalforcesmagazine.com/site/feature-cannibal-corpse-03-13-pt2/ | title=CANNIBAL CORPSE – 1988-2013: 25 Years of Metal, Part Two (March 2013) &#124; Features / Interviews @ Metal Forces Magazine }}</ref>
}}
The band's [[Heavy metal lyrics|lyrics]] and song titles draw heavily on [[horror fiction]], [[horror films]] and [[true crime]]. In the early years of the [[Florida death metal|Florida death metal scene]], the group was considered one of the most shocking and "least subtle" for its transgression of taste with its depiction of [[torture]], [[murder]], and [[mutilation]], often in highly [[Sexual intercourse|sexual]], [[Misogyny|misogynistic]] and [[Everyday sadism|sadistic]] terms.<ref name="AMG">{{cite web |title=Cannibal Corpse &#124; Biography & History |url=https://www.allmusic.com/artist/cannibal-corpse-mn0000545534/biography |access-date=October 8, 2020 |website=[[AllMusic]]}}</ref><ref name="Wiederhorn" /><ref>{{cite book |last1=Coles |first1=T |title=Death Metal |publisher=Bloomsbury Academic |pages=56}}</ref> According to [[Alex Webster]], "We saw that a lot of [[Florida death metal|bands in Florida]] seemed to have more of a darker, [[Antireligion|anti-religion]] thing going on, so we decided to do the gore thing with the art and lyrics."<ref name="revolvermag.com">{{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=2025-01-10 |website=Revolver |language=en-US}}</ref> The band's lyrics are described as "parading a revolting fascination with the [[human body]]," drawing comparisons to British extreme metal band [[Carcass (band)|Carcass]], albeit "with a vividly [[Film|cinematic]] perspective."<ref>{{cite book |last1=Coles |first1=T |title=Death Metal |publisher=Bloomsbury Academic |page=57}}</ref> ''[[Loudwire]]'' wrote, "It's hard to think of any other band so hyper-focused on tales of people getting killed in gruesome ways."<ref>{{Cite web |last=Trapp |first=Philip|date=2023-10-02 |title=10 Bands Who Only Write Songs About One Specific Thing |url=https://loudwire.com/bands-only-write-about-one-thing-rock-metal/ |access-date=2025-02-25 |website=Loudwire |language=en}}</ref> George "Corpsegrinder" Fisher stated that the band does not sing about [[religion]] or [[politics]], and described the band's songs as "short stories" that could be converted into horror films. He said, "We like gruesome, scary movies, and we want the lyrics to be like that."<ref name="markprindle2">{{cite web |last=Fisher |first=Mark |date=January 2004 |title=Interview: George 'Corpsegrinder' Fisher |url=http://www.markprindle.com/fisher-i.htm |access-date=February 5, 2009 |work=Mark's Record Reviews}}</ref>
[[File:Cannibal Corpse - 2024275214348 2024-10-01 Cannibal Corpse - Sven - 1D X MK II - 1318 - AK8I0142.jpg|thumb|Following the dismissal of [[Chris Barnes (musician)|Chris Barnes]], drummer [[Paul Mazurkiewicz]] assumed many duties related to composing lyrics and vocal [[Cadence|cadences]].]]

The lyrics of original vocalist [[Chris Barnes (musician)|Chris Barnes]] have been described as "ludicrously over the top."<ref>{{Citation |title=Eaten Back to Life - Cannibal Corpse {{!}} Album {{!}} AllMusic |url=https://www.allmusic.com/album/eaten-back-to-life-mw0000309728 |access-date=2025-01-03 |language=en}}</ref> Examples of macabre song titles from the band's early releases include “Entrails Ripped From a Virgin’s Cunt,” “Fucked With a Knife,” "Addicted to Vaginal Skin," "Meat Hook Sodomy" and “Post Mortal Ejaculation.” According to sociologist Natalie J. Purcell, "the lyrics of these songs contain terrifying lines describing morbid urges to [[Massacre|slaughter]] and [[sexual exploitation|sexually exploit]] others, particularly [[Darwinism|the weak]]. Perhaps these songs are especially disturbing because they relate such tales [[First-person perspective|from the perspective of the perpetrator]]."<ref>{{cite book |last1=Purcell |first1=Natalie J. |title=Death Metal |publisher=McFarland |page=44}}</ref> In his review of [[The Bleeding (album)|''The Bleeding'']], Jason Birchmeier of [[Allmusic|AllMusic]] explained, "it's worth noting for novices that this stuff isn't for the lighthearted and shouldn't be taken too seriously, even if songs titles like "She Was Asking for It" perhaps go too far, even for this genre."<ref>{{cite web |title=The Bleeding – Cannibal Corpse &#124; Album &#124; AllMusic |url=https://www.allmusic.com/album/the-bleeding-mw0000112632 |website=[[AllMusic]]}}</ref> Webster explained, "We’re not trying to make a happy story; we’re trying to make a negative, frightening story, and that requires sometimes very disturbing imagery. Chris never wanted to limit [himself], and he didn’t. You can see it in the lyrics that he wrote. He had no limits and some of it is really disturbing for that reason, but it’s what he felt he needed to do."<ref>{{Cite web |title=CANNIBAL CORPSE – 1988-2013: 25 Years Of Metal, Part Two (March 2013) {{!}} Features / Interviews @ Metal Forces Magazine |url=https://www.metalforcesmagazine.com/site/feature-cannibal-corpse-03-13-pt2/ |access-date=2025-01-20}}</ref>

The band has stated that many of their song titles are made first, with the lyrical pieces being written around them.<ref name="auto" /><ref>{{Cite AV media |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CAGd6aqIdXQ&t=5872s |title=Cannibal Corpse - Centuries of Torment - DVD 3 - Bonus Chunks (OFFICIAL) |date=2013-11-20 |last=Metal Blade Records |access-date=2025-03-06 |via=YouTube}}</ref> Guitarist [[Rob Barrett]] has expressed his belief that the lyrical possibilities in death metal are "endless," and that limitations within the artform are nonexistent, joking, "There's all [sorts of] new ways to talk about maming and killing and torturing."<ref>{{Cite AV media |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CAGd6aqIdXQ |title=Cannibal Corpse - Centuries of Torment - DVD 3 - Bonus Chunks (OFFICIAL) |date=2013-11-20 |last=Metal Blade Records |access-date=2025-03-25 |via=YouTube}}</ref>