CANNIBAL CORPSE Drummer: 'If It Ended Tomorrow, At Least We Did What We Loved'

Metal Mark of SkullsNBones.com recently conducted an interview with drummer Paul Mazurkiewicz of Florida death metallers CANNIBAL CORPSE. A couple of excerpts from the chat follow below.

SkullsNBones.com: CANNIBAL CORPSE has released so many classic albums throughout the years, but I agree with you that ["Torture"] is the best record yet. I know why I think it is, but why do you say it's the best?

Paul: I think it's all about the songwriting with this record. As time goes on, you get better and better at writing the best songs, and I think we nailed it on "Torture". Plus, everyone contributed more on this album. Rob [Barrett, guitar] wrote three songs on "Torture" and he's never had more than one he's written on his previous releases with us, and I think that was huge for the band. I think he's come into his own as a CANNIBAL CORPSE writer, ya know?! Pat [O'Brien, guitar] also put out his best work the four songs he wrote on this record as well. I think he wrote with a little more feeling this time around, and it really worked out great. Plus, throw in his guitar wizardry, and it makes for his best four songs he's written with CANNIBAL CORPSE. Of course, that's my opinion, but both of those guys hitting their mark really made a difference on the album. I think it all comes down to us getting older and more mature with our songwriting. Plus, we still love what we do and want to get better at what we do, and I think that's what sets us apart from other bands.

SkullsNBones.com: You worked with Erik Rutan once again on "Torture" and I was wondering why did you decided to go back and work with him, instead of any other producers out there?

Paul: Well, he did great with "Kill" and "Evisceration Plague", so that was one of the major reasons we decided to work with him again. Plus, he's a really good friend to the band and has been for several years. We felt that "Evisceration Plague" outdid "Kill" and we figured that we could outdue "Evisceration Plague" and who better to help us do that than Erik?! We always just want to get better and with Erik I think we accomplished that once again.

SkullsNBones.com: CANNIBAL CORPSE has been one of the biggest metal bands for over twenty years now. You guys have released classic album after classic album, and have had great success a metal band throughout your career. In your opinion, what is the main thing behind your continued success?

Paul: I think the main thing is that we stuck to writing and playing the music we love ya know. We gained popularity with fans very early and stuck with the formula of playing the music we love to this very day. I think the fans really appreciate that. Like I said earlier, we really try to go out and write the best songs possible and that's a big reason behind our success. We aren't a band trying to prove anything and we never have been. We aren't about behind the heaviest band or the fastest band, we just play the music we love. The fans always know what to expect from us. They can always count on CANNIBAL CORPSE and I think the love that and we love giving them that feeling and our music. I think it's really important in the metal scene today with all of these different bands popping up daily ya know. A lot of bands go through the motions, but we continue to write the music we love, try to make it the best possible, and we are still here after twenty-three years. I think that speaks volumes.

SkullsNBones.com: Do you ever see yourself NOT playing music? We all know that all things come to an end, but do you see that for CANNIBAL CORPSE anytime soon?

Paul: It's really weird to think about, man. We never thought that we would still be around in 2012 when we started out. It still kind of blows my mind, honestly. At this point, we are going to just take it day by day, ya know?! Luckily, everyone is fairly healthy and we still enjoy doing this, so we are in a really good place right now. Of course, we would love to be around for ten or fifteen more years, but who knows, man?! If it ended tomorrow, at least we did what we loved, we lived our dream, and we have no regrets. As of now, we will take it day by day and continue bettering ourselves to give the fans the best music possible.

Read the entire interview from SkullsNBones.com.