I'm sure I could bore a lot of readers by detailing song specifics and other bothersome details, so I'll stick to the big question: How has Chris Barnes' departure hurt the band? Well, breathe a big sigh of relief, death metal fans, because it hasn't.

I was fortunate enough to see Cannibal Corpse at the Agora in October 1994 on the Bleeding tour, so I feel qualified to compare both incarnations of the band. Barnes and George "Corpsegrinder" Fisher are different singers, to be sure - but which is better?

The first impression I got from this show (as I stood in the ridiculously-jammed crowd fifteen feet from Fisher) came immediately: The production on the Vile album really sucks. Scott Burns has a knack for making the same singers sound different on each album he produces, and he blew the vocals on Vile. Fisher's voice is surprisingly strong and deep; his lows are way more pronounced in person than the thin recording of his first Corpse effort. He is also a much more versatile vocalist than Barnes, in terms of variety, speed of delivery, and high-end screams. I was very impressed and am very curious as to how Fisher will sound on the next Corpse album (he sure won't sound worse).

The two singers also present much different personas on stage. Fisher comes across as the blue-collar, hard-working, all-business team player. Constantly playing air drums, windmilling his hair, staying put at the center of the stage, and singing with eyes fixed on a target at the back of the ballroom, Fisher grabbed a drink of water between each song and barrelled into the next.

Chris Barnes, conversely, is the definition of the death metal star on stage, with swagger and attitude to match. Few humans on the planet can match Barnes' thunderous, booming lows, and he knows it. Always singing with a faceful of hair (and looking like a wig with a microphone held half-buried in its locks), he walks across the stage projecting a larger-than-life image with ease. Barnes banters with the audience between songs and challenges the crowd a great deal while singing.

Who has the better approach? It's up to you to decide.

Most importantly, I felt that the band's character remained intact at the recent show. Though I was somewhat skeptical beforehand regarding this, I see now that it's the songs that carry Cannibal Corpse, not the singer. The older material sounded great with Fisher at the helm; for me, in addition, the show's highlight was "Devoured By Vermin" in the encore. The Vile tracks fit in perfectly with Corpse's existing tunes.

Perhaps Fisher will gain a bit more swagger himself as he (and the fans) settle into a niche outside of Barnes' long shadow. The rest of the band does the same thing live as they did before - stand in one spot and headbang as they play. In light of this, Barnes'showmanship is a missing element in Corpse's live performance; maybe it will be forever missing.

However, that's all that's missing. Barnes fans, never fear - Six Feet Under will hopefully keep us happy for years to come. Cannibal Corpse picked up a singer that's perhaps better-suited for its speedy, technical style of death metal. Finally, a vocalist-switch story with a happy ending; now, if Van Halen had just paid attention...

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Teufel's Tomb, Teufel's Aural Armageddon Metal Webzine and all information contained within these pages are © 1997 Zero The Hero Publishing Inc unless otherwise stated. All Rights Reserved.

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