Fan-filmed video of CANNIBAL CORPSE‘s entire September 29 concert at the Roundhouse in London, England can be seen below.
As previously reported, CANNIBAL CORPSE guitarist Erik Rutan has left the band’s European headlining tour after his home in St. Petersburg, Florida sustained “catastrophic damage from Hurricane Helene“.
Hurricane Helene barreled through the Southeast on Friday, September 27, causing flooding in Florida, Tennessee and Georgia. The Tampa Bay area of Florida, particularly St. Petersburg, was hit hard.
According to the Tampa Bay Times, St. Petersburg experienced more than six feet of storm surge, and more than 100 miles of flooded roads.
On Saturday, September 28, CANNIBAL CORPSE released the following statement via social media: “Due to catastrophic damage to his home from Hurricane Helene, Erik Rutan has left the tour to be present with his family at this time. Our hearts go out to Erik and his wife as they deal with this situation.”
In a separate post on his Instagram, CANNIBAL CORPSE frontman George “Corpsegrinder” Fisher wrote: “My heart hurts so much for @erikrutanofficial and his wife but let me tell you this….he is the toughest guy I know and he will come out of this stronger than ever.
“This man has done so much for me personally, for my musical career and for that I will forever be grateful. I’ve had so many laugh till it hurts moments in the studio with him that it didn’t even feel like we were working on records.
“When I was at my lowest point and wanted to give up, on one knee in the recording booth nearly in tears, he came from behind the console, put his hand on my shoulder and reminded me of who I am and urged me back on my feet and never give up. He never lost confidence in me and we finished the record with a lot of laughs and I never doubted myself again. He taught me how to conduct myself in a lot of areas I was deficient in and is no doubt the biggest reason I am the vocalist people say I am.
“I did not intend for this to be a long read, I was only going to repost what our CC insta posted but I really felt the need to share a story and a few words about what Erik means to me personally.
“We will continue the tour without him onstage but he will be there in our hearts and I urge everyone reading this to please send positive energy his way.”
CANNIBAL CORPSE‘s European tour with MUNICIPAL WASTE, IMMOLATION and SCHIZOPHRENIA kicked off on September 20 in Oberhausen, Germany and is scheduled to end on October 20 in Frankfurt, Germany.
Rutan was named a permanent member of CANNIBAL CORPSE in 2021. He joined the band as the replacement for CANNIBAL‘s longtime guitarist Pat O’Brien.
Rutan, one of the death metal’s most acclaimed guitarists, is known for his time as part of MORBID ANGEL throughout the 1990s and early 2000s, as well as handling vocals/guitars for HATE ETERNAL. He is also an acclaimed producer, working mostly out of his Mana Recording facility in St. Petersburg.
Hurricane Helene is one of the most powerful storms ever to hit the United States, with wind gust speeds of 140 mph and heavy rain.