{{Use mdy dates|date=May 2025}} {{Infobox album | name = Red Before Black | type = studio | artist = [[Cannibal Corpse]] | cover = CCRedBeforeBlack.jpg | alt = a man bloodily stabbing something out of view | released = {{Start date|2017|11|3}} | venue = | recorded = December 2016, April–June 2017 at Mana Recording Studios | genre = {{flatlist| * [[Death metal]] }} | length = {{Duration |46:26}} | label = [[Metal Blade Records|Metal Blade]] | producer = [[Erik Rutan]] | prev_title = [[A Skeletal Domain]] | prev_year = 2014 | next_title = [[Violence Unimagined]] | next_year = 2021 | misc = {{Singles | name = Red Before Black | type = studio | single1 = Code of the Slashers | single1date = {{start date|2017|09|19}} | single2 = Red Before Black | single2date = {{start date|2017|10|17}} | single3 = Scavenger Consuming Death | single3date = {{start date|2017|11|02}} }} }} {{Album ratings <!-- Aggregate scores | ADM = /10<ref>{{Cite web |url= |title= |last= |first= |date= |website=www.anydecentmusic.com |publisher= |access-date=}}</ref> | MC = %<ref>{{Metacritic album |id= |title=}}</ref> --> <!-- Reviewers -->| rev1 = ''[[AllMusic]]'' | rev1Score = {{Rating|3.5|5}}<ref>{{AllMusic |class=album |id=mw0003110928 |label=''Red Before Black'' - Cannibal Corpse |last=Jurek |first=Thom}}</ref> | rev2 = ''Angry Metal Guy'' | rev2Score = {{Rating|3|5}}<ref>{{Cite web |last=Beuller |first=Ferrous |date=2017-10-30 |title=Cannibal Corpse - Red Before Black Review |url=https://www.angrymetalguy.com/cannibal-corpse-red-before-black-review/ |access-date=2025-02-06 |website=Angry Metal Guy |language=en-US}}</ref> | rev3 = ''[[Blabbermouth.net]]'' | rev3Score = 8.5/10<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.blabbermouth.net/cdreviews/red-before-black/ |title=CD Reviews - Red Before Black - Cannibal Corpse |last=Van Horn, Jr. |first=Ray |website=www.blabbermouth.net |date=27 November 2017 |publisher=[[Blabbermouth.net]] |access-date=December 2, 2017}}</ref> | rev4 = ''[[Exclaim!]]'' | rev4Score = 8/10<ref>{{Cite web |last=Falzon |first=Denise |date=October 29, 2017 |title=Cannibal Corpse │ Exclaim! |url=https://exclaim.ca/music/article/cannibal_corpse-red_before_black |access-date=2025-02-06 |website=Cannibal Corpse │ Exclaim! |language=en}}</ref> | rev5 = ''GIGsoup'' | rev5Score = 71%<ref>{{Cite web |last=Peeke |first=Dan |date=November 7, 2017 |title=Cannibal Corpse 'Red Before Black' |url=https://www.gigsoupmusic.com/reviews/album-reviews/cannibal-corpse-red-black/ |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200925032756/https://www.gigsoupmusic.com/reviews/album-reviews/cannibal-corpse-red-black/ |archive-date=September 25, 2020 |website=GIGsoup}}</ref> | rev6 = ''[[MetalSucks]]'' | rev6Score = {{Rating|3.5|5}}<ref>{{Cite web |last= |date=2017-11-03 |title=Album Review: Cannibal Corpse's Red Before Black |url=https://www.metalsucks.net/2017/11/03/album-review-cannibal-corpses-red-before-black/ |access-date=2025-02-06 |website=MetalSucks |language=en}}</ref> | rev7 = ''[[Metal Hammer]]'' | rev7Score = {{Rating|3.5|5}}<ref>{{Cite web |last=McFee |first=Edwin |date=2017-10-09 |title=Cannibal Corpse - Red Before Black album review |url=https://www.loudersound.com/reviews/cannibal-corpse-red-before-black-album-review |access-date=2025-02-06 |website=louder |language=en}}</ref> | rev8 = ''[[Metal Injection]]'' | rev8Score = 9/10<ref>{{Cite web |last= |first= |date=2017-10-31 |title=Album Review: CANNIBAL CORPSE Red Before Black |url=https://metalinjection.net/reviews/cannibal-corpse-red-before-black |access-date=2025-02-06 |website=Metal Injection |language=en-US}}</ref> }}
'''''Red Before Black''''' is the fourteenth studio album by American [[death metal]] band [[Cannibal Corpse]], released on November 3, 2017.<ref>{{cite web|title=Cannibal Corpse To Release 'Red Before Black' Album In November; Track Listing, Artwork Unveiled|url=http://www.blabbermouth.net/news/cannibal-corpse-to-release-red-before-black-album-in-november-track-listing-artwork-unveiled/|publisher=[[Blabbermouth.net]]|accessdate=September 7, 2017|date=September 7, 2017}}</ref> This is the band's final album to feature guitarist [[Pat O'Brien (guitarist)|Pat O'Brien]] before producer [[Erik Rutan]] officially replaced him in 2021.
==Background and recording== The band started to write the album in 2016 after the last run of touring for their previous album, ''[[A Skeletal Domain]]''. When interviewed in 2017 drummer [[Paul Mazurkiewicz]] stated that the band never go by any specific blueprints when they start writing for an album, pointing out that this was also the case with ''Red Before Black''. However the idea of utilizing some slower [[Doom Metal|doom]] elements was discussed beforehand. This manifested in a couple of songs, while they mostly remained true to their death metal sound and thrash metal roots.<ref name="interview1">{{Cite web|url=https://aestheticmagazinetoronto.com/2017/11/03/interview-cannibal-corpse-talks-red-before-black-their-essential-albums-and-gory-album-covers/|title=Interview: Cannibal Corpse Talks "Red Before Black", Their Essential Albums, and Gory Album Covers|date=3 November 2017 |publisher=Aesthetic Magazine|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171213162214/https://aestheticmagazinetoronto.com/2017/11/03/interview-cannibal-corpse-talks-red-before-black-their-essential-albums-and-gory-album-covers/|archive-date=2017-12-13|access-date=2017-12-13}}</ref>
Mazurkiewicz came up with the album title while sleeping in the middle of the night, making him wake up.<ref name="interview1" /> Further down the road of creating the album he said about the title "... I really pushed for it because I felt it was very strong and something very different than our previous titles. It’s simple, but effective".<ref>{{Cite web|title=Interview – Paul Mazurkiewicz of Cannibal Corpse|date=19 October 2017 |url=http://crypticrock.com/interview-paul-mazurkiewicz-cannibal-corpse/|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171213163526/http://crypticrock.com/interview-paul-mazurkiewicz-cannibal-corpse/|access-date=2017-12-13|archive-date=2017-12-13|publisher=Cryptic Rock}}</ref>
After hearing the song 'Only One Will Die', penned by bassist [[Alex Webster]], all members of the band thought it should be the first track of the album. The first song they worked on was 'Red Before Black'. It started out as an unnamed piece written by guitarist [[Pat O'Brien (guitarist)|Pat O'Brien]] with Mazurkiewicz contributing with a title and the lyrics later.<ref name="interview2">{{Cite web|title="The title actually woke me up in the middle of the night." – An Interview with Paul Mazurkiewicz of Cannibal Corpse|url=https://overdrive-mag.com/2017/11/04/title-actually-woke-middle-night-interview-paul-mazurkiewicz-cannibal-corpse/|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171213183702/https://overdrive-mag.com/2017/11/04/title-actually-woke-middle-night-interview-paul-mazurkiewicz-cannibal-corpse/|access-date=2017-12-13|archive-date=2017-12-13|publisher=Overdrive Magazine}}</ref>
Choosing to work with [[Erik Rutan]] as a producer again after working with [[Mark Lewis (music producer)|Mark Lewis]] on the previous album was partly because of convenience, enabling the band to stay focused during the recording process,<ref name="interview2" /> although Rutan's previous work with the band was also a deciding factor.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.moshville.co.uk/interview/2017/11/interview-paul-mazurkiewicz-of-cannibal-corpse/|title=Paul Mazurkiewicz of Cannibal Corpse – The Moshville Times|date=7 November 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171213175216/http://www.moshville.co.uk/interview/2017/11/interview-paul-mazurkiewicz-of-cannibal-corpse/|access-date=2017-12-13|archive-date=2017-12-13|publisher=The Moshville Times}}</ref>
== Music == [[Alex Webster]] assessed: "Throughout our career, we've tried to improve the precision of both our musical execution and our album production, while still maintaining full-on aggression. ''Red Before Black'' continues in that direction, but might go even further on the aggressive side of things. It's definitely precise, but it has a rawness to it that goes beyond anything we've done recently."<ref>{{Cite web |last=Hartmann |first=Graham|date=2019-08-05 |title=Cannibal Corpse Announce 2019 Tour With Thy Art Is Murder |url=https://loudwire.com/cannibal-corpse-2019-tour-thy-art-is-murder/?utm_source=tsmclip&utm_medium=referral |access-date=2025-05-15 |website=Loudwire |language=en}}</ref>
==Track listing== {{Track listing | total_length = 46:26
| title1 = Only One Will Die | lyrics1 = [[Alex Webster]] | music1 = Webster | length1 = 3:24
| title2 = Red Before Black | lyrics2 = [[Paul Mazurkiewicz]] | music2 = [[Pat O'Brien (guitarist)|Pat O'Brien]] | length2 = 3:12
| title3 = Code of the Slashers | lyrics3 = [[Rob Barrett]] | music3 = Barrett | length3 = 4:46
| title4 = Shedding My Human Skin | lyrics4 = Mazurkiewicz | music4 = O'Brien | length4 = 3:29
| title5 = Remaimed | lyrics5 = Mazurkiewicz | music5 = O'Brien | length5 = 4:14
| title6 = Firestorm Vengeance | lyrics6 = Webster | music6 = Webster | length6 = 3:43
| title7 = Heads Shoveled Off | lyrics7 = Mazurkiewicz | music7 = O'Brien | length7 = 3:37
| title8 = Corpus Delicti | lyrics8 = Barrett | music8 = Barrett | length8 = 3:29
| title9 = Scavenger Consuming Death | lyrics9 = Webster | music9 = Webster | length9 = 4:33
| title10 = In the Midst of Ruin | lyrics10 = Mazurkiewicz | music10 = Barrett | length10 = 3:26
| title11 = Destroyed Without a Trace | lyrics11 = Mazurkiewicz | music11 = {{flatlist| * Barrett * Mazurkiewicz }} | length11 = 4:01
| title12 = Hideous Ichor | lyrics12 = Webster | music12 = Webster | length12 = 4:34 }} {{Track listing | headline = Limited edition bonus disc: ''Blood Covered'' | extra_column = Original artist | total_length =
| title1 = Sacrifice | lyrics1 = {{flatlist| * Scott Watts * Rob Urbinati }} | music1 = {{flatlist| * Watts * Joe Rico }} | extra1 = [[Sacrifice (band)|Sacrifice]] | length1 = 3:04
| title2 = Confessions | lyrics2 = Jeff Becerra | music2 = Mike Torrao | extra2 = [[Possessed (band)|Possessed]] | length2 = 2:58
| title3 = No Remorse | lyrics3 = [[James Hetfield]] | music3 = {{flatlist| * Hetfield * [[Lars Ulrich]] }} | extra3 = [[Metallica]] | length3 = 6:16
| title4 = Demon's Night | lyrics4 = Accept | music4 = Accept | extra4 = [[Accept (band)|Accept]] | length4 = 4:17
| title5 = Bethany Home (A Place to Die) | lyrics5 = The Accüsed | music5 = The Accüsed | extra5 = [[The Accüsed]] | length5 = 3:20
| title6 = Endless Pain | lyrics6 = {{flatlist| * [[Mille Petrozza]] * [[Jürgen Reil]] }} | music6 = Petrozza | extra6 = [[Kreator]] | length6 = 3:11
| title7 = Behind Bars | lyrics7 = Dave Carlo | music7 = Carlo | extra7 = [[Razor (band)|Razor]] | length7 = 2:20 }}
== Credits == Writing, performance and production credits are adapted from the album liner notes.<ref>{{Cite AV media notes |title=Red Before Black |others=[[Cannibal Corpse]] |year=2017 |type=liner notes |publisher=[[Metal Blade Records]] |id=3984-15547-2}}</ref>
=== Personnel === ==== Cannibal Corpse ==== * [[George Fisher (musician)|George "Corpsegrinder" Fisher]] – vocals * [[Pat O'Brien (guitarist)|Pat O'Brien]] – lead guitar * [[Rob Barrett]] – rhythm guitar * [[Alex Webster]] – bass * [[Paul Mazurkiewicz]] – drums
==== Guest musicians ==== * [[Erik Rutan]] – backing vocals on "Only One Will Die" and guitar solo on "In the Midst of Ruin"
==== Production ==== * [[Erik Rutan]] – [[Record producer|production]], [[Audio engineer|engineering]], [[Audio mixing (recorded music)|mixing]] * Art Paiz – assistant engineering * Alan Douches – mastering
==== Visual art ==== * [[Vince Locke]] – [[cover art]] * Brian Ames – layout * Alex Morgan – [[photography]]
=== Studios === * Mana Recording Studios, [[St. Petersburg, Florida|St. Petersburg, FL]], United States – engineering, mixing * West West Side Music, [[Cornwall, New York|Cornwall, NY]], United States – mastering
== Charts == {| class="wikitable sortable" |- ! Chart ! Peak<br/>position |- {{Album chart|Austria|29|artist=Cannibal Corpse|album=Red Before Black}} |- {{Album chart|Flanders|116|artist=Cannibal Corpse|album=Red Before Black}} |- {{Album chart|Wallonia|70|artist=Cannibal Corpse|album=Red Before Black}} |- {{Album chart|Finland|33|artist=Cannibal Corpse|album=Red Before Black}} |- {{Album chart|France|101|artist=Cannibal Corpse|album=Red Before Black}} |- {{Album chart|Germany|16|id=341265|artist=Cannibal Corpse|album=Red Before Black}} |- {{Album chart|Switzerland|29|artist=Cannibal Corpse|album=Red Before Black}} |- {{Album chart|Billboard200|95|artist=Cannibal Corpse}} |- |}
==References== {{Reflist}}
==External links== * {{AllMusic |class=album |id=mw0003110928 |label=''Red Before Black''}}
{{Cannibal Corpse}}
{{Authority control}}
[[Category:2017 albums]] [[Category:Albums produced by Erik Rutan]] [[Category:Cannibal Corpse albums]] [[Category:Metal Blade Records albums]]