Cannibal Corpse guitarist Erik Rutan was forced to leave the ongoing European tour after his St. Petersburg, Florida home suffered “catastrophic damage” from Hurricane Helene. The Death Metal group made this announcement on September 28, 2024, via a press release on its social networks.
“Catastrophic” damage to Erik Rutan’s house
Hurricane Helene, considered one of the most powerful ever recorded in the United States, hit the southeast of the country hard, causing massive flooding in Florida, Tennessee and Georgia. The Tampa Bay area, particularly St. Petersburg where Erik Rutan lives, was particularly hard hit. According to the Tampa Bay Times, St. Petersburg experienced a rise in water levels of more than two meters, flooding more than 160 kilometers of roads.
In their press release, the members of Cannibal Corpse expressed their support for their guitarist by stating: “Due to the catastrophic damage caused to his home by Hurricane Helene, Erik Rutan left the tour to be with his family during this difficult time. Our thoughts are with Erik and his wife as they go through this ordeal.”
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Cannibal Corpse’s European tour continues
Cannibal Corpse, which launched its European tour on September 20 in Oberhausen, Germany, nevertheless continues its concerts with Municipal Waste, Immolation and Schizophrenia. The tour is due to end on October 20 in Frankfurt, but now without the presence of Erik Rutan on stage.
Named a permanent member of Cannibal Corpse in 2021, Rutan joined the group to replace Pat O’Brien, another emblematic guitarist of the group. Alongside his work with Cannibal Corpse, Erik Rutan is also a respected figure in death metal thanks to his participation in Morbid Angel in the 1990s and 2000s, as well as his project Hate Eternal, where he plays both roles singer and guitarist.
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A career marked by diversity
In addition to being recognized for his hard-hitting guitar playing, Erik Rutan is a renowned producer in the Metal scene. He works primarily from his recording studio Mana Recording, based in St. Petersburg. His career extends well beyond Cannibal Corpse, notably through his contribution as producer on albums by renowned extreme metal bands.
