Cannibal Corpse tap Hate Eternal’s Erik Rutan to fill in for troubled guitarist Pat O’Brien

[News]

Last month, Cannibal Corpse guitarist Pat O’Brien made headlines when he was arrested for burglary and assault following a bizarre night in which he entered a nearby home in his Northdale, Florida, neighborhood around the same time this own residence went up in flames. Now, Cannibal Corpse have enlisted Hate Eternal frontman Erik Rutan to fill in on guitar for them as they head out on tour in 2019.

According to reports, O’Brien was taken down by a taser when he allegedly tried to assault a police officer with a knife when he was found behind a fence after entering a neighborhood home and apparently ranting about the rapture to the occupants. During this time, the house he was renting was ablaze, with firefighters having trouble putting the flames out due to the number of firearms in his home. O’Brien was reportedly keeping 50 shotguns, 10 semiautomatic rifles, two Uzi-style rifles, and 20 handguns in his house, along with military-grade flamethrowers, three skulls and various other weapons.

The veteran metal guitarist appeared in court the next day in shackles and an anti-suicide vest, and was released from jail on $50,000 bond a few says later. About a week after O’Brien’s arrest, Cannibal Corpse issued a statement, saying in part, “We wanted everyone to know that Pat is getting the help he needs and appreciates the love and support from Cannibal Corpse fans around the world … For anyone wondering, all Cannibal Corpse touring will happen as planned and all shows will be played.”

With Cannibal Corpse booked to co-headline part of the 2019 Decibel Magazine Tour, and to provide support on the next North American leg of Slayer’s farewell tour, the band has tapped Erik Rutan to play guitar for them while O’Brien deals with the aftermath of his arrest. In addition to currently fronting Hate Eternal, Rutan was once a member of Morbid Angel, who happen to be the other co-headliner on the Decibel trek. Rutan has also worked as a producer on four Cannibal Corpse albums.

Get tickets to the band’s upcoming tour dates here.

Cannibal Corpse 2019 Tour Dates:
02/17 – San Antonio, TX @ Alamo Music Hall *
02/19 – Tucson, AZ @ Club Xs *
02/20 – San Diego, CA @ The Observatory *
02/21 – Los Angeles, CA @ The Fonda Theater *
02/22 – Santa Ana, CA @ The Observatory *
02/23 – San Francisco, CA @ The Regency Ballroom *
02/25 – Portland, OR @ Roseland Ballroom *
02/26 – Seattle, WA @ Showbox Market *
03/01 – Denver, CO @ The Oriental Theater *
03/02 – Kansas City, MO @ The Truman *
03/03 – Minneapolis, MN @ Skyway Theater *
03/04 – Chicago, IL @ The Concord *
03/07 – New York, NY @ Playstation Theater *
05/02 – Phoenix, AZ @ Ak-Chin Amphitheatre #
05/03 – Albuquerque, NM @ Isleta Amphitheatre #
05/05 – El Paso, TX @ UTEP/Don Haskins Center #
05/07 – Edinburg, TX @ Bert Ogden Arena #
05/08 – Dallas, TX @ The Pavilion at Toyota Music Factory #
05/10 – Tampa, FL @ MidFlorida Credit Union Amphitheatre #
05/11 – West Palm Beach, Florida @ Coral Sky Amphitheatre #
05/13 – Huntington, WV @ Big Sandy Superstore Arena #
05/14 – Columbia, MD @ Merriweasther Post Pavilion #
05/16 – Noblesville, IN @ Ruoff Home Mortgage Music Center #
05/17 – Bonner Springs, KS @ Providence Medical Center Amphitheatre #
05/19 – Clarkston, MI @ DTE Energy Music Center #
05/20 – Youngstown, OH @ Covel Centre #
05/22 – Ottawa, ON @ Canadian Tire Centre #
05/24 – Camden, NJ @ BB&T Pavilion #
05/25 – Mansfield, MA @ Xfinity Center #

* = Decibel Magazine Tour with Morbid Angel, Blood Incantation, Necrot
# = with Slayer, Lamb of God, Amon Amarth

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