Hammer Smashed Face

Infobox Album
Name = Hammer Smashed Face (EP)
Type = ep
Artist = Cannibal Corpse


Released = March 23, 1993
Recorded = 1993 – Niagara Falls, New York
Genre = Death metal
Length = EP: 26:17
Single: 15:17
Song: 4:03
Label = Metal Blade
Producer = "Dennis Fura" and Cannibal Corpse
Reviews = |
Last album = "Tomb of the Mutilated"
(1992)
This album = "Hammer Smashed Face EP"
(1993)
Next album = "The Bleeding"
(1994)
Misc = Extra album cover
Upper caption = Single Cover
Background = #FF9966

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Lower caption =

"Hammer Smashed Face" is Cannibal Corpse's first EP. It was released in 1993 through Metal Blade Records. There is also a "Hammer Smashed Face" single containing only the first three songs. "Hammer Smashed Face" is one of the band's most popular songs, mainly due to a shortened version appearing in the film . Since it is listed on Tomb of the Mutilated, it was banned from Germany until June 2006, when it was played at a 2006 performance at Essen. Two different covers were made, one is the single version shown to the lower-right, which is a close up of a skull candle which is in the right corner of the Tomb of the Mutilated album cover, and an EP version shown at the upper-right, depicting a man who has been repeatedy pulverized with a hammer, and then had the hammer thrust into his temple.

The lyrics tell the story of a man who has a second personality which drives him insane, so he goes on a killing spree with a hammer.

Critical reception

Bassist Alex Webster has stated that "Hammer Smashed Face" is definitely the band's most popular song.Fact|date=February 2008

When asked if he had a favourite Cannibal Corpse album, singer Chris Barnes described the "Hammer Smashed EP" as "one of the underrated ones".cite web|title=“Ghosts of the Undead” - Six Feet Under vocalist Chris Barnes delivers ten bludgeons of his philosophical hatchet with seventh record "Commandment"|author=Morgan, Anthony|publisher=Lucem Fero|date=2007-06|url=http://www.lucemfero.com/sixfeetunder062007.php|accessdate=2008-05-30] Barnes also hailed the group's cover of Black Sabbath's "Zero the Hero" as "one of the greatest".

Popular culture

* An abridged version of the song appeared in the film, Ace Ventura: Pet Detective, while Jim Carrey was present at a death metal concert featuring Cannibal Corpse. Carrey is a fan of the band, and was the one to recommend they appear in the movie.

* The title "Hammer Smashed Face" is referenced frequently, among other Cannibal Corpse titles and lyrics, in Metalocalypse by Nathan Explosion. A one-time character also refers to it, and in the same episode, a character is killed literally by being smashed in the face with a hammer identical to the one on the cover of the EP.

Track listing

EP Version:
# "Hammer Smashed Face" – 4:04
# "The Exorcist" (Possessed cover) – 4:37
# "Zero the Hero" (Black Sabbath cover) – 6:35
# "Meat Hook Sodomy" – 5:47
# "Shredded Humans" – 5:12
Single Version:
# "Hammer Smashed Face" – 4:04
# "The Exorcist" (Possessed cover) – 4:37
# "Zero the Hero" (Black Sabbath cover) – 6:35

References