Bruce Kendall Corbitt (December 22, 1962 – January 25, 2019) was an American heavy metal vocalist from Dallas, Texas, best known for alternately fronting the bands

Rigor Mortis Rigor mortis (Latin: ''rigor'' "stiffness", and ''mortis'' "of death"), or postmortem rigidity, is the third stage of death. It is one of the recognizable signs of death, characterized by stiffening of the limbs of the corpse caused by chem ...

and Warbeast. His aggressive vocals were first showcased on Rigor Mortis' self-titled debut, which was released by

Capitol Records Capitol Records, LLC (known legally as Capitol Records, Inc. until 2007) is an American record label distributed by Universal Music Group through its Capitol Music Group imprint. It was founded as the first West Coast-based record label of note ...

in 1988. The album is regarded as a landmark of

speed metal Speed metal is an extreme subgenre of heavy metal music that originated in the late 1970s from new wave of British heavy metal (NWOBHM) roots.K. Kahn-Harris, ''Extreme Metal: Music and Culture on the Edge'' (Berg Publishers, 2007), , p. 31. It ...

, and the band is one of the first of its type to have a major label release.

Biography

Rigor Mortis

After signing with Capitol Records, Rigor Mortis went on to tour North America and continued to terrorize the Dallas/Fort Worth metal underground. Violence and chaos followed the band wherever they performed, often involving room-clearing brawls. This culminated in Corbitt surviving being stabbed repeatedly at one of the band's concerts in 1987, mere days after their contract with the label had been finalized. After departing Rigor Mortis in 1989, Corbitt remained mostly off the stage while still continuing to support other metal acts from the region. Rigor Mortis subsequently broke up in 1991, only to reform in 2005, again with Corbitt at the helm. They made several high-profile appearances, including Ozzfest in 2008 and their first international performance in Germany at The Keep It True Festival the following year. The band recorded their final album (their second with Corbitt), called ''Slaves to the Grave'', which was self-released by the band on their own Rigor Mortis Records imprint in 2014. This album unwittingly became a posthumous release for guitarist Mike Scaccia, who collapsed on stage and died of a heart attack in Fort Worth, Texas, while performing with the band on December 22, 2012, which also happened to be Corbitt's 50th birthday.

Warbeast

After successfully returning to the stage with Rigor Mortis, Corbitt joined forces with former members of thrash institution Gammacide to create Texas Metal Alliance in 2006, which was rechristened as Warbeast in 2009. The band subsequently saw four releases on

Philip Anselmo Philip Hansen Anselmo (born June 30, 1968) is an American heavy metal vocalist best known as the lead singer for Pantera, Down, and Superjoint, amongst other musical projects. He is the owner of Housecore Records. Anselmo is regarded as one ...

's Housecore Records, including their debut album, ''Krush the Enemy'', ''Destroy'', and ''Enter the Arena''. Warbeast has made multiple national touring appearances in support of notable acts including

GWAR Gwar, often stylized as GWAR, is an American heavy metal band formed in Richmond, Virginia in 1984, composed of and operated by a frequently rotating line-up of musicians, artists and filmmakers collectively known as Slave Pit Inc. After the ...

and Down.

Wizards of Gore

In 2014, the surviving members of the original Rigor Mortis lineup, which included Corbitt, along with bassist Casey Orr and drummer Harden Harrison, renamed themselves The Wizards of Gore and performed the Rigor Mortis material in tribute to Mike Scaccia. They made sporadic appearances in Texas, including the 2014 edition of the Housecore Horror Festival.

Personal life

Illness and death

Corbitt was diagnosed with stage III

esophageal cancer Esophageal cancer is cancer arising from the esophagus—the food pipe that runs between the throat and the stomach. Symptoms often include difficulty in swallowing and weight loss. Other symptoms may include pain when swallowing, a hoarse vo ...

in May 2017. He underwent chemotherapy, but was placed in hospice care in January 2019 and died January 25 at age 56. Corbitt is the second member of Rigor Mortis to have died, following

Mike Scaccia Michael Ralph Scaccia (June 14, 1965 – December 22, 2012) was an American musician, best known as a guitarist for several heavy metal and alternative rock acts, including Rigor Mortis, Ministry and Revolting Cocks. Life and career Scaccia wa ...

in December 2012.

Influences and style

Corbitt's vocal approach was one that combined menace with an almost unsettling intelligibility. Unlike many extreme singers, he was known for clear delivery of even the most heinous of lyrics. His voice was reinforced by a number of visual trademarks, including ripped blue jeans, horror-themed shirts, and his demonic stare and accompanying "claw" hand pose. Corbitt was also known for his chainlink microphone stand, which was designed with a detachable top half to facilitate movement around the stage. Corbitt featured the stand in his respective bands, which was painted red for Rigor Mortis performances and subsequently chromed in the Warbeast era.

Discography

Rigor Mortis

* 1986: ''Demo 1986'' * 1988: ''

'' * 2014: ''Slaves to the Grave'' * 2015: ''Welcome to Your Funeral (The Story of Rigor Mortis, Part 1)'' (DVD) * 2018: ''The Original Unadulterated Freaks Demonstration Recordings''

Warbeast

* 2010: ''Krush the Enemy'' * 2013: ''War of the Gargantuas'' * 2013: ''Destroy'' * 2017: ''Enter the Arena''

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Corbitt, Bruce 1962 births 2019 deaths People from Dallas American heavy metal singers Thrash metal musicians Deaths from esophageal cancer Deaths from cancer in the United States