Erik Rutan
A relentless force in extreme metal, both as a guitarist for legendary bands and as a producer shaping the sound of modern death metal.
Born 1971 (age 55)·American musician and record producer·Birthday: June 10·Generation X
Biography
Erik Rutan's name is synonymous with intensity in the world of heavy music. Emerging from the New Jersey metal scene, he first gained notice with the technical thrash of Ripping Corpse before joining the seminal death metal act Morbid Angel in the early 1990s. His razor-sharp guitar work helped define their landmark 'Domination' album. Never one to stand still, Rutan founded his own brutal vehicle, Hate Eternal, serving as its driving creative force, vocalist, and guitarist. Parallel to his performing career, he built a second, equally influential legacy behind the board. His Mana Recording Studios in Florida became a destination for metal bands seeking his precise, powerful production style, working on albums for acts like Cannibal Corpse, which he later joined as a full-time guitarist. Rutan embodies the dual role of artist and architect in a niche but fervent musical world.
Generation X
1965–1980
The latchkey kids. Raised during divorce, recession, and the end of the Cold War. Skeptical, self-reliant, media-literate. They invented indie culture, grunge, and the early internet — then watched the Boomers take credit.
Erik was born in 1971, placing them squarely in the Generation X. The events that shaped this generation — economic uncertainty, the end of the Cold War, and the rise of personal computing — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Erik Was Born
The biggest hits of 1971
#1 Movie
Fiddler on the Roof
Best Picture
The French Connection
#1 TV Show
Marcus Welby, M.D.
Erik's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1971Born
Voting age lowered to 18 in the US
Gas: $0.36/galHome: $18,100Min wage: $1.60/hrPresident: Richard Nixon"Joy to the World" — Three Dog NightBest Picture: The French Connection
1976Started school
Apple Computer founded; US bicentennial
Gas: $0.59/galHome: $29,300Min wage: $2.30/hrPresident: Gerald Ford"Silly Love Songs" — WingsBest Picture: Rocky
1984Became a teenager
Apple Macintosh introduced
Gas: $1.13/galHome: $59,800Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"When Doves Cry" — PrinceBest Picture: Amadeus
1987Could drive
Black Monday stock market crash
Gas: $0.90/galHome: $72,400Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"Walk Like an Egyptian" — The BanglesBest Picture: The Last Emperor
1989Could vote
Berlin Wall falls; Tiananmen Square protests
Gas: $1.00/galHome: $79,100Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: George H.W. Bush"Look Away" — ChicagoBest Picture: Driving Miss Daisy
1992Turned 21
LA riots after Rodney King verdict
Gas: $1.13/galHome: $84,300Min wage: $4.25/hrPresident: George H.W. Bush"End of the Road" — Boyz II MenBest Picture: Unforgiven
2001Turned 30
September 11 attacks transform the world
Gas: $1.46/galHome: $126,400Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: George W. Bush"Hanging by a Moment" — LifehouseBest Picture: A Beautiful Mind
2011Turned 40
Osama bin Laden killed; Arab Spring sweeps the Middle East
Gas: $3.53/galHome: $138,400Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Barack Obama"Rolling in the Deep" — AdeleBest Picture: The Artist
2021Turned 50
January 6 Capitol breach; COVID vaccines roll out globally
Gas: $3.01/galHome: $298,900Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Joe Biden"Levitating" — Dua LipaBest Picture: CODA
2026Age 55 today
Gas: $3.91/galPresident: Donald Trump
Key Achievements
- Founded and leads the influential death metal band Hate Eternal, releasing multiple critically praised albums.
- Served as the lead guitarist for Morbid Angel during the mid-1990s, contributing to their album 'Domination.'
- Owns and operates Mana Recording Studios, producing landmark albums for bands like Cannibal Corpse and Goatwhore.
- Joined the legendary death metal band Cannibal Corpse as their lead guitarist in 2020.
Did You Know?
He produced the debut album for the band 'Nile,' which is considered a classic in the technical death metal genre.
He is left-handed but plays guitar right-handed.
Before joining Morbid Angel, he was in a band called Ripping Corpse, which released one studio album.
“I've always been driven by passion and intensity, in both playing and producing music.”
