Holocausto Canibal was manifested during the Autumn of 1997, assembled by erstwhile members of acts such as Nephrit, Web, Dying Season, Wintershades and Impious in vocalist Ricardo Silva, guitarist Nuno, bassist Zé Pedro and drummer João Lamela. The first line up change occurred in October 1998 when Silva was asked to leave. New man Carlos would be drafted for recording of the rehearsal demo 'oPus I'. The sale of over 1000 cassettes prompted a debut album, 'Gonorreia Visceral' being laid down at Rec n' Roll Studios in September 1999, being released by So Die Music in February 2000. João Lamela quit shortly afterward and Holocausto Canibal persevered with a drum machine for the national 'Chaos And Disorder' tour packaged with ThanatoSchizO and The Firstborn.

The group would re-introduce Ricardo Silva as lead vocalist and enrolled Ivan on the drums and in November 2000 undertook a further headline tour, dubbed 'Portuguese Bastards', with support from Goldenpyre and Corpus Christii. Next product would be the video 'Gore, Vulva e Holocaustos' comprising live footage, interviews and suitably gory moments from cult movies. The album 'Sublime Massacre Corporeo' emerged in 2002.

Holocausto Canibal shared a 2003 split album with Italian Grind act Grimness. The album cover was horrific even by Grindcore standards. The band also put in an appearance at the 2003 'Steel Warriors Rebellion VI' festival alongside Enthroned, Internal Suffering, Katatonia, Finntroll, Attick Demons, Neoplasmah, Pitch Black, Corpus Christii, In Thy Flesh, Axe Murderers, Agonized, ThanatoSchizO, Flagellum Dei and Eternal Mourning.