BELOIT ' S VERY OWN
Jungle Rot
B
eloit, Wisconsin metal juggernaut Jungle Rot has been churning out dependable,“ meat and potatoes” death metal for 26 years, so you expect certain things when you spin one of their albums. It’ s the old“ if it ain’ t broke, don’ t fix it” mentality the band has always maintained. On their 10th self-titled album( out July 20 via Victory Records), guitarist and vocalist Dave Matrise, bassist James Genenz, guitarist Geoff Bub and drummer Jesse Beahler carve out a bludgeoning path of sonic carnage. The album features ten classic Jungle Rot-style death metal tracks,
By Kelley Simms
including a blistering cover of Kreator’ s“ Terrible Certainty.” And keeping the Teutonic thrash metal love going, the album also includes a guest appearance by Destruction’ s Schmier on“ Fearmonger.”
Fans will have two chances to see the Rot this month at Reggie ' s in Chicago when they open for Kataklysm on June 4, and again when they perform as part of Wookfest on June 16. Dave Matrise spoke to Mosh about the new album and their unabashed approach to making music.
Mosh: The trademarked Jungle Rot sound has been consistent throughout the band’ s existence. But, do you think that could also be your downfall among listeners?
Dave Matrise: I hear it both ways. We get applauded, but we hear backlash as well. I’ ve always stated that a band like us should be applauded for staying so true to ourselves and not steering into different directions of what’ s hot today and the fashion of today. We found our niche, and when we get together, it’ s what we like to do. It’ s who we are. We strictly write for ourselves, I think, and not in a selfish way. But it’ s what we feel.
Mosh: Why did you decide to self-title the new album? Dave Matrise: I’ m glad you brought that up because when we got done with the album, we were throwing it out there and deciding what to call it. We all kind of just looked at each other, and I said,‘ Why don’ t we just self-title it?’ We all thought the same. This is our 10th CD now— we did Skin The Living, we did Kill On Command, we did Order Shall Prevail— we did all these titles, and we just didn’ t do Jungle Rot yet. I think we earned it. To do it [ once ] in our career; to just be labeled Jungle Rot. The name should say it all.
Mosh: Was there anything you wanted to experiment with or try doing differently? Dave Matrise: No, it’ s strictly what we do. We’ re not trying to reinvent anything. I hate to say that, but it’ s what we feel. Everything I write is what I love and what I really feel. I don’ t look at writing as trying to push it to the next level; I just write what’ s us. We’ ve been asked those questions our whole life. I look at( the band) Obituary, what have they changed? They’ re still flying the flag of the old school. Old school is old school. We’ re here to represent. We want to take our scene back!
Mosh: Once again, the album cover art by Hungarian artist Gyula Havancsak is an absolute stunner. Did you have to give him any direction on a theme or concept? Dave Matrise: No, we never really do. That’ s how good the guy is! We gave him the name, and that’ s what he gave us. Basically, it’ s a guy rotting in the jungle! I mean, he couldn’ t have nailed it any better. We love working with him; every album, we just can’ t wait to write when we get the new cover [ and ] see what he comes up with. I think this one is better than all of them. He just keeps getting better and better.
Mosh: How did you get Schmier from Destruction to sing on“ Fearmonger”? Your vocal lines work so well together. Dave Matrise: It’ s a dream come true to me. Twenty-five years ago I started out listening to Sodom, Destruction, and Kreator, that’ s what took my soul. Who would have thought years later I’ d be playing with Schmier. We basically did the last tour with them- last summer with Warbringer- and he started inviting me up to do guest vocals for“ Invincible Force” and him and Mike( Sifringer). [ They ] were blown away by my vocals. And we were writing the album at the same time, and I just mentioned it right on the spot, and he was down for it. I kind of wrote the perfect song for him. Right away when I started it, I knew it had to be close to that old school German thrash style just for him. And that’ s exactly how I think it came out. Mosh: There’ s even more Teutonic metal love with a cover of Kreator’ s“ Terrible
Continued on page 46
VESSEL OF LIGHT
out now
Featuring
Dan Lorenzo HADES / Non-Fiction guitars / bass Nathan Opposition
Ancient VVisdom Vocals / drums
Distributed in America by Cobraside
34 illinoisentertainer. com june 2018
2nd cd / dd / Vinyl out september 2018
“ Son of Man” single / video out now on iTunes, amazon and YouTube
@ DanLorenzoCK • @ VesselOfLightMusic