Jungle Rot

They're back, and it's time to stop making fun of them. The little death metal band that just could, could, could is on album number eight, revitalized on their new home of Victory (odd, but it's working). And, almost as big an exclamation point (or at least a bold period) on Terror Regime, Jungle Rot cover D.R.I.'s "I Don't Need Society," while also delivering tune after tune of heavy death metal bordering on thrash ("Utter Chaos" is way too death to be thrash, but has thrash energy and riffs galore, while "Scorn" gallops along at German thrash speeds, but drops pure death riffs). The string-bending breakdown in the title track is one of the heavier death metal moments in recent history — any time the drummer can get a full three count in before the next riff hits, you know the silence is just deadly. These Wisconsin dudes have long been death metal's biggest underdogs. Albums like this prove they shouldn't be.