The excitement for Jungle Rot's upcoming 10th studio album is palpable, as band leader Dave Matrise energetically discusses what he calls their best release ever. Though the album wasn't even announced at the time he met up with Exclaim! TV Aggressive Tendencies at Toronto's Coalition, the vocalist/guitarist spoke of it extensively, revealing there would be another awesome guest vocalist after Max Cavalera appeared on 2015's "Fight Where You Stand."
While details on the new album are still slim, Matrise says, "I'm excited as hell for it, man. Usually when I put an album out, I really don't know how good it is until the input from the fans or [hear what] other people say, but this one I think I've got something special, man."
That something special isn't a huge departure from the sound the Wisconsin band delivered on Matrise's other two favourite releases — 2015's Order Shall Prevail and 2011's Kill on Command — and beyond, since forming in 1992.
"I think the most important thing about Jungle Rot is we keep it real. We've been doing what we do our whole life, and we're called the meat and potatoes of death metal," says Matrise. "In your face grooving, that's what it's all about."
While writing music, Matrise explains that he thinks of someone coming in the door having never heard the band, who then starts bobbing their head, tapping their foot and throwing their fist — you've got them hooked.
Perhaps it's the lack of hooks that keeps Jungle Rot away from the technical side of death metal, with Matrise opining that the bar is so high with that stuff that there's not much more space for it to go. Though he's a fan of bands like Skeletal Remains (calling their latest "sick as shit") and Necrot, the revival hasn't quite crested yet, but Matrise is ready to cash in when it does and get literally paid after paying his dues for the last two and a half decades.
In the interview, he also talks about the recent Victory Records reissue of What Horrors Await, the band's occasionally war-centric lyrics and how people mistake that as them being pro war.
Delving further into current societal issues — as the band often does in their lyrics — Matrise also discusses the gun control debate, admitting he doesn't know the answer but that any changes would have direct repercussions for his job outside of Jungle Rot as a hunting guide.
Watch the interview in the players below and keep an eye out for further details on the upcoming album from Jungle Rot.
While details on the new album are still slim, Matrise says, "I'm excited as hell for it, man. Usually when I put an album out, I really don't know how good it is until the input from the fans or [hear what] other people say, but this one I think I've got something special, man."
That something special isn't a huge departure from the sound the Wisconsin band delivered on Matrise's other two favourite releases — 2015's Order Shall Prevail and 2011's Kill on Command — and beyond, since forming in 1992.
"I think the most important thing about Jungle Rot is we keep it real. We've been doing what we do our whole life, and we're called the meat and potatoes of death metal," says Matrise. "In your face grooving, that's what it's all about."
While writing music, Matrise explains that he thinks of someone coming in the door having never heard the band, who then starts bobbing their head, tapping their foot and throwing their fist — you've got them hooked.
Perhaps it's the lack of hooks that keeps Jungle Rot away from the technical side of death metal, with Matrise opining that the bar is so high with that stuff that there's not much more space for it to go. Though he's a fan of bands like Skeletal Remains (calling their latest "sick as shit") and Necrot, the revival hasn't quite crested yet, but Matrise is ready to cash in when it does and get literally paid after paying his dues for the last two and a half decades.
In the interview, he also talks about the recent Victory Records reissue of What Horrors Await, the band's occasionally war-centric lyrics and how people mistake that as them being pro war.
Delving further into current societal issues — as the band often does in their lyrics — Matrise also discusses the gun control debate, admitting he doesn't know the answer but that any changes would have direct repercussions for his job outside of Jungle Rot as a hunting guide.
Watch the interview in the players below and keep an eye out for further details on the upcoming album from Jungle Rot.
