Jungle Rot Member Rails Against Kerry King's Mayhem Festival Critique

BY Gregory AdamsPublished Jul 27, 2015

Slayer guitarist Kerry King's very public and pointed critique of the Mayhem Festival apparently isn't sitting well with the other acts on the traveling metal tour. While the slaytanic axe-slinger has suggested the trip wasn't booked properly, Jungle Rot vocalist/guitarist Dave Matrise has offered that they're "trying to keep this thing rolling" as best they can.

As previously reported, King had lashed out after tour founder Kevin Lyman suggested that Mayhem's diminishing results owed to the metal genre having "got gray, bald and fat." King countered this by suggesting that the under-capacity crowds they were playing to was due to the lack of recognizable talent, which he called "a gigantic error."

Now, Matrise has weighed in on King's divisive words, suggesting that the Slayer member's negative attitude is further tanking the tour.

"I'm gonna be truthful — I take it very personal," he told Live Metal [via Lambgoat]. "I'm a longtime Slayer fan, and I hate to say it, but now I'm gonna change my thoughts about Slayer over this. It's because of the simple fact that there's a lot of people, including myself, and a lot of bands here that have a lot of money invested in this tour, and we're trying to make our money back, and we're trying to keep this thing rolling. And here's this guy, and he opens his mouth and sabotages the tour, in my opinion."

Matrise further suggested King hasn't been particularly open-minded about the rest of his tourmates, and claimed that "there's some really good talent out there, man."

He added: "I think he stuck his foot in his mouth and I hope this turns on him and I hope for the worst. I have had enough — the guy's been runnin' his mouth enough and this is the final straw."

Four dates remain for this year's Mayhem Festival. We're guessing fans won't be treated to an on-stage jam between Jungle Rot and Slayer.

Jungle Rot issued their eighth full-length LP, Order Shall Prevail, last month via Victory Records. You'll find a video for the set's "Paralyzed Prey" beneath the remaining tour dates.

Tour dates:

07/29 Atlanta, GA - Aaron's Amphitheater at Lakewood
07/31 San Antonio, TX - Whitewater Amphitheater
08/01 Houston, TX - Cynthia Woods Mitchell Pavilion
08/02 Dallas, TX - Gexa Energy Amphitheater

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