Wisconsin’s Jungle Rot recently released their new album ‘Terror Regime‘ via Victory Records / Riot! This week in The Hotseat we catch up with Dave Matrise from the band who took the time to answer our questions. Expand this post to take a read of his answers and check out the tunes. If you like what you hear, you can grab it on CD online [Here] or digitally [Here].
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Got Spotify? Listen while you read
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THE BASICS
Name : Dave Matrise
Band : Jungle Rot
Job In Band : Vocal/ Guitar
Website Address : www.jungle-rot.com
HOME
Hometown : Kenosha, Wisconsin
Hometown is best known for : Dirt track racing and Bars
Best venue in your hometown : Hattrixs
Favourite show you’ve seen in your hometown : D.R.I
Favourite show you’ve played in your hometown : In 94 with Nuclear Assault, ticket to mayhem tour.
THE BAND
How did the band first come to exist? We all were in other bands at the time and we were supporting the underground scene together. We would always see each other at shows or parties. One day we started talking about maybe trying something different and at the time I was in between bands and looking for a new home. From that point on I have carried the torch.
How long has the band been going? The band has been around for over 18 years.
Any particular story behind the name? My drummer was in school at the time taking a test and the name came up on one of the answers. He told us all at practice and we were like ‘Hell Yes, Jungle Rot it is.’
What’s your most recent release? Tell us a little about it… We just released our 8th studio album titled ‘Terror Regime’. It was written by all of us this time around, we all went into this recording with 100% confidence. We focused on writing good solos and strong chorus. After touring with our new drummer Jesse, we knew we could push the writing to the next level. Jesse had a big part in making this new release stand out from the others with the killer drum work he has done on these last two.
Got a personal stand out achievement of your band to date? The biggest achievement to me is releasing our 8th studio album and finding a label like Victory that believes in us.
OFF THE STAGE
What was your first introduction to music that made you think seriously about playing it? That would be the first time I found the European underground scene. I remember going to my local record store every week looking at vinyl to buy. Then one day I bought Sodom – In the Sign of Evil, that was the start of me finding myself and what I was looking for in music, looking deeper for even more I picked up Destruction – Infernal Overkill. That was the band that made me go out and buy a guitar and amp. Next was Celtic Frost – Morbid Tales – at the time there was no turning back after finding all those killer releases I knew right then I was going to be in a band for life.
Any particular band / album or song that you personally credit as a major influence? Sodom
Your first band name, and what style did you play? Hatred, it was a thrash band that sounded just like Kreator we were only around for 1 year.
Most prized music related item you own? That would be my Mesa Boogie head that I have been playing on it since 95. It has a big part in our sound.
When you’re not doing band related stuff, what are you usually found doing? I would be hunting or in the outdoors. Hunting is a very big part of my life as well. I own 4 lab dogs that work for me as a hunting guide in the fall/ winter months. This is something I have been doing for over 20 yrs of my life.
The thing you most look forward to just before a tour is… Is getting out there and kicking ass playing every night. That’s the reward after all the hard work.
The thing you least look forward to before a tour is… Leaving my wife and dogs and home. But they all know I’ll be back.
ON THE STAGE
When on offer, what’s your one must have item on the rider? Grape Juice and assorted candy
Favourite place you’ve toured… and why? Europe I really like seeing some of the old country in Czech – it just has so much history to it you can see it everywhere you go.
Most memorable show you’ve played? and why? Milwaukee Metal fest in ’95. There were so many killer bands on that bill and at one time that was the biggest fest in the U.S. It would bring in over 5000 people to the show. Playing that kind of a show early on in our career help us get signed to labels early on. It was a great way to showcase your band to so many people at one time.
Got a favourite song to play live? Strong Shall Survive. It’s a song that helps me remember were I came from and never ever give up the fight for the band.
Any embarrassing on stage moments come to mind? That would be my very first show I ever played with my first band, Hatred. We were all ready to play the show and we could not find our drummer anywhere. We looked all over the place and nothing. I went out to the Van and there he was passed out with a case of beer and empty cans all over the place. I called the other guys over to help me get him up and in the venue. I walked him to his set and sat him down on his seat. We came out and tried to start a song 3 different times, finally he hit the drums and I heard a noise like someone fell over or something. I looked back and he was passed-out cold behind the drums and we never could get him back up. I still remember it well and some of my friends were there and I still hear about until this day.
Any pre-show rituals? Not really we just make sure were all in the same room 10 mins before we go on so we can prepare for war.
What do you find is the hardest aspect of touring in a band today? Being able to live in a van for 5 weeks at a time and eat once a day. I have always said it takes a very special person for this kind of work. I have had my share of members that thought they wanted it until they were given the chance, and found out they just couldn’t handle it.
RIGHT NOW
Last song you listened to? Slayer, Hell Awaits
Last album you acquired? Kataklysm, The Iron Will 20yrs Determined
Which band or album is currently on high rotation? Jungle Rot Terror Regime, I’m still memorizing/perfecting some of the lyrics on it.
Tell us an up and coming band or artist you think we should go and listen to right now? Encrust. Their debut album From Birth To Soil. They are just so fresh and new to hear. Check them out!
What’s on the cards for the next few months for the band? We will be starting a full North American tour in April called Despise The World with Suffocation, Exhumed and Rings of Saturn. It will be hitting most of the major markets in the U.S.
IF ONLY…
You can pick any one album for your band to cover in full, what would it be and why? It would have to be Sacrifice, Forward To Termination. That album had a huge impact on my love for thrash metal. They were one of the most under rated thrash bands in their time. Kinda like we are today. I never heard any other band do things that they were doing back then with the harmonized whammy bar leads, it was a signature sound for them.
You can pick any one band / artist to cover one of your albums in full, what would it be, and why? Hatebreed covering our Dead and Buried release. I always had a lot of punk/Hardcore in my roots. back in the D and B days I was writing lots of break downs and pit hate-music, us and Hatebreed were just getting started touring in the underground and making and name for ourselves. I have always had the most respected for Jamey and his band. He has done a lot for the underground music scene, when we first started out he would book us shows and tours and he even put out are first release on his label, he never forgot where he has came from and is a true metal warrior.
One band you wish you were able to see live but never had the chance? I have seen lots of bands in my time. I think I can say I have seen all the bands I have ever wanted to see in my lifetime.
One venue you have yet to play that you would love to? The Aragon Ballroom in Chicago Il. I saw some of my best concerts there and it brings me back to some of my first dreams I ever had when starting in a band. I would always tell my buddies how bad I wanted to play there with Slayer in our home town.
The chance comes up to fill in for a member of a band for one tour, which band would it be, and why? Obituary, no question about it. They were one of my biggest influences in death metal. This band fits my style of playing the most. I can see myself being very comfortable while playing their songs. They are the most down to earth guys you could ever meet.
A headline tour overseas comes up, tell us two bands you’d take along to support your band. I have no idea – anybody’s welcome!!
PLUG TIME
Got any final words? We just released our new CD titled Terror Regime out on Victory Records order it today! We will be on tour in the U.S in April with Suffocation and we have new videos up on Youtube you can check out. Cheers!
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JUNGLE ROT – Terror Regime
Available now via Victory Records / Riot!
Buy CD online [Here] or digitally [Here].
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