Jungle Rot quickly punches you in the face

In 1995, JUNGLE ROT released their first full length effort ’Skin The Living’. Thanks to memorable songs and some high profile opening slots for Anthrax, Cannibal Corpse and the Misfits, sales of ’Skin The Living’ began to grow. Out of town shows and an east coast tour followed then before they knew it, ’Skin The Living’ had sold an extreme amount. News of the demos success and reviews describing JUNGLE ROTS' live performances as explosive led to a recording deal with Pulverizer Records. In 1998, JUNGLE ROT released their first full length alum ’Slaughter The Weak’. After enjoying more promising sales from the record JUNGLE ROT was let down when Pulverizer Records closed its doors, thus once again leaving the band label-less. At this time indy label Pavement Records offered to re-release ’Slaughter The Weak’ for the band. Unfortunately, even though sales climbed JUNGLE ROT became dissatisfied with the treatment they received and decided to part ways with the label. Proving that they were one the hardest working bands in the underground scene, JUNGLE ROT survived numerous lineup changes, kept playing shows and wrote new material. Once satisfied with the band lineup a studio was selected to record the next full length. Shortly there after, JUNGLE ROT decided to accept an offer made to them from Olympic Recordings.

Having a talented and experienced recording engineer in the band has definitely proved to be an advantage as ’Dead And Buried’ is JUNGLE ROTS' strongest effort yet. Staying with the formula of memorable songs and catchy grooves while still having the heaviness to live up to and exceed the current requirements for extreme music; JUNGLE ROT will continue its legacy of uncompromising straightforward death metal.

interview with Kevin on 11-9-2001

Please give us a short introduction of yourself?
Kevin: Well my name is Kevin Forsythe and I have been playing guitar in Jungle Rot for the last year. I have known the band sine 94-95 and have played a ton of shows with Jungle Rot when I was in my other band Cyanosis.
I was asked to join the band when Jim decided to quit. After I was in I kind of took over the band in a way!! I relieved Dave of all the extra things you have to do when you are in a band. Dave is working all the time and he just built a house so he is never around. Since I knew most of the people that he knew it was natural for me to take the spot.

Are you happy to be part of Jungle Rot and why?
Fuck ya. These guys are like my brothers. Jim and I were in Cyanosis together for about 3 years before we joined Jungle Rot. So just to be able to be in the same band as Jim again is fucking awesome. Not to mention that Dave and Chris are the two most professional musicians I have ever worked with. I plan on being in this band till we decide to stop.

Your songs are straight forward. No need to vary more?
Na, we like the quick punch in the face writing method. No fucking around just devastate. I hate it when bands write songs that are just never ending riff monsters. I get lost and I have no idea were in the song I am or is this even the same song!! Don't get me wrong I like a lot of technical death metal like NILE and shit but that is not Jungle Rot's style.

What is your goal with the band?
To have the best time and the most fun as possible. And when we have some time write some songs!!

After your problems with labels, no idea of doing self releases?
We were fully prepared to release Dead and Buried on our own. I kind of miss those days when you put out your own record for it is a lot of fun to see it go all over the world. The only reason we signed to a label is we need the marketing power that they can bring. It cost a lot of money to
put your own shit out and when you are as broke as we are, you kind of have no choice!! You can get a lot of great things done with label support but on the other hand a lot of horrifying shit can happen also, so it is a gamble.

Are you hapy till now with Olympic Recordings?
Olympic is doing ok. They get on my nerves for they keep pushing us to go on the road. We want to tour more than anything but we will not go unless we get a good tour. Why loose your ass on the road on a shit tour? That is stupid that is why so many bands break up. Also we feel if we are going to go on the road and quit our jobs it better be damn well worth it. So far the tours we were offered were not to good so they get a little pissy. Other than that everything is cool. They did a great job on getting the record out and marketed.

Who censored the cover of Dead And Buried? And why?
I'm not sure who is responsible!! I just get a call from the label saying ’we can not put out that cover’. Why I don't know that either!! I kind of sit back sometimes and wonder why us? Our shit is not that bad I have seen 10 times worse and more offensive covers that ours!!

What is your opinion of cover censorship?
FUCK CENSORSHIP!!! If you are in a band you should have the freedom to put what ever the fuck you want to put on your cover. It is just that YOUR record and no one should be able to tell you any different.

What is the most disguisting cover you saw?
Shit let me think.... Probably the Impaled ’Choice Cuts’ record. Also Cripple Bastards had a nice offensive cover on their last album. Plus Aborted has had some cherry covers!! But we can not leave out the band that started it all, Cannibal Corpse's ’Butchered at Birth’.

Do you glorify the sufferings of war?
No we just write about it. War is hell and so is every day life so the two go hand and hand. The only thing we glorify is kill your enemies.

Are you ever involved in some kind of commando training?
No I have never been in the service. I have a lot of friends and family that are in it.

Or maybe in Boot Camp?
No never.

What is the size of your boots? Or do you wear sneakers?
I wear 13 triple E boots. I have to wear them for my day job. I wear sneakers when I'm not at work and they are the same size.

What do you think of the right to carry guns in the US?
I think it is a good thing but on the other hand to many people abuse it. I have friends all over the world and they are totally amazed at how easy it is to get a gun over here. It should not be that easy but you should be able to own what ever and how many you want. I have 4 riffles and 2 hand guns, I go hunting a lot. So I have a use for them I don't collect them like a lot of people do.

What is the story behind the comic book? Who's idea was this?
Well Dave came up with the idea and Dave Horn offered to put it out. So it all kind of came together like that. We would be a lot more happy with the comic book if Horn didn't fuck us over on it. We want to do another one but it is not easy to find a place to make them. We will see.

What comics did you read in your childhood or still do?
Actually no I never really read comics. Funny hey I'm in a band that has a comic out and I don't read comics!!

You released a cover EP with metal songs. Any intention to cover non-metal songs, and which?
No not really. We like to cover songs from bands we like. Their is not a whole lot of non metal songs that we all like.

What is your fav line to pick up girls?
Hey nice tits lets hump!!!!

What do you say when they ignore you?
Fine fuck you bitch I'll screw your friend then!!!! Ha ha ha.

How do you behave on stage? Any difference when you are off stage?
Like a rabid dog high on pain killers!! I save up all my anger and hatred for humanity and let it all out when I play. Because I do this it keeps me very mellow when I'm not playing. This band and this music is what keeps me from going over the edge!! I'm able to kill the people I hate with my guitar at practice or on stage so I get all my anger out that way. When we are done I damn near pass out. If something ever happens that makes me unable to play this music I will for sure end up in jail or in a nut house!!!!

MacDonalds, Burger King, KFC?
Dude Burger King all the way.

Are you a good cook yourself? What is your pride of what you can cook?
Oh hell no. I damn near burn the place down when I try to ’cook’. Because I suck so bad at it I have no pride in anything I make!!!

Do you follow other brutal metal bands?
Yes I like all the kings of the scene Cannibal, Angle, Obit, etc. I also like a lot of Fleshgind, Disinter, Macabre, Sinister, Hatebreed, Origin, Skinless, Deceased, 7 Angles 7 Plagues, Forever Is Forgotten, Midian, and Corpse Vomit.

Did you ever helped them out as a guest musician?
No, no one has ever asked me to play on their albums.

Do you attend to begin some side projects?
I have a side project that I work on when I'm not doing stuff with Jungle Rot. It is way different from JR's style. It is more like bands like Angle Corpse, Krisun, and Sinister. It kind of balances between black and death metal. It is a lot of fun I hope to put out a record with it in winter or early spring.

What is you fav four letter word?
It would for sure be FUCK. Think about it you can use that word any place and it makes total sence. As a verb ’hey lets go fuck’ or as a adjective ’hey they guy is a total fuck’. A noun ’I'm a total fuck’ the list is endless. You can go fuck yourself or some one else. Like hey bill just fucked Jane, or Jane just fucked Bill. You can take that sentence two different ways. Look at all the different versions of the word, fuck, fucker, fucking, fucked, fuck'o, and fuck-off. In my opinion fuck is the best word in the English language and should have more respect for its diversity!!!!

Last rites?
Thanks Twan for the interview and all the support. Your site is killer.
If any of your readers would like more info on Jungle Rot you can check out our web site at www.junglerot.net thanks a lot and keep on killing!!!!