ALBUM REVIEW: Cruel Face Of War – Jungle Rot
For just shy of 35 years, Wisconsin’s JUNGLE ROT have been fervently flying the flag for death metal. Their craft has never looked to dramatically reinvent the rule book, instead, their career has revolved around consistent delivering of punchy, stank-face inducing death metal. It’s a tried and tested method and one that has seen the band retain notoriety in a scene that has grown exponentially since they first started. Looking to retain their position, four years after 2022’s A Call To Arms, this year sees the band return with their 12th studio effort, Cruel Face Of War, a 40-minute aural battering.
Those accustomed to JUNGLE ROT, and there are many as the band have maintained a fiercely loyal following over their lengthy career, will know what to expect with Cruel Face Of War. Brutal, razor-sharp death metal with ample stomp and groove to give your neck muscles a serious workout. And just one listen will achieve just that. Following a largely redundant introductory opening, Apocalyptic Dawn ignites the napalm and across just shy of four minutes, we’re treated to a pummeling and vicious affair. The production is hefty, the riffs are sharp, and Dave Matrise‘s familiar gutturals cut through the mix effortlessly well. It’s trademark JUNGLE ROT.
In a tightly compact runtime of just over 40 minutes, Cruel Face Of War pulls no punches and it’s killer stuff. Apocalyptic Dawn – the title track – oozes grooves and features a mosh call that was purposedly engineered for the live stage, while the likes of Radicalized goes for the jugular and pummels you under a hailfire of blistering drumming and gnarly riffs. Elsewhere, Maniacal – a shoe-in for one of the strongest tracks on the record – dials back the frenetic speed of the album’s early barrage for a mid-tempo stomp that is neck-snappingly catchy. When the band hit the mark, it really does leave a lasting impression.
In truth, there’s little to complain about with Cruel Face Of War, it’s JUNGLE ROT through and through. And that’s just fine, but as is often the case with death metal of this ilk, the record does suffer with a degree of stagnation in its second half. A feeling of stagnation where the aural ferocity doesn’t quite hit as hard as the first bouts. However, it’s important to stress here that it is not to say any of what the band present here is bad, far from it in fact. Latter number Horrors Vile boasts a really wicked guest appearance from BENEDICTION‘s David Ingram while album closer Hollow Husk is a devilishly cool way to sign off the record.
To achieve twelve albums in a career spanning decades is an achievement in itself, but it’s even more a cause for celebration when the quality remains high. Sure, it doesn’t offer anything particularly revolutionary, although that’s never been the intent here, with Cruel Face Of War, JUNGLE ROT deliver yet another reliable bout of death metal goodness. There’s enough groove and ferocity to induce a serious case of whiplash here, neckbraces may be required…
Rating: 7/10
Cruel Face Of War is out now via Unique Leader Records.
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