Beginning life as Paradox, Dogz, and slightly more embarrassingly, Dredlox, Flotsam and Jetsam has enjoyed/endured somewhat of a staggered career trajectory since 1984. Taking the Metal world by storm with Doomsday For The Deceiver in 1986, the Arizona thrashers delivered the equally impressive No Place For Disgrace a couple of years later, and the world, as they say, looked to be their oyster.
Unfortunately, Thrash Metal as the eighties knew it was soon to become virtually obsolete. Up a certain creek without a certain instrument, the band gamely hung on in there, releasing several highly underrated records throughout the nineties and aughts before eventually striking gold once more, bursting back into life on 2010’s The Cold, a return to their classic sound and original logo tipping the balance in their favour once more.
Since then, consistency has been key and the band has maintained not only the same high-quality output,but managed to keep the inevitable personnel changes to a minimum. Retaining the same line-up as 2021’s Blood In The Water, latest studio offering I Am The Weapon (AFM Records) boasts the same high standards, and with its Game Of Thrones style cover art, means business from the start.
Opening with latest single “A New Kind Of Hero,” jangling chords and rolling drums pause briefly before the song dives headlong into familiar, urgent Speed Metal territory. Occasionally reminiscent of Metallica‘s “That Was Just Your Life,” frontman Eric A.K. Knutsen‘s soaring vocals and the song’s downbeat “Superman is gone” refrain give the cut a sharper, melodic edge.
Previous single “Primal” is up next and well and truly lives up to its lyrics, all clenched teeth and adrenaline. Showing absolutely no signs of slowing down, the title track puts the rhythm section of drummer Ken Mary and bassist Bill Bodily through their paces before standout cut “Burned My Bridges” arrives, surging with a darkened melodic tone similar to “The Walls” from their last album.
Every bit as venomous as the title suggests, “The Head Of The Snake” is followed by the peculiar but fun “Beneath The Shadows,” an up-tempo cut that appears to lean on “Roadhouse Blues” by The Doors for its rhythmic influence. Returning to mid-paced Thrash with “Gates Of Hell” and more intricate Speed Metal riffing on “Cold Steel Lights,” original guitarist Michael Gilbert and axe partner Steve Conley shred their fingers off, recreating the classic Flots sound with a modern touch.
On “Kings Of The Underworld,” Knutsen spits out each verse in a vicious monotone before taking flight for its memorable melodic sections, the stop/start rhythm of “Running Through The Fire” is offset by another immediate chorus, while apocalyptic closer “Black Wings” saves some of the best lead guitar work on the album till last.
Armed to the teeth with thrilling melodies and killer riffs, I Am The Weapon reinforces the band’s keen ear for melody as well as all-out speed, the album yet another high point in the latter part of their career.
Buy the album here:
https://flotsamandjetsam.bfan.link/i-am-the-weapon
8 / 10
GARY ALCOCK