Send "Flotsam and Jetsam " Ringtones to your Cell 
| Sputnikmusic |
 Most people recognize Flotsam and Jetsam for one reason – Jason Newsted. Despite the fact that he hasn’t been with them since 1986, it seems to be the only thing that people can remember. It’s a shame because Flotsam and Jetsam have done plenty since his departure. They’ve released a string of great metal/thrash releases, most notably No Place For Disgrace, and they broke into the mainstream with Cuatro. Upon the release of Cuatro it seemed like the band were finally going to receive the recognition that they deserved, but it didn’t happen. Like most metal bands, alt rock forced them back underground and eventually back to their original label, Metal Blade Records. Those late nineties Metal Blade albums spark many fan debates, but the general consensus seems to be that they were a result of the band’s disillusionment with the music business. With the band releasing no-frills thrash that felt very uninspired, it seemed like only a matter of time before they quit. Instead, Flotsam and Jetsam is back with their tenth album, The Cold, and it is easily their best release since Cuatro in 1992.The Cold is the sound of a band that is totally reinvigorated and ready to push the boundaries of their sound again. Songs such as “Hypocrite” with its keyboard intro and huge opening solo show that the band are through rehashing the same tired thrash clichés and ready to do something exciting again. That excitement begins with some of the heaviest, most aggressive riffs that the band has ever played. The Cold is full of huge whirlwind riffs that share time with crunchy grooves and a thrashy undercurrent that holds the whole thing together. Layered within a lot of these songs are also some of the most melodic passages of the band’s career and they contrast nicely with the heavier sections. Songs such as the title track benefit from the mellower verses by causing the huge crushing chorus to sound even heavier than it would have if the whole song had been aggressive. The band also makes use of the additional melody to compliment the heavier riffs and it gives them a progressive angle that they’ve never really had before. The varying styles wouldn’t work nearly as well if the vocals weren’t up to the task, but thankfully the band still have original vocalist, Eric Knutson, belting out the lyrics like he hasn’t done in years. A comparison to Warrel Dane of Nevermore would be a good place to start for those unfamiliar with this band, but know that Eric Knutson is the stronger vocalist. His melodic vocals are as powerful as the gruff shout that he also makes use of, and he pushes songs like “Better off Dead” to levels that they couldn’t achieve without him. The fact of the matter is that there isn’t a single aspect of this album that feels uninspired. The band shred through songs like “Falling Short” with a reckless abandon and pinpoint focus that they have been missing for quite a few years. This renewed vigor has definitely lead to the band’s best album in almost twenty years, but for the older fans they may even insist that it’s their best since No Place For Disgrace in 1988....full text |
| Metal-archives |
| I feel like Flotsam & Jetsam is only too apt a band moniker for these Arizona legends, because their career seems to have drifted from the roiling crests to the unlit depths of many a turbulent sea, with the fans thrown in the chaos, wondering where the waves will carry them next. They clearly peaked early on with Doomsday for the Deceiver and No Place for Disgrace, the latter an excellent and hard ass offering of melodic thrash/power metal that arrived in one of metal's best years, 1988. Since that time, the band have undergone a cleaner, mainstream phase in which they issued tripe of random quality (average to awful) like When the Storm Comes Down, Cuatro, Drift, and High, but ended up inevitably in a more familiar territory. Their albums Unnatural Selection, My God and Dreams of Death seem to have further divided their fans, some hating them and others praising their name. I found that each had a few catchy tracks, but nothing remotely as powerful or compelling as No Place for Disgrace, even when vastly better produced. Nonetheless, its been nearly 30 years since this band launched their career, and they remain, with their 10th full-length effort The Cold, perhaps the most ambitious the band have released in a long, long time. It also appears to be the sendoff for longtime guitarist Edward Carlson, who split with the band after this recording, leaving only Eric 'A.K.' from the halcyon days when they rode the 80s thrash wave to a deal with Elektra fucking records, alongside Metallica (who copped their original bassist Jason Newsted after Cliff Burton's untimely passing). As for the music, they expand here upon the predecessor Dreams of Death, incorporating elements of power, progressive and even some groove metal into the thrashing foundation that at times manages to rekindle the spirit of the earlier efforts. The album moves sequentially and fluidly forward through these variations, but unfortunately there are painful few which stick, and my enjoyment was limited to just a few tracks here, with others bordering on awkward. "Black Cloud" is a pretty good example of the dichotomy one might encounter on The Cold. It's basically a groove metal song, with music better suited to Life of Agony or Pantera in the verses, Eric A.K. spitting out a bouncy mixture of political correctness married with life frustration while the guitars jump crash along. It's a little embarrassing to listen through, like a "Sweating Bullets", though this is not the first example of a Flotsam & Jetsam song to do such ("Hard On You" was an amazing if silly track on No Place for Disgrace with a similar vibe). However, the leads are superb in this track, and Erik really picks up the vocal intensity for the chorus, so you find yourself loving and hating it simultaneously. Perhaps this was the point of the thing...perhaps not. Similar moments in "Hypocrite", "Always" and "K.Y.A." offer a similar confusion, as in the latter where Erik yells 'I will kick your ass you crying pissy, I will kick your ass you silly girl'. I realize this is a song of blue collar frustration, but the music is just far too good for the lyrics, and it seems a sodden waste....full text |
| Roadrunnerrecords |
| Metal Mind Productions released FLOTSAM AND JETSAM's latest DVD, entitled "Once in a Deathtime", in Europe on June 16, 2008. The disc contains footage of the band's March 8, 2008 performance at Metalmania Festival in Katowice, Poland, including live renditions of such classic songs as "Doomsday for the Deceiver", "No Place for Disgrace", and "I Live You Die". The DVD also features an interview with Craig Neilsen (drums) and Ed Carlson (guitar), biography, discography, photo gallery, desktop images and weblinks. A limited-edition version of the DVD includes an audio CD containing songs recorded at the Metalmania Festival...full text |
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