Modern technology in capable hands equals outstanding final results. Especially when you look at the veteran artists in heavy metal who were under the gun of big budget studio time as labels, managers, and outside forces wanted to keep the groups back on the road. Flotsam and Jetsam remember those days as they continually craft upper echelon power thrash forty years deep into an outstanding career through this latest record, I Am the Weapon. Armed with multiple songwriters and thorough digital audio workstations / home studio abilities, the razor sharp execution creates a top to bottom flawless aural odyssey where numerous songs shine, assuring maximum playbacks of endless pleasure.
All five players step their game up in terms of servicing the need of the song – be it through intense, musicianship-filled passages, solid foundational components, or the right accents, harmonies, hooks, or melodies that carry momentum to that next level of high-quality action. The rhythm section of bassist Bill Bodily and drummer Ken Mary especially flex fingers, hands, feet, and brain abilities beyond 95% of their brethren – check out the work of “Burned My Bridges” or thunderous “Gates of Hell” which should leave listeners drenched in sweat. The twin axe action of Michael Gilbert and Steve Conley covers every angle imaginable – clean, ambient sequences from the early moments on “A New Kind of Hero” through the stunted riffs and neoclassical sweeps on “Running Through the Fire” showcasing decades of experience in the dynamics these gentlemen latch onto to make things work on each cut. Add in the tremendous, multi-level delivery at singer Eric AK’s disposal and its clear that his ‘underrated’ tag in the community of heavy metal should be abolished – confidently hitting highs in the Halford/Dickinson mold during the title track chorus as if channeling his No Place for Disgrace days, while being a bellowing mid-range force on closer “Black Wings”.
Jacob Hansen weaves his mixing/mastering magic on the record, ensuring a sturdy, full sound that jumps through whatever sound system you choose to employ. Since the band’s self-titled outing in 2016, Flotsam and Jetsam aren’t just aiming to improve record to record – they stake a claim in proving that the band still has plenty of creative vitality to translate appropriately in the modern scene. I Am the Weapon will hit many best-of lists not just in the power/thrash realm, but the overall heavy metal landscape. Well worth its accolades.