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FLOTSAM AND JETSAM "I Am The Weapon"
FLOTSAM AND JETSAM "I Am The Weapon"
By Dr. Abner Mality
FLOTSAM & JETSAM continue their streak of solid albums with "I Am the Weapon". This one is not as instant as their ripping last album "Blood In the Water", but it is more varied and tries to take a few chances. The chances they take are not huge, like the ones that resulted in atrocities like "Ugly Noise", but they show some ambition. As always, the biggest weapon in F&J's arsenal is singer Eric A.K..
The speed and aggression of thrash is always in the mix...no ballads here!...but they're expressed in different ways. The title track, "Gates of Hell" and "Kings of The Underworld" are the meanest and most straightforward attacks on the album, but even on these, there are subtle differences in the guitar sound that stand out. Other tracks take more risks..."Beneath The Shadows" has a cool bluesy grind that is totally unlike the other tracks and is all the better for it, while "Black Wings" is one of the more epic songs F & J has ever done, complete with keys, choral vocal effects and bombastic melodies. On the other hand, "The Head of the Snake" is rather average groove metal and "Running Through The Fire" is somewhat choppy and disjointed.
Throughout it all, Eric A.K., again proves he's one of the best vocalists in thrash metal, with a melodic sensibility worthy of QUEENSRYCHE. He gives the word "primal" a real cool, almost Tarzan-like yell on the song of the same name that elevates that whole track. "Cold Steel Lights" is another cut that really benefits from his outstanding performance. The band has never sounded sharper on a technical level and drummer Ken Mary really lays down a beating on his kit. The album flows smoothly and even the lesser tracks are not that bad when looked as parts of the whole. Will "I Am The Weapon" push FLOTSAM & JETSAM to the ever elusive next level? I doubt it, but it would be well deserved if it did.
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