review by Detroit Jason Kenski
Arizona thrash metallers Flotsam And Jetsam are back with their 16th album ‘I Am The Weapon’, released September 13th on AFM Records, and once again they don’t disappoint.
As a longtime Flotsam And Jetsam fan, like Slayer and AC/DC, you know what you are getting with them. The album’s title track showed that the band was NOT phoning in or just going through the motions. Eric “A.K.” Knutson shows why they should not be overlooked, even 40+ years since their debut. Like most 80’s metal singers, he plays to his strengths and doesn’t try to force the notes he’s notorious for, which shows that STILL needs to be respected.
‘Gates of Hell'(my 2nd favorite track off the album) has awesome riffs, guitar solos and a great example of an earworm chorus. ‘Primal’, which is played on Sirius XM’s Liquid Metal station, is another track that shows the band still has something to offer to old school heshers and new metalheads both. And like the band, ‘Black Wings'(the last track on the album), I’ve saved the best for last. This has to be the best song they’ve done since their heydays. Ken Mary’s drum work on this track is phenomenal. The intro has a symphonic black metal sound to it, and they actually pull it off.
While I am a big fan of their last 2 albums(2019’s ‘The End Of Chaos’ and 2021’s ‘Blood In The Water’), I think this album is a tad bit of an improvement, and I am glad that they are still going strong. Kind of like Flotzilla(their mascot).