Flotsam And Jetsam – I Am The Weapon

Written by on 28-09-2024 at 09:20.

Whereas some of their contemporaries seem to see the making of a new album as an (annoying?) interruption to the more lucrative touring, Flotsam and Jetsam simply put down a ‘winning streak’ of three strong albums since 2016. And feel free to add this new I Am The Weapon to that. The game players can therefore confidently shout ‘four in a row! (or Connect Four)’.

Here and there I read that the last albums (and the new one) would be interchangeable. And while the overall sound of The End Of Chaos, Blood In The Water and I Am The Weapon is indeed somewhat similar – it’s the same band, and recognisability is also worth something! – I’m not entirely on board with that. To my ears, on the self-titled 2016 album, the band leaned a bit more towards the British heavy metal sound, which primal members Eric ‘AK’ Knutson and Michael Gilbert must have grown up with. On The End Of Chaos, they went the extra mile for an energetic and positive metal stunner, while the equally strong Blood In The Water sounded a lot grimmer after a year of corona. However, it could perhaps be said that, as a whole, I Am The Weapon has a bit less of a face of its own than its predecessors. First, let’s dive a little deeper into the weaponry beforehand.

In opener A New Kind Of Hero, apart from the – again, see the similarity to its predecessors here – full sound, what stands out first is that later James Hetfield riff that kicks in after about 30 seconds. My head almost places a vocal line from 72 Seasons over it. However, Eric ‘A.K.’ takes a different approach, giving the track a drive and emotional charge that significantly surpasses that of the Bay Area greats’ last album: “I’m gonna need a little time”!

The guitar work for Primal is a bit more angular and the chorus a bit less catchy, which would perhaps be less noticeable if the two predecessors did not excel so much on this very point. Instead, we have a melodic, finely structured guitar solo with a few well-placed tempo shifts to take the song to the next level. With the title track, we then really get into the old-fashioned thrash regions with fast, gritty riffs and solid, varied footwork. Knutson feels it too and here he appeals to his full mid and low registers to spew his bile. When he delivers a drawn-out ‘I am the weapon’ in a rasping voice, a screaming guitar seamlessly takes over. It is at moments like this that Flotsam and Jetsam shows its class. It may require a bit more spins to listen to, but the melodies, aggression and beauty do emerge.

And where the lyrics may at first glance seem a little childish (Superman is gone, gone, gone), there is plenty to take in for the interested listener on that front too. For instance, Burning Bridges (again with convincing string wizardry, by the way) seems written from the point of view of a politically radicalised person who sees no way back. In the ensuing The Head Of The Snake, that very person’s more radical ideas seem to be set out (or fought for?): ‘The venom flows in endless hate, it’s time to cut the head of the snake’. It’s nice to hear the way growing indignation is powerfully highlighted sonically by steadily increasing intensity starting from mid-tempo with machine-stomping drums and raunchy little riffs. Incidentally, by now we’re starting to notice that the choruses in some of the songs – a pretty strong one here, by the way – are repeated a bit much. Not a problem for me and it could certainly provide some sing-along moments live.

Beneath The Shadows sounds a bit more rock ‘n’ roll at its base, and with all its swing – and despite Eric ‘AK’’s anger – it is the light-hearted interlude. A quick cup of tea and a deep breath before the second half.

Which kicks off very energetically with the stomping Gates Of Hell. Nice going Ken Mary, whose excellent drumming seems at least partly responsible for the stable sound of the last records. With such a flexible yet solid foundation, it’s hard to miss. So the guitarists don’t. The riff work is punctual and accurate and the lead work compelling. Hear those fingers racing across that neck towards the end. Cold Steel Lights keeps the pace up nicely – the dancing shoes are out of the closet by now – and turns out to be the base for a large number of short guerilla solos. Nice choice!

As a fan of Eric A.K. Knutson, I am by now ready for a song where he can seize his moment a bit more, and he does so in the intriguingly hammering verses of Kings Of The Underworld  in which he shows a different side by chiselling his message staccato into your brainpan. The chorus – also due to the repetition – lags a bit and so the trousers are still kept up by the sublime guitar work. On this record, Knutson sounds at his best anyway when he puts some grinta and anger in his vocals, like in the seething verses of Running Through The Fire. Or maybe he sounds even a tad better when he lays down his glowing lines over parts with just a little instrumentation. Just that happens a bit later with a couple of vocal lines that have feeling and class dripping off them. By the way, the track closes nicely with the bass bouncing between the riffs and drumming. Together with the opener, the title track and the rousing sing-along The Head Of The Snake, it is perhaps the best song on the album.

Until closing track Black Wings that is: a chasing track in which synthesizers add a haunting touch to an otherwise heavy metal sound: ‘When it all goes down, will you go or stay away’. No, Flotsam and Jetsam’s worldview doesn’t seem to have improved in the three years since Blood On The Water. But fortunately, the high quality has also remained. The loyal fan can just strike again and so can the fan of well-sung heavy metal with a thrashy edge. On yer bike!

Score:

84/100

Label:

AFM Records, 2024

Tracklisting:

  1. A New Kind Of Hero
  2. Primal
  3. I Am The Weapon
  4. Burned My Bridges
  5. The Head Of The Snake
  6. Beneath The Shadows
  7. Gates Of Hell
  8. Cold Steel Of Lights
  9. Kings Of The Underworld
  10. Running Through Fire
  11. Black Wings

Line-up:

  • Erik ‘AK’ Knutson – Vocals
  • Steve Conley – Guitar
  • Michael Gilbert – Guitar
  • Bill Bodily – Bass
  • Ken K Mary – Drums

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