Worship Metal Album Of The Week – Flotsam And Jetsam – The End Of Chaos
The perfect way to kick-start 2019!
It’s a sad fact of life that thirty or so years into their incredible career (and if you haven’t heard 80’s thrash classics Doomsday For The Deceiver and No Place For Disgrace, 2005’s exquisite Dreams Of Death – a lost classic if ever there was one – and 2016’s magnificent self-titled effort then you should be ashamed of yourself), Flotsam and Jetsam are still probably best known to most people as the band Jason Newsted was in before he joined Metallica.
Still, if there’s any justice (sic) in the world, The End Of Chaos will be the album to finally correct this most heinous anomaly.
Kicking off with the high energy double-whammy of “Prisoner Of Time” and “Control” (check it out below), it’s quickly apparent that Erik A.K and the boys are not messing about and if delivering ballsy, melodic thrash of the highest order was their intention, they have most certainly succeeded! It’s also pretty damn clear that the guys have had a ball making this album because, despite the sometimes morose nature of the lyrics, there is a life affirming energy coursing through this album that’s practically second to none.
It’s worth noting that guitarists Michael Gilbert and Steve Conley are in particularly fine form throughout, unleashing a maelstrom of high-tempo thrash riffs and a flurry of intricate solos with a gleeful abandon. In particular, songs such as the fiendishly catchy “Recover”, the energetic gallop of “Demolition Man” and the soaring crunch of “Survive” are designed to get neck muscles snapping and those horns raised high.
Now, we’re not saying that The End Of Chaos is quite on the same level as 80’s milestones Doomsday For The Deceiver and No Place For Disgrace but, as modern thrash albums from a veteran band goes, this is exactly what you expect from musicians of this calibre.
So, if you are one of those people who only know the name Flotsam And Jetsam because of their tenuous Metallica connection then you need to rectify this situation forthwith! And, where better place to start than this stunning album that’s chock-full of melodic, thrashy goodness.
With The End Of Chaos, 2019 is already off to one hell of a great start! 8/10
Flotsam and Jetsam’s The End Of Chaos is due for release on January 18th via AFM Records.
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