Veteran Arizona thrashers FLOTSAM AND JETSAM will release their 14th album, "Blood In The Water", on June 4 via AFM Records. The official music video for the disc's third single, "Brace For Impact", can be seen below.
It's been 35 years since FLOTSAM AND JETSAM, formed in Phoenix, Arizona, released its landmark debut, "Doomsday For The Deceiver", the only album to ever receive a 6K rating from the influential British magazine Kerrang! Bassist Jason Newsted would jump ship to METALLICA while the band released "No Place for Disgrace" in 1988. "Cuatro" (1992), "Drift" (1995), "High" (1997) and "My God" (2001) all still rank extremely high in heavy metal circles. But it was the first part of this unofficial trilogy in 2016's self-titled "Flotsam And Jetsam", followed by the the crushing 2019 successor "The End Of Chaos" that a certain rejuvenation and reset was clearly felt. Fast forward to a planet that was forced to its knees: While spending most of the past year in a holding pattern like the rest of the world, FLOTSAM AND JETSAM made the best of a struggling situation and just let those creative juices and angst flow. What emerged was 12 brand new blistering tracks under the moniker "Blood In The Water".
"We really had a hell of a time figuring out which songs to actually include in this album, because we don't feel we had any fillers," says guitarist Steve Conley about the new songs, which clock in at nearly 55 minutes of thrashing glory.
Vocalist Eric "A.K." Knutson adds: "We've seen our fan base increasing, and we've seen the response to the last two albums getting louder and louder. We have some of the most committed and crazy fans in the world. We charted higher on our last album than at any point in our career. Maybe our career path will run similar to MOTÖRHEAD's, who, although was always considered iconic, didn't really break through in a big way until later in their career. We feel our time is now... We're like that dog that's been kicked...we're ready to break the door down and take what's ours."
And the FLOTSAM lineup has never been stronger. A.K. keeps bringing the magic every album and tour, and oddly seems to be getting better and better as time goes on. He's backed by the incredibly talented, exceptionally brilliant guitar duo of co-founder Michael Gilbert and Steve Conley, the powerful, precise and lightning-fast engine of drummer Ken Mary (whose Hall Of Fame resume includes over five million albums sold with artists such as ALICE COOPER, HOUSE OF LORDS and ACCEPT), and the "fresh blood" and extraordinary technical skills and prowess of bassist Bill Bodily.
"Blood In The Water" was once again mixed and mastered by Jacob Hansen (U.D.O., VOLBEAT, AMARANTHE, POWERWOLF) and sees FLOTSAM AND JETSAM exploding with creativity, moving forward but nodding to their past.
"Following up 'The End of Chaos' was no easy task," Gilbert said. "We weren't really sure what we had left in the tank, as we put so much work, sweat, and blood into that album. As it turns out, we had plenty left to say. With everything that's happened in the world, the friends we lost this last year, and not being able to perform or tour… you hear all of that in our music. It's angry, it's aggressive, and our emotions pour out all over this album."
The track listing for the effort is as follows:
01. Blood In The Water
02. Burn The Sky
03. Brace For Impact
04. A Place To Die
05. The Walls
06. Cry For The Dead
07. The Wicked Hour
08. Too Many Lives
09. Grey Dragon
10. Reaggression
11. Undone
12. Seven Seconds 'Til The End Of The World
FLOTSAM AND JETSAM is:
Eric "A.K." Knutson - Vocals
Steve Conley - Guitar
Michael Gilbert - Guitar
Bill Bodily - Bass
Ken K Mary - Drums
