Flotsam And Jetsam Rats In The Temple Review
Flotsam and Jetsam
Rats in the Temple
Napalm Records
2026
Arizonian melodic power metal/thrashers Flotsam and Jetsam have been underrated lions in the game since 1981 (then known as Paradox) and on the international radar since 1984. Their debut Doomsday For the Deceiver is a Bonafide classic and if you live under a rock, contained one Jason Newsted on bass before he went on to join the biggest metal band in the world. You've heard of them probably, a little band called Metallica. Flotsam soldiered on though, with the gritty, intensely heavy and melodically sound No Place For Disgrace. The equally strong When the Storm Comes Down, Cuatro and My God (with minor alterations in the sound as it was now the 90's) followed as well as a host of live albums, EPs and the comeback, Ugly Noise in 2012 (which marked a return to their thrashier roots). From there they have released more full lengths, toured and kept waving their flag. That brings us to their latest (and 26th overall!!) release, the 13-song Rats In the Temple.
Their latest gem was once again helmed by the unmistakable wail and rasp of Eric A.K. Knutson on vocals. He can be both haunting and aggressive in his delivery, sounding in top form. Joining him here are Michael Gilbert and Steve Conley on guitar, William Bodily on bass and Ken Mary on drums. The quintet has crafted a tightly played, dynamic and aggressive set of tunes this time out. The modern production was tailor made for the syncopated, chopping riffs, ripping leads, flowing bass and busy drumming. Every lick, every hook and every acceleration or shifting tempo change is crystal clear and everyone sits perfectly in the mix.
Thematically, the lyrics seem to point to decidedly grim and dark tales of death, abuse, betrayal, and war. It's a bleak world, not too distant or unlike the very one we now inhabit. The fire-breathing opener “Harvest the Hate” demonstrates this perfectly with its rapid double kicks and chunky rhythms. Next up, “Damnation” continues with a similar onslaught. Thrash-forward “Absolution” comes next with locomotive start-stop guitar chugs and a hook-laden pre-chorus/chorus that rivals anything they have ever done. Definitely a favorite and an early standout. Eric's vocals are truly something special on this one, and unless my ears deceive me, haven't been accommodated by the band tuning down. The man is just a force of nature whose voice has not aged or lost a single step. The eerie dissonant chording in the intro to “Blame the Knife” gives way to another fast 4/4 alternate-picked double-bass verse, a shouted cadenced chorus and a machine-gun guitar-led breakdown before virtuoso leads rip your face off.
Moving right along, title track “Rats in the Temple” begins with orchestral soundscapey keyboards, a Painkiller-worthy drum fill and more serpentine lead guitars. Shifting from that, they then deploy foreboding single-note keys underneath more power metal via thrash verses and tuneful minor-key vocals and a full-throttle gang chorus. The guitarmony lead mid-tempo bite of “The Ghost Behind My Door” breaks away into burning thrash verses and an Iron Maiden-worthy soaring chorus. Drop-tuned chugger “First On the Spike” gallops along with vigor, a sing-along bridge, a more rocking verse followed by a swaggering chorus. “The Edge of Nowhere” is a busy riffing absolute burner, as is “Last Rites”. The mid-tempo plod of “A Taste of War” is the first respite but by no means is it less intense, the tempo is just pulled back a bit here, making it an enjoyable, dare I say, prettier song that is the most traditionally straight-up metal track. “Her Blood Your Pain” and its staccato verses, harmonized guitars and rat-a-tat machine-gun chorus could've easily been on No Place for Disgrace in the place of the similarly written “Misguided Fortune”. The leads once again are just sublime juxtaposed over the rhythms. Gilbert and Conley are playing like their lives absolutely depend on writing catchy yet earth-shakingly heavy layered parts and six-string hero lead work. Let these men cook, I'm absolutely here for it. Nearing the end of the ride, “Anthem For the Broken” is another more traditional metal-infused song with an equally powerful message about never giving up or surrendering. Seriously, the chorus here is, as the song title suggests, unabashedly anthemic and ear-worming. Closing things out, we have the down-tuned “Going Down That Way” that hits with heavy riffage, and equally heavy lyrical truths. The arrangement is probably the simplest here but still contains all the earmarks that made their 90's output enjoyable (melodic vocals, melancholic ballady verses, and heavy singable and memorable choruses) and could have easily fit on Cuatro or My God.
In 54 minutes and 17 seconds, the album ends, but damned if it seems like nearly an hour of material. Every single song is a winner and should be enjoyed as a complete experience from front to back. Rats in the Temple drives home the point that Flotsam and Jetsam are at the top of their game and have just detonated the theory about old dogs and new tricks. Though they may be perennial underdogs, they prove that they are gonna scratch and claw beyond the walls before them much like the rodents referenced in this new album's title. To borrow a certain pro wrestler’s phrase from one of his best promos, they are ungoddamn deniable. Rats in the Temple is a certified all killer no filler assault. Flots ‘Til Death…
~TB