Flotsam and Jetsam -The Cold
The last time I even thought about this band was when I reviewed 2001’s My God, and the last time I cared was way back in ‘97 when the guys covered Lard’s “Forkboy” on their High album. I’d eventually find out, while interviewing Jello Biafra, that F&J’s bassist Jason Ward is the brother of Lard’s drummer, the late Jeff Ward (also Ministry). But on to The Cold. Am I actually going to recommend a Flotsam and Jetsam album in two-thousand-fucking-ten?!? As amazing as it seems to me, yes, I am. Admittedly, I missed the band’s 2005 opus, Dreams of Death (but I plan to rectify that apparent mistake as quickly as possible), so it may have also been a throwback to this decidedly old school Thrash. But I don’t remember F&J ever sounding as intense as the hardest moments here, or as flawless as the mellowest. Erik AK’s vocals, in the past often a problem for potential fans, occasionally still miss the mark, but never embarrass, and often impress with his emotional range from screaming hatred to the suicidal wail of “Better Off Dead,” which is one of the standout cuts on the album, along with the title track and “Blackened Eyes Staring.” Still, one would have to be able to tolerate vox more melodic than a roar or cackle to appreciate his efforts. There are some misses, though. The “tough-guy” lyrics of “K.Y.A.” (“I will kick your ass, you crying pussy”) seem to not belong to the same band that wrote the introspective rest of the album. It may be a backhanded compliment to say that The Cold is surprisingly good, but the truth is that I was shocked by how much I enjoyed this.
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