It’s almost like in most peoples minds Flotsam and Jetsam were a band that once included Jason Newsted, recorded a stunning debut album (“Doomsday For The Deceiver” in case you need reminding), then disappeared off the face of the globe. Little credit is given to their second album “No Place For Disgrace”, which to my mind was far superior to their debut and the fact that 2011 is the bands 25th anniversary seems to have passed everyone by. For those who have paid any attention to the bands output post “No Place” would, I suggest agree that there have been sporadic flashes of what made “Doomsday For The Deceiver” and “No Place For Disgrace” such great Thrash albums, but by and large to many forgettable moments.

With their tenth and latest release “The Cold” the band has gone back to basics in terms of their aggression levels which might be attributed to re-recruiting Michael Gilbert but there is something else; a new edge to the sound, a fresher more progressive feeling emanates from each song. Album opener “Hypocrite” begins with an uncharacteristic keyboard intro before thundering into life with some of the heaviest riffs to feature in a Flotsam and Jetsam album in years. It is this heaviness of the riffs that brings the continuity to the record, what made Thrash so appealing to so many was the mix of tempo changes and almost the juxtaposition that could occur within one song; and Flotsam and Jetsam have delivered this in spades.

Eric AK’s vocals are as distinctive in 2011 as they were back in 1986. His range and power was always a divider between many of the also ran Thrash acts from back in the day and is still a potent weapon today. Such songs as “Better Off Dead” benefit hugely from the vocal prowess of Eric AK and is one of the key factors for the bands “trademark” sound. It’s hard to see “The Cold” creating a new generation of Flotsam and Jetsam fans; that time has sadly passed but taken on pure merit the album has to be up there as an early contender for one of the stellar Thrash albums of 2011. If nothing else “The Cold” is the best album to come from Flotsam and Jetsam since 1992’s “Cuatro”; that alone should signal enough of you to go out and buy it!