The nearly two years that have passed since the release of 2024’s I Am the Weapon have been largely uneventful for Flotsam and Jetsam, at least stateside. Save for an appearance at last year’s Milwaukee Metal Fest pre-party, I don’t recall anything resembling large scale touring, and one glance at their Setlist.FM page explains why: They remain a headline attraction in Europe. It’s a shame they’ve yet to hop on a touring bill with Overkill or Testament or any number of their ’80s thrash peers, because since the release of their 2016 self-titled, they’ve been on the type of hot streak that would earn a lifetime ban from the casino. Their latest effort, Rats in the Temple, keeps said hot streak going strong.
Like every latter day F&J album, Rats adheres to a strict power-thrash formula with emphasis on modern production values, yet without sucking the life out of their sound. Some songs are more power. Some songs are more thrash. However, at the end of the day, there’s those F&J trademarks that one has come to expect from the band going back to their mid ’80s heyday. Frontman Eric A.K. commands with force, his vocals growing more gruff and intense with age, similar to Chuck Billy. Guitarist Michael Gilbert provides those molten riffs and sizzling solos alongside Steve Conley, who has proven to be a worthy sparring partner. Rhythm section Bill Bodily on bass and Ken Mary on drums provide nonstop thunder, while allowing their bandmates to flourish.
Their first album on Napalm Records, Rats feels like an amalgamation of everything explored on the last four F&J outings, with a handful of surprises scattered abound. The opening “Harvesting the Hate” sees them go full blown, bombastic euro power metal in the vein of Judas Priest on Invincible Shield (2024), and doing a remarkable job at it. The No Place for Disgrace-esque power-thrash of “Damnation” keeps the intensity going, as does “Absolution”, which is a go-for-the-throat, old school thrasher guaranteed to scratch that mosh pit itch. As the album progresses, neck-snappers like “The Ghost Behind My Door” and “The Edge of Nowhere” lay down the law, pushing the speedometer to overdrive with insatiable aggression.
I’m not sure who the closet euro power metaller in this band is (You still have time to reveal yourself!), but I refuse to believe the pomp and circumstance of Blind Guardian and the likes didn’t play a part in shaping the title track and “Anthem for the Broken”. Perhaps it was a contractual obligation to incorporate more power than thrash on certain tunes? After all, Napalm IS home to DragonForce, Powerwolf, and Alestorm. All kidding aside, the most intriguing moment on Rats is neither power nor thrash. Sneaking in towards the tail end, “A Taste for War” could pass as a lost Empire era Queensrÿche cut with its dissonant guitars and cryptic atmosphere. Now I do recall some ’00s era F&J boasting a prog streak, but in all honesty, it’s been a lifetime since I’ve explored any of those albums. I feel inclined to do so now, because holy smokes, this band can even prog it up competently.
Though even the highest of highs on here don’t manage to knock my socks off like say those on 2019’s The End of Chaos (still my favorite of this renaissance era), Rats is yet another impeccably strong and more than welcome entry into the F&J canon. They’re one of the very few thrash bands of their era who have been able to successfully appropriate classic tropes with modern production, and remain fruitful while doing so. The songs rip, the musicianship is top notch, and while there is a cut or two I could personally do without, even the OK moments manage to pass without weighing down the ship. On that note, I encourage these old schoolers to keep doing what they do best, because they’ve got it down to a science. No “Misguided Fortune” here!
7 out of 10
Label: Napalm Records
Genre: Power/Thrash Metal
For fans of: Metal Church, Overkill, Judas Priest
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