Flotsam and Jetsam's 'Rats in the Temple' - Album Review

It feels like a little while since I last reviewed a new thrash album on this blog. July was quite thrashy in terms of concerts, as I saw Metallica twice and Vio-lence, but I have not picked up too much new thrash yet in 2026 - and today I am going to cover a thrash band that has never been covered here before. I would generally consider myself a thrash fan, but I certainly do not keep up with every name in the genre and, for some reason, the Phoenix-based Flotsam and Jetsam had largely eluded me until recently. All that I really knew about them were that they were the band that Jason Newsted was a part of before he left to join Metallica - but I did not know much about their music at all. I was also aware that quite a few thrash fans considered their recent run of albums to be some of the strongest and most consistent in the scene. I had been meaning to check them out for quite some time as a result - but I did not get around to doing so until earlier this year. When I saw that the band would be releasing their sixteenth studio album this year, I decided that it would likely be a good way in - but I picked up a few of their other albums to sample beforehand. Whilst my sample size is only small, I so far agree with those who think that the band's recent albums are very strong and consistent. 2024's I Am the Weapon was my first proper exposure to Flotsam and Jetsam, and I was pretty interested from the off. Whilst they are certainly a thrash band, I also felt that the album had quite a strong US power metal feel at times - with the occasional Iced Earth and early Savatage vibe mixed in with a more typical, albeit very melodic, thrash sound. 2021's Blood in the Water was similar - but I am yet to venture further back. Both of those albums, the first two with the band's current line-up, impressed - but, for whatever reason, I was not that taken with 1986's Doomsday for the Deceiver, the band's debut album. I am under the impression that Doomsday for the Deceiver is often considered something of a thrash classic, but it, so far at least, has not done all that much for me. It felt more typically thrash, with not a particularly punchy production, than the band's newer work - with none of the choruses that drew me into to the newer stuff. Perhaps in time, and with further exploration, I will come to like the band's more classic work - but I know that I certainly like what I have heard of what has come recently, so I may well slowly work my way backwards through their lengthy catalogue. Despite a number of line-up changes over the years, with frontman Eric Knutson the only person to appear on all of the band's albums, Flotsam and Jetsam have been very prolific over the years - generally releasing a new album every two or three years. I get the impression that their sound has shifted over the years, too, more so than the difference between the early days and now, and this is likely down to the various line-up changes, as well as an attempt to stay relevant through changing times. Guitarist Michael Gilbert has been on all but four of the band's albums during the late 1990s and 2000s, so is the main long-time driving force alongside Knutson - but the current line-up has now produced three excellent albums, with Rats in the Temple having dropped last month. Guitarist Steve Conley, bassist Bill Bodily, and drummer Ken Mary join Knutson and Gilbert again here - which has been the band's line-up since Bodily joined in 2020. Sound-wise, Rats in the Temple is similar the other recent efforts that I have heard - with a strong, melodic thrash sound that, at times, dabbles in more of an old-school US power metal sound with plenty of hooks.

This is the band's first album for a while to feature more specific writing credits - and it seems that each of the 13 songs largely came from one of the two guitarists, with Knutson and Mary then working with them to bring that song to life. Knutson and Mary do not have writing credits on every song, but that looks to have been the arrangement here. The guitarist who wrote the song also seems to be the one to solo in it, too, so the album seems to be very much split between Gilbert-driven and Conley-driven material. A Conley idea gets things underway, then, with Harvesting the Hate kicking the album off. A percussive main riff builds around some busy drumming, whilst gothic strings blare away in the background, but once Mary stays to lay down a more typical thrash drum beat the song morphs into a fast-paced number - with slow chord changes and plenty of energy. The riffing becomes crunchier when Knutson starts to sing, with subtle guitar leads sitting underneath his voice to add to the overall energy. Knutson's voice is still full of power. He has a fairy clean and epic delivery compared to many thrash singers, which is possibly, in part, where the US power metal vibes stem from, but he can still deliver moments of real grit. The pre-chorus here feels pretty tough, with a harsher vocal delivery, before something more clean and soaring is used for the fast-paced chorus. Many of the choruses here have a real anthemic feel to them, despite the pace, and this one is no different. It is very easy to sing along with, ensuring the band's accessible nature remains, whilst Conley's two-part guitar solo is varied and melodic. Damnation opens in a similar manner to the previous song, albeit the percussive drumming is a little slower - and Knutson lays some wordless, heroic vocals over the top. It does seem from this intro that the song may be something more mid-paced, but once the main riff kicks in and the chorus speeds off it is clear that the song is still pretty fast - although there is more crunch this time. There are slower moments, such as a headbanging and groovier chorus, but the verses are still full of energy - even if they feel heavier and a little slower than the previous song. There is definitely something Iced Earth-esque in the crunchy chorus, with it wordless vocal accents and snappy melodies, whilst the riffing through is much more melodic and interesting than most thrash pace-setters. Absolution returns to the faster vibes of the opening number, and the Gilbert-led song does not stand on ceremony like the others here so far - instead kicking straight in with a short riff before Knutson starts to sing. The riffing here is perhaps a bit less intricate, with hard-hitting thrash patterns and 1980s drum grooves filling the speakers. The verses have some neck-breaking, stop-start riffing, whilst the chorus, despite its speed, is filled with NWOBHM-esque vocal melodies - ensuring that the whole thing has more of an old-school feel. Given that he is essentially one of the band's original members, at least in terms of having appeared on Doomsday for the Deceiver, Gilbert is a thrash scene original - so it is to be expected that his songs are more routed in that time and its core influences. Blame the Knife opens with some stop-start riffing and some discordant clean guitar melodies, soon launching into verses which see the stop-start vibe continuing - with Mary's drums left at times to lead the way. Arrangement-wise, then, this song is a bit different to the norm, but the song's overall structure is still pretty typical - with plenty of thrash trademarks, including furious double bass drumming, and one of the album's strongest choruses. The shout-along chorus is very easy to get on board with - and I can see the song becoming something of a live staple going forward.

The gothic strings return to introduce the title track, before a massive drum fill transitions to the thrashy opening riff - with the song being another pretty high-octane speed merchant. Despite the chunky riffing and relentless drumming, though, there is quite a lot going on guitar-wise here. There is an early shredded solo from Gilbert to set the tone, whilst there are some twin guitar leads utilised occasionally - adding some old-school metal harmonies where required. Lead guitar moments are abound, then, whilst the strings are kept during choice moments to add depth and create a dense, power metal feel behind the thrashy riffing. Another snappy chorus ensures that the song remains hooky throughout - and the title track is a great mix of speed and old-school metal melody. The Ghost Behind My Door maintains some of the harmony guitar leads from the previous song, opening with some Iron Maiden-on-speed melodies - which are retained in the background even when Knutson starts to sing. Despite the speed of much of the song, the arrangement here is a bit more dynamic. Percussive drumming backs some of the early guitar leads, whilst the verse is almost as pure as thrash can be - in terms of riffing and drumming. To ensure that some variety remains, though, the chorus slows the pace somewhat - going for a crunchier and more melodic feel. This chorus is perhaps not as anthemic as some of the other examples here, but the slower riffing is welcome - and Knutson delivers a strong, characterful vocal. First on the Spike is a bit more crunchy throughout. Whilst still an energetic piece, it does not feel as fast nor as thrashy as many of the other songs here - and this is a song where that US power metal sound shines somewhat. There are moments of early Savatage here at times, albeit bigger and more modern sounding - with occasional strings again adding depth, whilst Knutson utilises a more overtly melodic vocal style at times, especially during a particularly soaring pre-chorus section. There is something anthemic about the whole song, with a strong 1980s feel, which is included in Conley's lengthy solo, too. The Edge of Nowhere opens in slower manner, with Eastern-tinged guitar leads and more of a bass presence, but the song does not go down a more mid-paced path - with the intro soon giving way to a pretty typical thrash riff and verse. There is a pleasing, bouncy feel that the main riff gives off, though, which sits nicely behind Knutson's verse vocals - but in terms of an anthemic chorus this is a song which is somewhat lacking. The melodies and the approach of the intro is never really returned to, either. It would have been interesting to have incorporated the Eastern melodies of the intro into the bulk of the song somehow - which would have given the song something of a USP that it is currently lacking. It is probably one of the weaker songs here overall, despite some strong riffing. Last Rites is somewhat similar, although the atmospheric intro this time is brief - with another Mary drum fill bridging the gap between it and the main song. This song is much more anthemic, though, and the riffing generally is more melodic. There are some melodic twin guitar leads early on built into the riffs, whilst the verses really drive along with an infectious pace and some great vocals from Knutson. There is a smoothness despite the pace and energy, whilst the grit really returns for a chorus that is packed with shout-along hooks - and a later drum and bass-led version only showcases the hooks further.

A Taste for War is a bit more of a deliberate song - which builds slowly from a bit more of a crunchy base. Built around a percussive, round-the-kit beat from Mary, the mid-paced number is the first real such example here - and, overall, the song is likely one of the album's most dynamic. Bodily's bass rarely shines on this album, as he is not that high in the mix, but there are moments here where he does get to stand out a bit more - laying down a main groove alongside the drums whilst clean guitar melodies allow for an atmospheric base. The verses move back and forth between these percussive, more mid-paced moments and crunchier, mid-paced metal sections - with groove and a 1980s strut to many of the bigger riffs here. The relatively slower pace of the song is welcome in a sea of largely faster numbers here - whilst Gilbert's solo is similarly more restrained, allowing for some long-held notes and bluesier melodies. Her Blood Your Pain returns to something more typical of the album's core sound, although a strong 1980s vibe is retained thanks to the ever-present harmony guitar leads throughout. The verses are built around some of these harmonies, which nicely back Knutson's vocals, and there is an instrumental bit that kicks in after each chorus to focus more on the guitar playing. As such, the verses are not as heavy as some of the others here - but the chorus returns to something heavier with some hard driving riffing and a bit more of an overt pace. The chorus is pretty anthemic, too, and there are plenty of hooks throughout the song thanks to both Knutson's excellent vocals and the guitar lines. Anthem for the Broken is somewhat similar, but there is more of a toughness throughout. Whilst the guitars are relatively as busy, there is less of a focus on twin guitar leads this time. As such, whilst there are lots of guitar leads throughout, there is also more of a tough rhythm guitar presence, allowing for plenty of crunch as well as melody. As such, this track feels heavier than the previous one - even if the overall melodic approach is largely the same. The chorus is less anthemic, but it is perhaps more overtly melodic, though, to fit in with the song's overall approach. There is a lot to sing along with here as a result, with the song being a strong, melodic track sitting nicely towards the end of the album. The album then comes to a close with Not Goin' Down That Way, another somewhat more dynamic piece. Whilst perhaps not as varied as A Taste for War, there are still moments here that focus on more of a clean guitar approach - with some of the core thrash elements reined in somewhat. There are mid-paced moments again here, whilst the riffing overall is much crunchier overall - allowing for headbanging grooves and more of a classic heavy metal approach, whilst the chorus is another with a strong US power metal vibe. There is plenty of melody throughout, despite the crunch, and it is always great when a band ends an album with a strong and memorable cut. Gilbert's shredded solo is busy, too, whilst he also uses a few more melodic leads throughout to good effect. It ends the album on a high, with Rats in the Temple showing that Flotsam and Jetsam certainly are show no signs of wanting to slow down. Most of the songs here are very memorable, and the production throughout is great - with the band sounding heavy without feeling too mechanical. I am glad to have finally made an effort with this band, and I am looking forward to listening to more of the band's albums in due course.

The album was released on 28th August 2026 via Napalm Records. Below is the band's promotional video for Rats in the Temple.