I Am the Weapon

It took me a few listens to start appreciating this album, but once it clicked, it clicked. Flotsam and Jetsam continue on their path a little further away from thrash and towards more of a heavy/thrash hybrid, this time also incorporating power metal elements here and there—at times I'm reminded of the more hard-hitting power metal bands like Primal Fear, so we're not talking about the band going flowery in any way. Clean heavy metal vocals once again, nothing especially thrashy, add some catchiness and melody to the ensemble and I could see some of this stuff triggering some singalong live. There's some really solid, crunchy guitar work at play here and that's what really does it for me on the album, though it's not like the drumming is anything to sneeze at. The music is upbeat overall, very old-school '80s-catchy like, though it has a more modern vibe to it and doesn't sound like something that would have been released 40 years ago; it sounds fresh while not denying the band's roots. I like it when bands find the right balance between eras like this. Packed with speed and power, I Am the Weapon is a winning entry in the band's catalogue.