I Am the Weapon

The last few Flotsam & Jetsam albums have been OK, typical of this long-running band's output that started back in the mid-80s. They've been working in a power/thrash direction which I can't say I've enjoyed all that much, but I Am the Weapon, the band's 15th full-length album (not counting the 2014 re-recording of No Place for Disgrace) finds them moving back to their thrash roots and frankly sounding better than they have in several years. "A New Kind of Hero" is a fantastic opener, fast and aggressive, with a catchy chorus and killer riff. The title track and "Burned My Bridges" continue the thrash goodness while other songs like "Head of the Snake" don't work quite as well, with singer Erik A.K. sounding just a bit too screamy on the chorus. That's a small complaint and the album's 47+ minutes are not a chore in the least as these veterans sound great, the production isn't overly glossy meaning the guitars have plenty of bite, and the triggering of the drums (if they are in fact triggered, they sound like they are) isn't too clickety clackety. A nice return to form for the Arizona thrashers.