UMUR "High" is the sixth full-length studio album by US thrash/heavy metal act Flotsam and Jetsam. The album was released through Metal Blade Records in June 1997. It´s the successor to "Drift" from 1995. "Drift (1995)" was the last album in a three-album deal released through major label MCA Records. MCA Records signed Flotsam and Jetsam because they hoped the Arizona based act would become the new Metallica, but Flotsam and Jetsam never achieved any notable commercial success, and remained a well known act only in metal circles, which makes the shift back to Metal Blade Records a natural move.

Stylistically the material on "High" is a natural continuation of the heavy metal style with thrash metal leanings, that Flotsam and Jetsam also played on "Drift (1995)". It´s heavy, melodic, and very well performed heavy metal, featuring sharp riffs, well played harmonies and leads, an organic and punchy rhythm section, and Eric A.K.´s distinct sounding voice and powerful commanding delivery in front. Flotsam and Jetsam strike a balance between heavy metal elements and the occasionally more thrashy section, which isn´t completely unlike contemporary Megadeth. The guitar work is stellar and intriguing, the rhythm patterns hard rocking and clever, and the melody lines and the expressive singing style of A.K. bring a touch of something unique to the music.

"High" features a well sounding, powerful, and detailed production job, suiting the material perfectly. The songwriting is solid and effectful, and the tracks are well arranged. A little more variation between tracks and a few more standout memorable moments would have made "High" and even better release, but as it is, it´s still a high quality heavy metal/thrash metal release and a 3.5 star (70%) rating is deserved.

UMUR "Drift" is the 5th full-length studio album by US thrash/heavy metal act Flotsam and Jetsam. The album was released through MCA Records in April 1995. It´s the successor to "Cuatro" from 1992 and features the same five-piece lineup who recorded the predecessor. MCA Records signed Flotsam and Jetsam in 1989 because the label thought they could create another Metallica success story, but the big breakthrough never happened and "Drift" was the third and last Flotsam and Jetsam album released through MCA Records, before the band returned to their old label Metal Blade Records for the release of "High (1997)".

All stars were aligned for Flotsam and Jetsam to make it big in the early nineties with their melodic heavy/thrash metal style, which isn´t far removed from the style of music played post-1990 by contemporaries like Anthrax, Megadeth, and of course Metallica. It´s fans of the least thrashy output by those artists that is the target group of "Drift". A full alignment of stars isn´t always equal to commercial success though, and Flotsam and Jetsam just never made it. They´ve kept busy though, releasing albums and touring, and have had an underground following throughout their career, so even though they´ve had a couple of breaks here and there, Flotsam and Jetsam never folded and soldiered on in spite of their limited commercial success.

"Drift" is obviously an album MCA Records put some money into making a success, as it features a professional and very well sounding production. Flotsam and Jetsam are skilled musicians and they also know a thing or two about writing catchy and powerful heavy metal songs, and as a result the material on the 10 track, 42:38 minutes long album, are well written and memorable. Lead vocalist Eric A.K. is the icing on the cake, with his strong voice and distinct sounding delivery. He is a world-class singer and proves it once again on "Drift".

When all the praise is said about the band and the overall quality of "Drift", it´s still short of being excellent in my book. Not completely unlike how I felt about the last couple of releases. It all sounds a little safe and formulaic, and although all tracks are instantly catchy and memorable, they still lack that last songwriting quality to propel them to the premier league of heavy metal songs. A 3.5 star (70%) rating is deserved.

UMUR "Cuatro" is the 4th full-length studio album by US thrash/heavy metal act Flotsam and Jetsam. The album was released through MCA Records in October 1992. It´s the successor to "When the Storm Comes Down" from 1990 and there has been one lineup change since the predecessor as bassist Troy Gregory has been replaced by Jason Ward. The band recruited producer Neil Kernon (Nevermore, Nile...etc.) to work on the album.

All previous releases by Flotsam and Jetsam had been a combination of speed, thrash, and traditional heavy metal, but on "When the Storm Comes Down (1990)" a slight alternative edge began to creep in. That alternative element is further explored on "Cuatro", and the speed and thrash metal elements of the early releases are scaled down considerably. Actually to a point, where you can no longer call Flotsam and Jetsam a thrash metal act, although that´s usually how they are labelled. "Cuatro" has more in common with contemporary Metallica, than it has with anything thrashy out of the 80s.

The main focus of the music is the vocals and vocal melodies of lead vocalist Eric A.K.. While the instrumental part of the music is intriguing enough and very well performed too, it´s definitely Eric A.K. who makes the album shine. He is an incredibly skilled vocalist with a distinct sounding voice and singing style. His performance on "Cuatro" elevates the album from solid to great. The material are generally well written, but there are tracks on the album, which either don´t stand out much or which simply don´t work very well. Highlights include the opening trio of tracks "Natural Enemies", "Swatting at Flies", and "The Message", but tracks like "Wading Through the Darkness", and "Never to Reveal" also deserve a mention.

The Neil Kernon production is decent but not perfect. To my ears it sounds a bit disjointed, with a slightly odd sounding drum production. It´s not a major issue though, and the sound generally suits the material well. So upon conclusion "Cuatro" is a solid heavy metal release by Flotsam and Jetsam, and fans of an album like "The Black Album (1991)" by Metallica are recommended to take a listen. A 3.5 star (70%) rating is deserved.

Time Signature Brace for impact...

Genre: power thrash

Thrash metal veterans Flotsam and Jetsam have always explored the more melodic end of thrash metal, which has resulted in several revered and classic releases.

This trend is continued on the band's 2021 effort "Blood In The Water" which stylistically falls somewhere between thrash metal and North American power metal. Tracks like 'Blood in the Water', 'Brace for Impact', 'The Wicked Hour', and 'Grey Dragon' contain fast and aggressive thrashy parts while others, like 'The Walls' and the ballady 'Cry for the Dead', are solid midtempo power metal tracks with plenty of catchy vocal hooks. What unifies the album is the use of quite melodic vocals and guitar leads as well as a crushingly tight production.

The musicianship and songwriting are both top notch, treating the listener to compositions that combine reakneck thrash metal riffage with power metal melodicism spiced up with twin guitar leads and some absolutely amazing guitar solos.

Fans of both melodic thrash metal and more hard-hitting North American power metal are bound to enjoy this release.

UMUR "When the Storm Comes Down" is the 3rd full-length studio album by US thrash metal act Flotsam and Jetsam. The album was released through MCA Records in May 1990. It´s the successor to "No Place for Disgrace" from 1988 and features the same lineup who recorded the predecessor.

Stylistically the material on "When the Storm Comes Down" continue the thrash metal style with melodic tinged vocals of the predecessor. Heavy thrashy riffs, powerful thrashy rhythms, skillful lead guitar playing, and Eric A.K.´s distinct sounding powerful voice in front. Eric A.K. is a bit of an atypical thrash metal singer, as he doesn´t just deliver rough staccato vocals, but actually sings. And he is an incredibly skilled singer too. Expressive, aggressive, raw, melodic, and occasionally pretty high pitched, he can do most things with his voice and he is generally a great asset to the band´s sound.

The 11 track, 49:33 minutes long album opens with the powerful "The Master Sleeps" and although both "Burned Device" and "Deviation" feature other less thrashy influences (while still predominantly staying in thrash metal territory) they are both pretty great tracks too. "October Thorns" continues in a slighty heavier mood with a crushingly heavy and catchy main riff, but with "No More Fun" things turn a little weird with a funky influence, that really doesn´t become Flotsam and Jetsam.

The remaining part of the album is generally of a good quality too, but "When the Storm Comes Down" is not an album which blows me away throughout. There are some absolutely brilliant moments featured on the album and the musicianship is on a high level on all posts too, but the rather odd sounding production, and a couple of more forgettable tracks, mean it doesn´t quite reach the heights of it´s two predecessors. It´s still a quality release on most parameters though and a 3.5 star (70%) rating is deserved.