You know that old idiom about never judging a book by its cover? Well, as with most things, there are always exceptions to the rule, and (swapping books for record sleeves) the new album by Arizona thrashers Flotsam and Jetsam is definitely one of those exceptions. With the band reintroducing their classic logo a few years ago, it was only a matter of time until they also resurrected their legendary mascot “Flotzilla”, and his return to the artwork for The End Of Chaos (AFM Records) instantly tells you everything you need to know about Flotsam and Jetsam in 2018.

The crudely painted green beastie from their 1986 debut has been upgraded to a more professional looking computer generated creature, and, in line, the band themselves haven’t sounded this good since the eighties. Forget all those industrial, dirty looking covers with blurry helicopters or broken pianos. This, in every respect, is the Flotsam and Jetsam all you long-in-the-tooth hairy (or formerly hairy) types fell in love with back in the day, so take a look and judge away.

Whether you get taken by the melodic attack of opener ‘Prisoner of Time’, ‘Demolition Man’, or the utterly fantastic ‘Recover’, the driving rhythm of ‘Prepare for Chaos’ and ‘Architects of Hate’, or the rampaging sonic battery of tracks such as ‘Control’, ‘Good or Bad’, ‘Unwelcome Surprise’ or irresistible closer ‘The End’, The End Of Chaos is a runaway train of classic sounding Speed Metal with barely any room left to catch your breath. No ballads, no acoustic intros, and generally no fucking around, the band’s thirteenth studio release is – putting it politely – an absolute thunderbastard.

Vocalist Eric “AK” Knutson is a singer still at the top of his game, delivering one of his finest performances to date, while drummer Ken Mary pounds and smashes his kit like a man possessed. The twin guitars of Michael Gilbert and Steve Conley are crystal clear and razor sharp, and Michael Spencer‘s bass pulses and throbs, while also creating space by adding some nice little flourishes to the constant barrage of rapid-fire riffing.

Flotzilla is back, and so are Flotsam and Jetsam.

8 / 10

GARY ALCOCK