Artist: Flotsam and Jetsam
Label: Crash Music
Release Date: 7/26/05
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Title: Dreams of Death Artist: Flotsam and Jetsam Label: Crash Music Release Date: 7/26/05 |
Judgment Committee Reviews | Rating |
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Abyss's Review:
F&J are a band that seems destined to remain relevant to no one but their small, but loyal fanbase. For those who grew up after the thrash heyday of the mid to late 80s, this band is better known as Jason Newsted's other band. Even though I'm of the right age to fit in amongst their fans, I have to admit that I've never really been able to get into this band. I probably got closest on No Place For Disgrace, which came out while I was in high school, but aside from the excitement of my initial introduction to the band, they've not been able to hold my attention since.
"One word review: Messy." Dreams of Death continue the standard formula. This band is quite talented in their own right, but something always seems to come around and fuck it up. The production of this album is hit or miss (mostly miss) and as a result the album sounds uninspired and sophomoric. This is too bad because, as is always the case with this band, there is some brilliant shit scattered around this disc. The band simply seems helpless to pull it all together, and as a result this album hit me like a messy half-brother to Drift.
The guitars sound thin, the drums sound terrible, and the vocals are mixed too high. The songs themselves are varied and interesting, but there is little glue holding the album together. As it is, I find it almost impossible to get into any sort of groove, and I continually get frustrated and turn the record off. But just when I think I've had it with this band, some little snippet really calls out to me, making the whole experience just that much more frustrating.
Flotsam fans from back in the day will most likely be able to look past many of the album killers that have ruined the experience for me, but in my opinion, this group remains a great band that can't seem to put out a good album. One word review: Messy.
Death's Review:
The classic Flotsam and Jetsam catalogue is criminally underrated. I really got into the band back in the day, beyond the raw melodic speed/thrash of the debut album, Doomsday for the Deceiver, featuring (as we all know) Jason Newsted on bass. I liked Erik A.K.'s powerful and unique vocal style, which was somewhere between the clean, operatic Geoff Tate/Bruce Dickinson mode and the grittier, more character-driven, mode of bands like Overkill, Anthrax and Megadeth and Testament. Albums like No Place for Disgrace, When the Storm Comes Down, and Drift are all-time favorites of mine - a nice balance between power, musicianship, melody, interesting sonic landscapes, and pure unadulterated heart. Each of them is definitely worth your time if you think that your taste in classic metal is at all aligned with mine (and since I've been writing for this site since 1999, I hope by now you've figured out whether or not we are on the same page).The last time I saw Flotsam live was at the Thrash of the Titans concert many years back. I can't believe such an epic concert still hasn't been released on DVD - hopefully some day the footage will surface. Anyway, Flotsam apparently broke up, and moved on with their lives. I was psyched to find out they had signed to Crash Music and were ready to do a new studio album. Of course, "Dreams of Death" is also a song on No Place for Disgrace which at first blush seemed a little too "grasping at past glory" for my taste, but nonetheless got my hopes up for a return to that "era." The album cover art by Travis Smith (Nevermore, Iced Earth) helps to further the expected mood. But it's the music that counts, and I was psyched to see if these veterans still had what it takes to deliver a classic record.
The verdict? The songs are really cool, with a couple of high-level, standout tracks. Overall, I was impressed. But the production pretty much sucks. It doesn't exactly ruin it, because in spots the songs are just such pure "songs," and the musician's performances are so talented (particularly bassist Jason Ward and drummer Craig Neilsen), that the quality does shine through. But that is to my ears - the ears of a longtime fan that really wants to like this record. Where the production will fail the band is in trying to recruit the new generation of metal fans, the Headbangers Ball/Metal Asylum/Ozzfest/Revolver crowd. Perhaps that audience is too far gone already for F&J. But to the extent they are not (many metal legends like Iron Maiden and Judas Priest are enjoying comebacks, and while Flotsam was never as big as those bands, perhaps they could achieve a Testament/Exodus/Death Angel level of interest with the right packaging and promotion), this production makes them sound dated and distant, rather than modern and landing with a forceful and immediate impact. It really is unfortunate, and probably a mere result of the production budget, beyond any real control. Production issues aside, there is great music here. And it is really just the rawness of the sound of the instruments (the cardboard drum heads as well as less than overwhelming and way too thin guitars) that is what I mean when I say the production sucks - there is a ton of creativity and interesting layered "production" stuff included here, which is all very cool in a Pink Floyd or an early Queensryche sense and really deepens the listening experience. The production's other saving grace is that you can, in fact, hear what the bass and drums are doing, which is important since what they are doing is generally very, very cool.
"Overall, I was impressed." This begins with the opening intro "Requiescal" and continues throughout most of the tracks. "Straight to Hell" is catchy and melodic and has some aggressive riffing and double bass drumming which reveal that at least some of the band is aware of the trends in the extreme metal underground over the last five years (yes, the band will always have that 80's/early 90's feel, but they clearly have their ear to the ground as well and some of those influences do seep through). "Parapsychotic" and "Look in His Eyes" are fairly straight ahead, and hence I like them less. I like the dynamic and trippier stuff that turns aggressive. For example, "Bleed" (weird, mellow and jazzy at the beginning, it kicks into an aggressive guitar part that absolutely rules when it comes in) and "Bathing in Red" are great showcases for Erik A.K.'s fantastic voice and are five skull tracks that I will enjoy for years to come (great driving music for late at night, in my opinion). I love the weird voices, screaming, and backwards guitar tracking at the end of "Bathing in Red" - very psychedelic, it begs for focused headphone listening and devolves into such arty chaos that it renders what otherwise is an acoustic ballad a total noncommercial masterpiece.
The album's best track, "Childhood Hero," is one of Flotsam's best tracks ever, in the tradition of a catchy but heavy song like "Hard on You" from No Place for Disgrace. It is very catchy, and sticks in your head after just a single listen. A.K. delivers a killer performance, as does the entire band (again, Ward and Neilsen stand out and are both at the top of their game, although the guitar work of original member Ed Carlson and second guitarist Mark Simpson also is very impressive in several spots). The fantastic instrumental "Nascentes Morimar" follows, and presents some fantastic melodic guitar work, anchored by confident bass playing and bathed in an overall Operation: Mindcrime aura that just works. The album ends with the heavy double-bass attack of "Out of Mind" - less moody, but very technical and very metal. Very cool overall. Plus it gets really f'd up and cool with a strange evil voice and dramatic guitar swells at the end with some intense harmonic guitar runs, solos and very, very cool drumming. A great song and a perfect closer that rewards the listener for sticking with the record all the way through to the deepest of tracks. A.K. also hits some super high notes at the end that even Warrel Dane won't go near in 2005. Cool. There is also a bonus track that is actually worth knowing about, another moody and weird track that is mostly bits and pieces of something cool that perhaps got just really messed with instead of turned into the real thing. There are definitely some outtakes from other tracks from the album or pieces mixed into it because I hear lyrics from "Childhood Hero" and guitar and verses from "Bathing in Red." Clearly someone was either on a lot of drugs or just having some fun in the studio - either way, it is interesting and a cool "secret" insertion at the end of the record.
So overall, this is a worthy successor to the Flotsam and Jetsam legacy, and an album that certainly deserves more attention than it is going to get. Crash will do what they can though, and here's hoping we see a video plus perhaps the band gets interest to do a tour of the U.S. With the right package, perhaps things could begin to turn back in F&J's favor. Supporting Nevermore would work, for example. Would it ever happen? Who knows, but I know I would love to see the band play L.A. and jam some of these songs. I'd give it a five for the songwriting and performances, but the production does knock it down a peg. Sorry guys. But I am psyched to report that you made a great record overall.
Hel's Review:
Finally!! The Flotsam boys are back! I admit, I got really worried when I heard Eric A.K. was leaving the band to do some country thing, and my relief at the news he would be sticking around was vast. And I have to say, my joy upon hearing Dreams of Death was immense. Yes, it is the kind of Flotsam and Jetsam album the fans who have stuck with them for all these years are looking to hear.
"I know I'll be having Dreams of Death for many, many nights to come." I will admit, I'm not perfectly happy with the production job ("bitterly disappointed" would be closer to the mark), but I am very happy with the material. So happy, in fact, that I've decided to not let the production imperfections bother me. The songs are there, and if you merely close your eyes and listen, the music will shine through like a beacon in the darkness.
I, for one, am extremely glad Flotsam and Jetsam have continued to fight the metal wars and after four long years have triumphed over adversity and released this album. I have loved the band for a very long time and am overjoyed that they have rewarded the devotion of fans like me with a collection of songs of this caliber. I know I'll be having Dreams of Death for many, many nights to come.
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