Review Summary: Flotsam And Jetsam invent a new style of extreme metal on Doomsday For The Deceiver. Filled with neoclassical Guitar solos, technical riffs, and insane drumming, and Jason Newsted. These guys prove they are a step above other American metal of their time.
Everybody hears about how Jason Newsted played with Metallica in the late eighties, and nineties, but no one hears about his first project, Flotsam And Jetsam. 1986 was a huge year in the evolution of extreme metal. Dark Angel released the fastest, and perhaps most extreme thrash album in the history of the metal, Kreator released Pleasure To Kill which was one step closer to the speed, and brutality of death metal. And more widely recognized were the classics Master Of Puppets, and Reign In Blood. But unrecognized, and under-appreciated Doomsday For The Deceiver may have been the greatest.
The Guitar Riffs, and solos are definitely what make this album unique, and truly a step above other extreme metal of this time. while Slayer were doing mindless shredding in the chromatic scale, an whoring their low E-strings, and Metallica where just beginning to move beyond their pentatonic scales, and into real modes and scales, Flotsam And Jetsam where utilizing Phrygian, Aeolian, and Harmonic minor modes way before every one else in their genre. The best examples of this technical, and highly evolved guitar work are on doomsday for the deceiver, and der fuhrer which have plenty of harmonized riffs, and insane dueling guitar solos. These guys proved that you can be incredibly fast, and still show real musician ship at the same time.
The drumming is rapid fire, and keeps pace with the guitarist through out the album. Jason Newsted's bass-work is much better here in 1986, than it will be in 1988 on And Justice For All, and it is heard very well beneath the guitars. This bands Rhythms are constantly lightning fast, and get into some progressive areas on she took an axe. However the drumming rarely switches from it's rapid fire blast beats, except on the slower intros, this is because there are no choruses.
The vocal work for this band is perhaps the most unique part of this bands style. Eric A. Knudsten's vocals sound more power metal, as opposed to most other metal bands, whose vocals where getting harsher each year. The vocals sound like Geoff Tate combined with Tom Araya, and there are plenty of times when he hits a ridiculously high falsetto note. This aspect adds a power metal feel to the band, which would later be imitated by Iced Earth in their early years. The lyrics aren't as serious, or brutal as Slayer, or Kreator, who sang mostly of death, satan, and violence. The lyrics are difficult to interpret at times, except on she took an axe which is about Lizzie Borden, who murdered her parents in 1892.
Doomsday For The Deceiver is one of the few epic, and technical thrash metal albums. Everybody who enjoys power metal, thrash, or death metal should have this in their collection. These guys are a one of a kind band, and are one of those rare elite bands with amazing guitar, vocals, bass, and drums. If you thought Slayer, and Dark Angel were amazing, then behold Doomsday For The Deceiver as the greatest thrash album ever.
Recomended tracks
Flotzilla
Der Fuhrer
Doomsday For The Deceiver
Iron Tears
