Review Summary: Flotsams best album. Vocals and instruments are pretty much top notch. One of my favorite thrash records of all time.
After Jason Newsted left Flotsam to join Metallica, Flotsam replaced him with Troy Gregory, or in other words, a bassist just as good as Jason or better. Everyone else that was on Doomsday was on this album: Eric A.K.-vocals, Ed Carlson-guitar, Michael Gilbert-guitar, Troy Gregory-bass, and Kelley David-Smith on drums. This album was released in 1988 along with other great thrash records(South of Heaven, So Far...So Good... So What?, And Justice For All, etc). NPFD is Flotsams best album for many reasons:
No Place For Disgrace-Great opener with a kind've questioning riff. It has the same tone of a trick question, if you know what I mean. It eventually turns into a very aggressive song, with great solos by both guitarists. One of my favorite parts of the song is when the guitar tone goes clean and Eric A.K. shows off his amazing vocals. Another reason I like that is because it gives the song a chance to breath a little bit. But, it does end like it opened: explosive and in your face. 4.5/5
Dreams of Death-Another great track. It has the same feel as NPFD, the kind've "running away from something or someone" feel. Great guitar work in this song, especially the harmonies between Ed and Michael. Just like NPFD, the song slows down for a kind've "chill out" moment. I have also realized that Flotsam like to follow a formula like lots of other bands, which I like: Starts off heavy, continues to be heavy with a few solos, slows down for a bit, but picks up the pace at the end. 4.5/5
N.E Terror-My absolute favorite song off the album. I love the start-stop rhythyms that happen between every few lines in the verses, it just adds to the aggressive feel of the song. Now lets turn the time over to Troy Gregory: amazing bass fills, quite possibly his best work on the album is contained in this song. I am also impressed that he is able to play that fast and accurately with the rest of the band. Eric's vocals are also top notch, being able to hit high and low notes without showing signs of struggling. As for the guitar, great riffs and solos, fits the vocals very well. 5/5
Escape From Within-A masterpiece of a song. Starts off with some of the best clean riffs I have ever heard in a metal song. The bass just adds to the kind've "sad evolving into a raging mad" feeling. Once again, Eric puts forth some of his best vocal work on the album. About halfway through, the guitars rip into a couple of very thrashy riffs and a great solo by either Ed or Micheal, I don't know which ones which. The only slight problem with the song is that it is a tad bit long. This is just me, but the reason I think it gets heavy and fast again is because the guitarist that didn't get to solo wanted to solo really bad so they extended the song. Just a little joke, I'm probably wrong though. 5/5
Saturday Night's Alright For Fighting-Originally by the one and only Elton John, Saturday Night aint too shabby. The guitar tone in my opinion doesn't fit the song, a little too rough, but then again what the hell am I talking about, it's Flotsam! The best thing about the song is definitely the vocals. You can definitely tell that the idea to cover Saturday Night was Eric's. One minor thing that keeps the song in the upbeat mood its already in is the little slide down the piano before every chorus. Just one little thing I like about the song. 4/5
Hard On You-Here's where the album slows down. Song starts off with the guitar playing an eerie clean riff, with the drums and bass joining in a few moments later just building up for an explosion. The lyrics are genious, they're along the same lines of Kreator's Love us or Hate us and Megadeth's Hook in Mouth: people trying to stop metal and saying that its wrong, and that society is ripping away our independence. One of my favorite lines from the song: "You say teach the children right, who's to say we're wrong?
If your committee is so damn right, why did we write this song?" Other than the lyrics, the simple and heavy guitar work are what I like the best. 4/5
I Live, You Die- Just like almost every other thrash metal album, there is always a song that starts off with just the bass. Good song, but the lyrics lack a little bit in my opinion. You can't get more straight to the point than "I Live, You Die." In no way did I say this song is a filler, I just like songs with a more in depth meaning eg: Holy Wars by Megadeth. Eric does deliver good vocal noises and screams throughout the song though. 3.5/5
Misguided Fortune- Thrash metal albums also have at least one song that starts off with just drums too. Great tempo changes with Eric just attacking you with lyrics during the verse. I don't think I've been giving the drums enough credit so far in this review. I think that Kelley has some pretty cool fills and beats in this song. I am also impressed with his abilitly to keep up with everyone. This song follows the same formula as NPFD and DOD: starts off heavy, slows down and goes clean with some solos following, and then getting heavy again. 4/5
P.A.A.B.-I have no idea what P.A.A.B. stands for. The intro is something that the listener hasn't heard by Flotsam before, having a eerie sort've Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde feel. This song also kicks into another one of Flotsam's thrashy riffs. The verses aren't anything special, even though the lyrics are very good. It's just that I've heard the same riffing, drumming, bassing and singing style in a few of Flotsam's songs. The solo battle is probably my favorite part of the song. I've always been a big fan of songs that have two guitarists going back and forth shredding their asses off. 3.5/5
The Jones-An instrumental song that is sort've a filler in my opinion. I think it was a bad idea to put this song at the end of the album. The song reminds me of a clown creeping around follwing someone. I guess it does have a couple of catchy riffs though. 3/5
I am very suprised that No Place For Disgrace hasn't been reviewd yet. It is one of my favorite thrash albums out there, and is my favorite album by Flotsam. It was a step up from Doomsday(some may disagree) but the album couldv'e done without The Jones.
PROS: Great guitar riffs and solos
Amazing vocals and basslines
Very good drumming
For the most part great lyrics
CONS: The Jones
Some of the verse riffs and singing patterns are almost exactly the same in other Flotsam songs.
