Review Summary: Skillfully stumbling speed metal
Flotsam & Jetsam was but one of many an eighties metal band aspiring to be the next Iron Maiden and their 1986 debut, Doomsday For The Deceiver, is very indicative of that youthful ambition. In a way similar to Metal Church and Anthrax’s early works, the twin guitar gallops up the ante alongside the frenzied drums while also broadcasting power metal with neoclassical harmonies and exuberant falsettos. That and the lyrics cycle between occult tales, morality plays, and horny yearning is enough to signal their eager mindset.
Of course, they may always be best known as bassist Jason Newsted’s first band and indeed his presence is outright domineering. Seemingly following the Steve Harris mold to a tee, his playing makes for a sturdy backbone with plenty of flourishes as well as often setting the mood for the rest to proceed. Him also being the band’s primary songwriter and lyricist makes for a sort of tragic irony in hindsight, this being the only album to feature him as an official member.
Fortunately, the other members contribute with their share of distinct talents. Guitarists Michael Gilbert and Edward Carlson make for an impressive team with their mix of tight speed metal flurries and elegant sweeps that hit a vibe between Mercyful Fate and Testament on tracks like “She Took An Axe” and “Der Fuhrer.” Eric A.K.’s vocals also show off a broad range between boastful squeals and melodic sleaze, albeit still in the process of mastering those skills. It’s endearing how the confident exercise of screams that opens “Iron Tears” is followed up by cramming in as many words into the verses and choruses as humanly possible on “Desecrator.”
That sort of clumsy skillfulness colors the album’s songwriting as the band excitedly runs through speedsters and suites. “Hammerhead” hits the stage like a sex crazed “Hit The Lights” as a crashing intro gives way to a flailing onslaught of chugs, bravado-driven verses, and pounding hooks. The ten-minute title track is appropriately apocalyptic as it stuffs in an extended neoclassical opening, dark volleying riffs, and as many story details as possible in the rapid fire melodrama.
While the tracks themselves are largely well-written, the album’s pacing can get jumbled at times. For how powerfully the first couple songs establish a surging momentum, “Desecrator” and “Fade To Black” come off rather unwieldy in comparison. Having two epics back to back in the title track and “Metalshock” is also a risky move, complementary as narratives that offer their own distinct dynamics as well as glorious overflows of heavy metal cheese.
I can’t deny that Flotsam And Jetsam may have bitten off a little more than they could chew with Doomsday For The Deceiver, but it also shows off just how much they had going for them. Their speed metal style isn’t shy about its influences but there’s a greater vision at play along with quirks in their musicianship. It’s admittedly amateurish at times but in a human way that makes it easy to imagine how these hsongs were put together. There may have been more impactful albums that came out in 1986 but it’s worthy of classic metal status.
