Flotsam And Jetsam Guitarist Michael Gilbert Returns on This Weeks Focus on Metal

Episode 465 - Flotsback

May 1st, 1990 Arizona’s metal vanguards Flotsam And Jetsam released their third studio effort “When The Storm Comes Down”. This was their first release with MCA and they had a lot of expectations behind this one that never materialized to the level they expected. This week we have a throwback episode as we talk with founding guitarist Michael Gilbert about the story behind this release.

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You can hear us every Tuesday night on Pure Rock Radio
and each Wednesday afternoon on Metal World Radio

Visit http://focusonmetal.net/ for information on all the past episodes and to find the links to all our other social media sites.

And as always
Focus On Metal…Everything Else is Insignificant.

Guitarist Micheal Gilbert From Flotsam and Jetsam on This Weeks Focus on Metal

Episode 40 - The End of Chaos

Flotsam and Jetsam recently released their 13th studio album “The End of Chaos” so this week we check in with guitarist Micheal Gilbert to find out about the new album and everything else going on with the band.

As promised last week, Track of The Week is from Imperium, the debut from Glen Drover and Walls of Blood. Check out last weeks show to get the lowdown on that one.

Get the this episode from the Focus on Metal Site, The Focus on Metal RSS feed, or subscribe on iTunes.

You can hear us every Tuesday night on Pure Rock Radio
and each Wednesday afternoon on Metal World Radio

Visit http://focusonmetal.net/ for information on all the past episodes and to find the links to all our other social media sites.

And as always

Focus On Metal…Everything Else is Insignificant.

Ken Mary of Fifth Angel & Jamie Brown of Roxanne on This Weeks Focus on Metal

Episode 399 - Rising Again

29 and 30 years that’s the amount of years since the last Fifth Angel and Roxanne albums. Both bands have risen again. Roxanne just released “Radio Silence” (Rat Pak) and Fifth Angel dropped “The Third Secret” (Nuclear Blast). So this week we talk with Jamie Brown from Roxanne and Ken Mary of Fifth Angel (not to mention Flotsam and Jetsam and so many more).

A track off "Radio Silence" with special guest George Lynch

And of course some new Fifth Angel

Get the this episode from the Focus on Metal Site, The Focus on Metal RSS feed, or subscribe on iTunes.

You can hear us every Tuesday night on Pure Rock Radio
and each Wednesday afternoon on Metal World Radio

Visit http://focusonmetal.net/ for information on all the past episodes and to find the links to all our other social media sites.

And as always

Focus On Metal…Everything Else is Insignificant.

Just Posted: Steve Conley of Flotsam And Jetsam on This Weeks Focus on Metal

Episode 287 - Flotsam And Jetsam

Long known as the band Jason Newsted came from, Flotsam And Jetsam ( flotsam-and-jetsam.com/ ) has continued to make great music and their latest S/T release on AFM Records proves that the fire is still there. Guitarist Steve Conley gave us a call and gave us an update on the band and the album. 

I also got the chance to talk with John Adams from Houston based Love N War , another great band you need to know about. They've had Up The Annie out for a while now and they are back in the studio working on their next one.

Get the this episode from the Focus on Metal Site, The Focus on Metal RSS feed, or on iTunes.

You can hear us On Demand everyday on Platinum Rock Radio by going to this link

You can hear us every Wednesday on these great stations:
Pure Rock Radio & Metal World Radio

Visit http://focusonmetal.net/ for information on all the past episodes and to find the links to all our other social media sites.

Focus on Metal is damn proud to be part of The Blast Syndicate. You can get this show as well as many other kick ass metal podcasts by clicking the link below.

And as always Focus On Metal…Everything Else is Insignificant.

Review - Flotsam and Jetsam- Ugly Noise (Metal Blade Records)

I've never been a huge fan, always admired the bands perseverance but I kept looking from afar. They were part of the last Testament tour so I went early to catch them and was impressed enough to have interest in new material.

The core of the original line-up was back so that was another plus point.

So does Ugly Noise deliver? Well yes and no. There are some good songs on this like Gittyup and Rage that remind you of the good old days. There's not enough of them though and instead we get mid-paced fare like Play Your Part, Rabbit's Foot and the title track. Not bad songs but you expect something a little less safe.......a lot more ugly.

   I will say that Eric A.K on vocals is great on this and makes the best of the material on offer. I really did want this to blow me away but it looks like my long distance relationship with the band will continue.

Richie.

Flotsam and Jetsam ink new deal with Metal Blade Records; on tour now with Testament

New album "Ugly Noise" to be released April 16^th, 2013

Flotsam and Jetsam, arguably one of the most influential and prominent acts from thrash metal's birth in the early 80s, has returned to Metal Blade Records to release their new album, Ugly Noise. The lead single/title track is available for streaming now on metalblade.com/flotsamandjetsam.

Ugly Noise is the band's eleventh full-length album, their first release on Metal Blade since 2001, and the follow up to their 2010 album, The Cold. The record also heralds the return of original members Michael Gilbert on guitar and Kelly David Smith on drums, who haven't recorded with Flotsam and Jetsam since High in 1997.

Flotsam and Jetsam's Kelly Smith comments on working with Metal Blade: "We have just inked a distribution deal for the release of "Ugly Noise" through Metal Blade Records. Ugly Noise will be released worldwide in late March/Early April of 2013. It was the obvious choice for us after our long-standing relationship and Metal Blades 30 year history of metal. You can't match what they can do with 30 years of experience behind them. We are excited and looking forward to working with MB in 2013."

http://www.flotsam-and-jetsam.com

http://www.facebook.com/flotsamandjetsam.official

https://twitter.com/Flotztildeath

http://www.youtube.com/webmasterflots

Testament/Overkill/Flotsam and Jetsam/4 Arm at the Palladium, Worcester 2/16/2013

  

   You have to hand it to the promoters at the Palladium, they have made it into the premier thrash and extreme metal venue in New England. Any decent tour doing the rounds eventually goes through the place and last night was no exception.

   I got there near the end of 4 Arm's set and the place was already packed. The band sounded ok but I would have to hear some more to judge them properly. They did go down very well though so maybe their trip from Australia is paying dividends.

   Flotsam and Jetsam to me were the wild card on the bill. Well known as the band who gave Jason Newsted to Metallica they amount to a lot more then this. Truth be told I don't have many of their albums but I was familiar with the 2 they did from No Place for Disgrace. A brief five or six song set with a promising newie thrown in.

  Next up were Overkill who I had never seen before. A band who continues to release really stong new material. They mixed up the old with the new opening with Come and Get It from the recent cd, heads down old school thrash. Other newies included Electric Rattlesnake and Ironbound and for the long time fans they got Elimination, Fuck You and Wrecking Crew. The set felt a little short and I would have liked to have heard more, maybe next time when they play a headline set.

   On to the main event. I saw Testament in the same venue just over a year ago on tour with Anthrax. Billed as a co-headline it was the east coasters who closed the bill so I was intrigued to see Testament on what is clearly their show. Let's get the bad out of the way and say that Chuck Billy had vocal problems which he alluded to early on in the set. The guy is a trooper and didn't want to cancel and he gave it his all helped by the boisterous and liquid refreshed mob.

   Now the good, everything else! Opening with Rise Up from the new Dark Roots of Earth cd the band played a fantastic sixteen or so song set cementing why they are one of the best thrash bands on the planet at the minute. They really do have a fantastic back catalogue and just look at some of the songs they slipped into the set that they didn't play the last time I saw them: Practice What You Preach, The Haunting, Trial By Fire and Burnt Offerings. Material of this quality would be a staple of most bands shows. The big surprise was 3 cuts from The Gathering which is the overlooked gem of the catalogue and one of the best metal cds from the late 90's.

   So a fantastic and very loud night. Great line-up and killer musicianship (Gene Hoglan has to be seen to be believed) all for $28. I don't know how many shows are left on the tour but you'd be a fool to miss it.

Richie

http://www.4arm.net/

http://www.flotsam-and-jetsam.com/

http://wreckingcrew.com/Ironbound/

http://www.testamentlegions.com/