Theatrical intensity, heavy melodies and high emotions come together to create this modern metal masterpiece

Released in September of 2010, Flotsam & Jetsam's tenth studio album The Cold is impressive to say the least. In a time when many seasoned bands put out material that seems stale or contrived, these veteran thrashers prove they can break this ugly cycle.

While most of the tracks on The Cold feature consistent themes of being angry, let down, and left feeling alone, each song on this album stands out and instantly becomes ingrained in the listener's memory.

The opening number "Hypocrite" sets the stage for the emotions that are poured out for the duration of the record. It begins with an ominous keyboard intro and slow, clean vocals. Screaming guitars kick in, and a typical thrash style continues through the verses and the chorus. The vocals, although they become louder and faster, do not get lost in all the heaviness. Eric "A.K." Knutson's singing ability really shines on this album. Powerful drums and bass liven up the chanting of "hypocrite" that ends the choruses--making this song incredibly mosh-worthy.

The seven-and-a-half minute title track "The Cold" is climactic and theatrical, and sounds "big." It does not sound like something a thrash metal band would normally put out, because even the heaviest parts of the song aren't particularly fast. "The Cold" takes awhile to build up to the chorus, but when it does, it roars. The chorus is catchy, and the guitar solo is almost like something straight out of a power ballad. The sounds of someone shivering that come before the bridge do a wonderful job of conveying the atmosphere and the feeling of coldness.

"Blackened Eyes Staring" starts off with a bombastic, thrashing riff and a fast beat. Just before the chorus, a keyboard delivers a rapid melody that adds just a little something extra. The dark lyrics may be about a girl who is dead inside, but as "A.K." sings the words, "an evil little smile that gets me high," there is just something sinister and sexy about it.

"Better Off Dead" is truly an epic work, and it definitely stands out the most. As the album's centrepiece, this song succeeds at painting a perfect picture of desperation with its music and lyrics. Due to the intensity and subject matter of this track, it's almost like it could be Flotsam & Jetsam's modern take on "Fade to Black." Like The Cold's title track, "Better Off Dead" is also dramatic and climactic. Once again, "A.K." does a masterful job of powerfully delivering the lyrics, even adding some gritty snarls at the ends of the words. It's as if he's an actor delivering the lines of a play's most important scene on a stage. The note he holds out at the end is just killer!

Like the vocals, the guitar work on The Cold--courtesy of Michael Gilbert and Mark Simpson (who has since been replaced by original guitarist Ed Carlson)--is brilliant, especially on the title track. The explosive rhythms of this album would not have been complete without bassist Jason Ward and drummer Craig Nielsen.

I can't speak highly enough of this album. It has some great thrash metal moments, but it really transcends into all the sub-genres of hard rock and metal music. The melodic beauty combined with with the dark, sinister, and introspective moments really makes The Cold something special, in that will appeal to the ears and souls of most metal fans and not just those who are hardcore fans of "The Flotz."

10 out of 10 stars

Nuclear Blast Records/Riot! Entertainment

www.flotsam-and-jetsam.com

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This Canadian band's debut EP is a time capsule back to heavy metal's heyday

Toronto's Skull Fist aren't kidding when they say, "We live for heavy metal, and we quest for world domination. We fight for glory and forever ride the beast!" Not only are those words plastered all over their MySpace page, but based on this band's sound, look, and attitude, you can tell these guys (and girl!) are metal to the core. Heavier than Metal is their debut EP, and Skull Fist set out to be just that. Their sound is a mix of power metal, New Wave of British Heavy Metal, and glam--and each song is filled to the brim with this retro metal thunder.

Opening track "Sign of the Warrior" has a major power metal feel to it; more so than the rest of the EP.  The vocals are screeching, the guitar riffs are crisp, and it's FAST! It really prepares the listener for all of the balls out metal that is to come.

I absolutely loved the title track "Heavier than Metal" immediately. The vocals aren't as high pitched as on the first number, except for in the chorus, when lead vocalist Jackie Slaughter sings the line, "heavier than metal for meeeee." I'm convinced those are some of the greatest notes to be sung and recorded in recent metal history. The guitar riffs and rhythm section of this track have a real NWOBHM sound to them.

"Ride the Beast" and "Blackout" are the reason I say this EP has a glam metal feel to it. They both remind me of the heavier earlier Motley Crüe stuff. In these songs, Jackie Slaughter sounds like a young Vince Neil--but much better, because he actually enunciates the lyrics. His "woahs" and "yeahs" are spot on. The guitar riffs and solos in both of these songs have an early Crue vibe to them as well, and "Ride the Beast" especially shows off drummer Alison Thunderland's thunderous skills.

EP ender "No False Metal" is definitely a huge middle finger to those bands out there who Skull Fist sees as "false" metal. It sums up this band's attitude-- they want the classic sound. Skull Fist obviously likes the vintage '80s metal, and they deliver that sound they laud so much.

As someone who is predominately into '80s metal, I find Skull Fist to be a promising new act. I will admit though, when I first saw their song titles and names (Sir Shred, anyone?), I was skeptical. I thought they might have been exaggerating and parodying the music and time period I hold so dear. But after intently listening to the Heavier Than Metal EP, I have I begun to take seriously their "denim and leather" attitude. This pure rock 'n 'roll attitude is sure to make their metal predecessors proud, and I hope it inspires a new generation of metalheads to create new classics.

9 out of 10 stars

Independent
Skull Fist on MySpace

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The Whiskey Chronicles

Visit The Whiskey Chronicles for some good laughs.... be sure to check out the stand up comedy page!

"Sounds like all your favourite bands!"? Let’s see about that

I recently spoke to a friend who referred to the metalcore sub-genre as "emotional death metal”. After several listens to Farewell to Freeway's latest release Filthy Habits, I can see why he said that. While the sounds began to paint a musical picture inside my head, I've picked up on elements of death metal such as the overall heaviness of guitar riffs, harsh vocals, and pounding drums.  I've also noticed that metalcore generally contains elements not heard in your traditional death metal. For instance, Farewell to Freeway uses two vocalists. Adam Lambert (not to be confused with the glam pop-rocker of the same name) is the main vocalist, and guitarist Chris Lambert share vocal duties.  The vocals can be harsh, but they can become highly melodic and "clean" in an instant. Melodic guitar riffs seem layered on top of the blazing heavy riffs, the songs are angsty, and in Farewell to Freeway's case, the song titles themselves are more humorous or ironic than dark.

The album's opener "Liquor? I Don't Even Know 'Er" begins with a retro sounding feedback effect followed by a heavy bass line and drum sequence. The amp feedback especially makes "Liquor? I Don't Even Know 'Er" very memorable as the lead-off song. As the "liquor" in the title suggests, this track is a tale of drinking to the point where you can finally bear to have sex with someone you feel like you don't even know.  I thought it was extremely clever of the band to include a brief breakdown immediately after the lyric, "Night after night /Maybe we could break it down”. In addition to the intro and musical qualities that make this song memorable, the emotional lyrics and the angry, heavy riffs that paint the picture of the relationship struggle set the tone for the rest Farewell to Freeway's Filthy Habits.

"Usurper" is another standout track, and it became an instant favourite during my first listen to Filthy Habits.  It has quite a complex melody featuring a higher pitched guitar riff over the rest of the much heavier instrumentation. I really like the feel of this one, with its aggressive lyrics and a rhythm that's perfect for moshing.

Another unique touch to Filthy Habits is the slower instrumental track "Bones and Tissue" that falls near the middle of the album. It is brief, but it offers a nice change of pace--almost relaxing--after hearing the wailing vocals, blast of the drumming, and insane guitar riffs.

"Dharma's a Bitch" is one of Farewell to Freeway's songs with a title that shows of the band's sense of humor and irony. I've always heard that karma's a bitch, but apparently Dharma is one too! This tracks starts out heavy on the cymbals with some lighter drumming along with it. The clean vocals are probably used more on this song than any other song on Filthy Habits. This almost makes it "catchy", but sometimes I feel like the singer gets a bit whiny too on this one when he's not screaming. With all the songs on this album about life experiences, love, and personal relationships gone bad, I sort of expected for even the clean vocals to be sung with power and an angry confidence.

Another one of my personal favourite tracks from Filthy Habits is "Token Ain't Weezy”. Although I first thought the intro riff sounds a lot like Framing Hanley's cover of "Lollipop," that shouldn't fool you into thinking the rest sounds like it too. This song has a great beat for the moshpit, but it has several changes of pace--ranging from the heaviest metal to the most chilled out rock.

When comparing this album to the works of the more established metalcore bands, Farewell to Freeway has the potential to join their ranks. I don't think this band or album would be the best at explaining "this is what all metalcore is supposed to be like," but I think both perfectly illustrate the diversity among all the bands that exist in this popular--and still growing--area of metal. Farewell to Freeway's Filthy Habits should not disappoint for fans of melodic metal that are looking for a unique spin on their usual fare. I especially recommend it to those who are into bands such as Shadows Fall and All that Remains.

7 out of 10 stars

Victory Records/Riot! Entertainment

Farewell to Freewar on MySpace

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