Album Review: Flotsam and Jetsam - Rats In The Temple (Napalm Records, 2026)
- 2 hours ago
- 5 min read
Written: 16th August 2026
It is hard to remember a time when Flotsam and Jetsam were not part of the heavy metal landscape. From their debut Doomsday For The Deceiver (which featured in my look back at forty memorable rock and metal albums of 1986) to the present day, they have remained a familiar presence within thrash metal. While the band's career has experienced its share of twists and turns, their recent output has been particularly consistent. Since 2016's self-titled album, Flotsam and Jetsam have been on a great run of form and now, two years after I Am The Weapon, return with their sixteenth studio album, Rats In The Temple.
Recent single Harvesting The Hate is a blistering opener which strikes an effective balance between hooks and belligerence. Since joining the band in 2017, Ken Mary has been an excellent addition to the line-up and he makes his presence felt immediately, his authoritative drumming providing the driving force from the first few seconds. There is a precision to the musicianship but it never feels overly clinical. Michael Gilbert and Steve Conley effortlessly alternate between razor-sharp riffs and melodic lead work, while the memorable chorus ensures the song draws the listener in straight away. Eric A.K. Knutson sounds superb, his distinctive delivery once again demonstrating why he remains one of the most underrated vocalists in metal. Commenting on the song’s lyrics, he states, “A heavy, dramatic beast of a song from our arsenal of madness. This one asks you to look in the mirror, to find the true problem in your life. And stop harvesting the hate.” A strong statement of intent, it is easy to imagine it finding a place at the start of the band's live set.
Damnation is a dark meditation on accountability and consequences. You've done what you've done and cannot take it back / It's time to make the payment for your last attack / Eternity has rules you must abide / Damnation rules. With a bassline that acts as an undercurrent of menace, William Bodily is a perfect foil for Mary and together they provide the song with an irresistible sense of momentum. Flotsam and Jetsam are flush with confidence and this is reflected in the track’s execution.
Following the excellent opening duo of Harvesting The Hate and Damnation, Absolution increases the aggression levels. Yet for all its thrash credentials, the song contains some deft melodic touches, with Gilbert and Conley combining crushing riffs with elegant twin-guitar work. Lyrically, Rats In The Temple delves into a range of subjects and Blame The Knife is one of the most interesting. Focusing on a killer who refuses to accept responsibility, it explores denial, with the weapon becoming a symbol of moral evasion. He said she said you're dead / But it's nice to know you / Demons danced in her head / With tears in her eyes she cried. A volley of urgent, clipped guitar riffs mirrors the repeated stabbing motions implied by the lyric, while A.K.’s sharp, punctuated phrasing adds to the song’s sense of malevolence.
A contender for the best song here, the title track begins in completely different fashion with cinematic synths and foreboding orchestrations. These are sent crashing to the floor by a thunderous drum introduction from Mary and the fastest riffs we have heard so far. Controlled chaos ensues as the quintet dive headlong into what Knutson describes as, “possibly one of the most technically challenging songs Flotsam has ever recorded.” For all the whirlwind of riffs, there remains a well-developed melodic sensibility with the solos providing moments of both finesse and exhilaration. Using rats to symbolise destructive thought patterns, the title track examines inner conflict. Rats in the temple, turned sacred profane / They run in the darkness inside my brain / Feeding the thoughts, move in for the kill / Rats in the temple, breaking my will.
On recent albums, Flotsam and Jetsam have found a template for combining their eighties thrash roots with a more modern approach. The Ghost Behind My Door and First On The Spike are solid examples of this, even if they take a little longer to make their presence felt than the five songs which precede them. The Edge Of Nowhere arrives at exactly the right moment, its brisk sub-four-minute running time and frantic pace quickly restoring the album's momentum. Opening with a tolling bell and machine-gun riffs, Last Rites continues the album's upward trajectory while introducing a welcome change of texture. The collective vocal refrain towards the end is particularly effective and seems destined to become a crowd participation moment. A thoughtful reflection on mortality, it rejects comforting myths in favour of honest acceptance. You can't know the other side / You've been using it to hide behind the fear / You are looking for an out / An easy way about your great demise.
A.K. is a commanding presence throughout the album, but A Taste For War - another album highlight - contains one of his most convincing vocal performances. Mary and Bodily play a pivotal role, their disciplined rhythmic approach creating a mechanised, almost marching quality that perfectly complements the song's anti-war theme. The slower tempo and the contrast between its smoother verses and more caustic chorus provide a welcome change of pace. Her Blood Your Pain is among the more straightforward tracks here in terms of melody but Mary’s combination of both furious and considered drumming helps maintain our interest.
Following the rousing Anthem For The Broken, the album concludes with Not Going Down That Way, which examines mortality and the desire to meet it on one's own terms. More measured in its approach than much of what surrounds it, the song highlights the band's growing confidence in allowing strong songwriting and storytelling to take centre stage. In doing so, it ensures Rats In The Temple concludes not only with a memorable musical flourish but with something to think about.
Frontman Eric A.K. Knutson describes Rats In The Temple as “a beast, truly our best effort to date.” Whether it ultimately comes to be regarded in those terms remains to be seen and only time will determine where it sits within the band's extensive catalogue. What can be said with confidence, however, is that it comfortably extends the impressive run of releases Flotsam and Jetsam have produced in recent years. At thirteen songs and almost an hour in length, a slightly leaner running time may have enhanced its impact but that should not obscure the quality on display. There is a sense throughout that Flotsam and Jetsam remain intent on moving forwards rather than dwelling on past achievements. Focused. Assured. Rewarding.
Rats In The Temple is released on 28th August 2026.
FLOTSAM AND JETSAM Online:
Comments