For Flotsam and Jetsam, the heavy metal highway has been sprinkled with nails. First, the band's frontman Jason Newsted quit to seek his fame and fortune with Metallica. Then, after securing a major label deal, Flotsam and... more » Jetsam were cajoled into toning down to appeal to the masses. Eleven years after releasing its classic album Doomsday for the Deceiver, the band returned to the label that signed it, writing more aggressive material than it had in years. High is a declaration of hate, brimming with full-fisted guitar riffs and head-bobbing beats--an unrestrained battle cry from a band that refuses to lay down and die. --Jon Wiederhorn« less
For Flotsam and Jetsam, the heavy metal highway has been sprinkled with nails. First, the band's frontman Jason Newsted quit to seek his fame and fortune with Metallica. Then, after securing a major label deal, Flotsam and Jetsam were cajoled into toning down to appeal to the masses. Eleven years after releasing its classic album Doomsday for the Deceiver, the band returned to the label that signed it, writing more aggressive material than it had in years. High is a declaration of hate, brimming with full-fisted guitar riffs and head-bobbing beats--an unrestrained battle cry from a band that refuses to lay down and die. --Jon Wiederhorn
"I discovered F&J in '92 when rock radio actually played "Never To Reveal" for a couple of times before it was finally shelved forever. The band sounded great and unlike any other metal act. There is a relentlessness in Flotsam's musical approach which gets the point across in no uncertain terms. "High" is no exception. From the hauntingly simple opening acoustic guitar on "Final Step" to the last sound of a breaking string on "Everything," this album pounds you into submission. The word "vicious" comes to mind. The band's performance is of the highest caliber and the recording captures it quite convincingly. My favorite song is "High Noon" which Megadeth would kill to write these days (Crush 'em, indeed). And just to show that these guys have a sense of humor, the lettering of the song titles on the back cover captures the logo styles of bands as diverse as Maiden, Priest and Van Halen, among others. Very highly recommended..."
Tired of Fanboy metal? These guys will never let you down!
"From Cuarto to Drift to High. Floatsam delivers no nonsense power. From the soothing acoustic guitar intro of "FINAL STEP" to the Bone crushing ending of "EVERYTHING". This last effort will not disappoint. "If the fire can't be put out let it burn,let it burn!!!!!!!"
Flotsam & Jetsam High......A return to form.
Kelly@northwestfunding.com | 01/25/2007
(5 out of 5 stars)
"Flotsam & Jetsam have returned to their original sound overall and this album High is awesome. They were dropped from MCA records and returned back to Metal Blade records. On High they brought back that original more raw/organic sound that showed off the band during the later part of the 80's. This was the last album to feature the underrated drummer Kelly Smith and the talented guitarist of Michael Gilbert. All songs on here are the Flotsam that fans know and love. The last song Fork Boy which is an instrumental written by LARD...aka the awesome talented Al Jourgensen(his band LARD from the 90's) is the (sad to say) only song that is just average. The rest of the songs on High are incredible like Final Step,Hallucinational,It's On Me,High Noon and all the rest of them!!! I remember getting this album in July '97 and immediately bringing this album over to my friend's house and looking at the titles written in forms of other bands. Example of this High Noon is written to the Misfits logo,Monster = Metallica,Toast = Kiss,Everything = Yes, and so on ....which awesome. I like that the album's CD is an astray, which is I like a lot. Bottomline, High is a great album and worth owning.Get it now!!!
"Looks to be F&J's sixth lp.After releasing three albums on the MCA label,the guys return to Metal Blade.Good move!'High' is decent trash metal.With cuts like "Hallucinational","Everything","It's On Me" and "Toast",one knows that Flotsam means business.I wasn't even sure what this band had been up to until here recently.Keep in mind that with 'High',some old fans may be let down.Obviously F&J draws at least some influences from Priest and Diamond Head.Should appeal to fans of Metal Church,Overkill,Exodus and Megadeth.A good catalog release."
Great CD by a very under-appreciated band
Dan Duval | Earth | 04/05/2005
(5 out of 5 stars)
"Flotsam and Jetsam, for having all the noteriety of being Jason Newsted's first band, have surprisingly NOT taken off in their genre. And if any album deserved to get noteriety by F'nJ, it's this one. High takes all of the elements that they had tried in all of their previous albums into one that can simply be put as one Hell of a metal album. The opener, albeit a long and slow intro, is one of F'nJ's best songs they've written. I can't say enough about these guys, they're so underrated it's criminal. Buy this CD if you love the thrash movement of the 80s, C.O.C., Maiden, Priest, BLS, Sabbath, Ozzy, etc. Oh and by the way, THE FORK!!!"