FLOTSAM AND JETSAM, SHADOW MINISTRY, BLACK THORN HALO, HELLFIRE MAFIA – Austin, Texas U.S.A. 2021

FLOTSAM AND JETSAM, SHADOW MINISTRY, BLACK THORN HALO, HELLFIRE MAFIA – Come and Take It Live, Austin, Texas, U.S.A., August 19, 2021

Thrash metal legends, FLOTSAM AND JETSAM, came to Austin, Texas on their first tour in a year and a half. COVID-19 put all tours on hold for the last year and a half. Tours by American bands just started back up this month. DEICIDE played the same venue the week before and MEGADETH were set to play the day after this show. I haven’t seen a touring act since last February when MORTIIS play this venue, which I covered for Metalcentre.

FLOTSAM AND JETSAM, the Arizona-based group that once featured ex-METALLICA bassist Jason Newsted, came to town in support of their new album “Blood in the Water,” the culmination of full-length albums that dates back over 35 years. SHADOW MINISTRY, BLACK THORN HALO and HELLFIRE MAFIA provided local support.

HELLFIRE MAFIA played an inspiring set of bluesy hard rock combined with modern, metallic groove. The bass stood out and had a major presence in their set. Guitar leads were impressive too. Donning a suit and adorned with a brim hat, their singer put a visual to their name. He didn’t posses the aggression or high-pitched wailing that other bands throughout the night presented. He sang with a smoother swagger. His look and the band’s music reminded of INFECTIOUS GROOVES, but done in their own way. They put on a solid performance.

BLACK THORN HALO was more fitting for a show that featured a classic thrash/heavy metal band. They have a major presence in the Austin metal scene and that’s for good reason. The group has an undeniable aggressive stance. Their set was immersed in heavy riffs of the old school variety courtesy of Craig Leach.  Once again, the bass stood out, with even more rumble. Rafa Lopez lead the charge with volatile, hostile vocals. He proudly waved a Texas flag to show the crowd the group is pure Texas with Texas bluster. Like HELLFIRE MAFIA before them, BLACK THORN HALO has one feet planted in the old school and the other foot planted in the modern. BLACK THORN HALO is a talent band, which hasn’t gone noticed, who came in and destroyed!

SHADOW MINISTRY took the stage next. I didn’t know what to expect as the group featured a keyboardist and a drummer who used a wooden box as a bass drum. The group played a style of progressive metal similar to bands like DREAM THEATER and FATES WARNING. Jason McLeod’s vocals bring to mind James LaBrie. The band were technical but heavy at the same time. Esmail Khalili’s keys added gothic, theatrical touches. They also utilized smoke and McLeod held a torch. Their short set didn’t allow many more theatrics, which the McLeod told me the band employs during longer sets like wardrobe changes. I’ve seen the name SHADOW MINISTRY posted on flyers and even pages, especially at the now-defunct Texas Mist club, but this was the first time I caught their act. They were impressive with a highly skilled musicianship.

The combination of being on a weekday and MEGADETH playing the next day resulted in a small crowd. They made their voices heard, though, giving large applause and yelling FLOTSAM AND JETSAM song titles. They opened with “Prisoner of Time,” the first track from their 2019 album “The End of Chaos.” One of the catchier songs from the album, the crowd enthusiastically sang the chorus lines. Their refrain results in memorable hooks, one of the aspects that draws fans to their music. Eric A.K.’s soaring voice inspired the crowd to sing the chorus of another “The End of Chaos” song, “Demolition Man.” He held the mic to the crowd for the “you die!” part of “I Live You Die” song from their classic sophomore album “No Place For Disgrace.” While A.K. doesn’t hit the high-pitch notes on his early works, his voice is steady and rich drawing comparisons to Bruce Dickinson.

From the string play to the vocals, FLOTSAM AND JETSAM are like a thrashier version of IRON MAIDEN. The group even played their song “Iron Maiden” from their second album. They played a balanced set drawing from early material from vintage material from their first few albums like “Hammerhead,” and “Suffer The Masses” to newer numbers such as “Brace For Impact” and “Burn The Sky” (see the photo below for the complete set list). The newer material tends to focus more on vocal hooks and chunky chords compared to the stratosphere-scraping vocals and speed of early material. They have an interesting combination of power, thrash and traditional metal that induces equally singing and head banging.

Guitarists Michael Gilbert and Steve Conley messed together well in their onslaught of concrete-textured riffing and deft solos. Rhythm section members Ken Mary (drums) and Bill Bodily were tight. Bodily played technical bass lines, some originally from Jason Newsted. While the band were spot on and energetic, Eric A.K. became winded after the unrelenting projections of “Demolition Man.” He apologized as he took a break, saying being away from the stage for so long left him a bit rusty. Other than this short break, fatigue wasn’t noticeable in their long set. The group closed their set with “No Place for Disgrace,” left the stage and returned for an encore of their epic track, “Doomsday for the Deceiver.”