Finally, the time has come to take a first look at the new album by the thrash legends, FLOTSAM AND JETSAM, titled Rats In The Temple , which will be released on August 28, 2026 via Napalm Records . The album’s title track is a macabre hit that fills with sweeping guitar parts, thundering drums and the haunting wail of the refined frontman Eric AK Knutson . After four groundbreaking decades, countless world tours and 15 landmark studio albums, FLOTSAM AND JETSAM remain refined and respected.
Eric AK Knutson says about the track: “We’re very excited to release the first single from the album, which is very fitting for the title track, ‘Rats In The Temple’ ! This song has a lot to say and we hope the fans love it as much as we do. It’s perhaps one of the most technically demanding songs FLOTSAM have ever recorded and we can’t wait to present it live too!”
The icons of thrash metal, FLOTSAM AND JETSAM , known for their groundbreaking blend of explosive thrash and explosive power metal—established on landmark records such as Kerrang! headliners of the classics Doomsday for the Deceiver (1986), No Place for Disgrace ( 1988) and Cuatro (1992) and perfected in their current rebirth with the rise of the German charts, The End of Chaos (2019), Blood in the Water (2021) and I Am the Weapon (2024), return with their newest gem and their debut for Napalm Records , Rats In The Temple , out on August 28, 2026. With nearly four decades on the scene, countless world tours and appearances at famous festivals such as Wacken , Graspop , Bloodstock , Alcatraz and Rockhard , they have honed their sound to a fine point, piercing listeners with thrilling blast beats, hot guitars , epic string orchestrations and the undisputed haunting wail of the refined frontman AK Knutson .
Frontman Eric AK Knutson on the album: “This record is a BEAST, truly our best effort to date!! Do yourself a favor. Dim the lights, pour a drink, put on your headphones and turn it up. You won’t regret it!!!”
“Rats In The Temple” starts strong with stadium-ready hooks and the dizzyingly precise performances of “ Harvesting The Hate” and “Damnation” , before digging into thrash mastery on “Absolution” . The iconic guitar duo of Michael Gilbert and Steve Conley paints vividly macabre images on tracks like “Blame The Knife” and “Rats In the Temple” , and then goes on to display its metallic power on “The Ghost Behind My Door” and “First on the Spike” , invoking the pure excellence of the first wave with a sweeping modern threat. “The Edge of Nowhere” builds inevitable tension before firing at listeners at full throttle on “Last Rites” , another standout track for the band. The legendary rhythm duo of drummer Ken Mary and bassist Bill Bodily take center stage on the anti-war anthem “A Taste For War” , their methodical syncopation invoking images of tanks and chariots on the ground. “Her Blood Your Pain” brings ornate, medieval guitar melodies before “Anthem For The Broken” reaches its peak, and “Going Down That Way” hits listeners with heavy riffs and even heavier truths. Rats In The Temple remains thrilling throughout, giving listeners access to numerous of the band’s metal halls, sampling a refined and eclectic serving of influences.
Simmering them like magma under the Earth, FLOTSAM AND JETSAM grow ever more fiery over time, and Rats In The Temple sees the band erupting to the surface in a grandiose and impressive flame. For new and old fans alike, you can’t escape them. They’re through the walls.
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Track list from “Rats In The Temple” :
1. Harvesting the Hate
2. Damnation
3. Absolution
4. Blame the Knife
5. Rats in the Temple
6. The Ghost behind my Door
7. First on the Spike
8. The Edge of Nowhere
9. Last Rites
10. A Taste for War
11. Her Blood your Pain
12. Anthem for the Broken
13. Not Going down that Way
