FLOTSAM AND JETSAM Drummer: 'New Songs Are Much Heavier Than Our Last Four Records Combined'

May 9, 2004

FLOTSAM AND JETSAM drummer Craig Nielsen recently spoke to AllThingsMetal.net about the group's new record deal, upcoming DVD and the supposed "resurgence" of old-school thrash that has taken place over the course of the last couple of years. The following are some excerpts from that interview:

On the supposed "old-school" thrash metal resurgence that's going on now:

Craig Nielsen: "Yeah, I've been hearing about it. I live in Hollywood I'm not actually seeing it. I've been hearing a whole lot about it though. . . I mean, there are still shows being put together, and there's still a strong attempt by promoters and agents to keep the scene alive. But I've been hearing about this 'old-school resurgence' for about five years, but I don't see it happening yet. I mean the press seems to do all they can to have the fans out there accept it, and I totally appreciate that, because that's what needs to happen. I don’t think the kids are catching on yet, but I think they will. Things come back around in time, but I'm not sure it's time yet."

On the band's new record deal that's in the works:

Craig Nielsen: "It's coming very close to closure. The lawyer is going over the fine points. I'm confident in the end it will work out and we should have announcement in maybe a week. . . It's not a big label, it's an independent, they have some metal bands. I'll tell you who it's not — it's not Century Media, it's not Roadrunner, not a major. It'll be good for what we're trying to do, they want to make us their marquee old-school metal band and put their resources behind us. You can be on one of those major labels and just get lost. So to have resources behind us will be a wise decision for us."

On whether the band have new material written already:

Craig Nielsen: "We have five songs done. They're very SLAYER-meets-old-FLOTSAM. They're much heavier than our last four records combined. It's definitely going to surprise a lot of people who thought we'd moved on from that style. It's actually a re-visit to 'No Place for Disgrace'. I think it's the coolest stuff that [guitarist] Mark [Simpson] has yet to write. He's really in his element now. He's writing with confidence because he knows what the studio possibilities are now."

Read Craig Nielsen's entire interview with AllThingsMetal.net at this location.

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