Flotsam and Jetsam
Valencia, get your neck muscles ready. One of America's great unsung thrash metal institutions is heading our way, and they're bringing plenty of ammunition. Flotsam and Jetsam arrive at Rock City on Tuesday, 24 November, as part of their Rats In The Temple Winter Tour 2026, with the legendary Arizona outfit ready to showcase their latest album alongside the classics that have kept metalheads coming back for more across four extraordinary decades.
Joining them for the Valencia date are Spanish thrashers Blast Open, making this a particularly tasty double bill for anyone who likes their guitars fast, heavy and played with absolutely no intention of behaving themselves.
For anyone unfamiliar with the Flotsam and Jetsam story, there's quite a history to get stuck into. Formed in Phoenix, Arizona, in 1981, the band emerged during the golden era of American thrash, developing a reputation for combining ferocious speed, technically impressive musicianship and a more melodic, adventurous approach than many of their contemporaries.
Their 1986 debut, Doomsday for the Deceiver, remains a landmark release. Its impact was recognised by Kerrang!, which famously awarded it the magazine's unprecedented 6K rating. It also introduced the world to a young bassist by the name of Jason Newsted, who would soon find himself heading for rather bigger stages after joining Metallica following the death of Cliff Burton.
Newsted's departure could easily have derailed the band, but Flotsam and Jetsam were made of tougher stuff. They returned with No Place for Disgrace in 1988, another essential slice of American thrash that cemented their place among the genre's most respected names.
The albums kept coming, with When the Storm Comes Down, Cuatro, Drift, High and My God demonstrating a willingness to explore different musical territories without abandoning their metal foundations. Through changing musical fashions, record-label difficulties and numerous lineup changes, vocalist Eric 'A.K.' Knutson has remained the band's defining presence.
And here's the really interesting part: Flotsam and Jetsam are nowhere near finished. Their self-titled 2016 album marked a significant resurgence, followed by The End of Chaos in 2019, Blood in the Waterin 2021 and I Am the Weapon in 2024. Rather than simply relying on their back catalogue, the band have continued sharpening their sound, delivering modern thrash with the precision, aggression and melodic sensibility that made their name.
Their latest album, Rats In The Temple, released on 28 August 2026 through Napalm Records, is the driving force behind this European tour. A thirteen-track collection, it finds the band tackling some particularly dark subject matter, including war, betrayal, abuse and death.
The album features everything that makes Flotsam and Jetsam such an interesting proposition: scorching guitar work from Michael Gilbert and Steve Conley, a formidable rhythm section featuring bassist Bill Bodily and drummer Ken Mary, and Knutson's unmistakable vocal delivery.
Tracks such as 'Harvesting The Hate', 'Damnation' and 'Absolution' provide a powerful introduction, while the title track and 'Blame The Knife' demonstrate the band's ability to combine crushing riffs with memorable melodic passages. 'A Taste For War' adds another dimension with its anti-war message and relentless rhythmic drive.
This is a band with a substantial history, but one still looking forward rather than spending every night looking backwards. Expect the new material to sit comfortably alongside the classics, giving long-standing fans plenty to celebrate while offering newer listeners a serious introduction to one of thrash metal's enduring forces.
Blast Open have the responsibility of warming up the Rock City crowd, and they're an excellent addition to the Valencia date. The Asturian metal outfit join Flotsam and Jetsam for the Spanish leg of the tour, bringing another dose of homegrown heaviness to an already impressive bill. It's a pairing that makes perfect sense: two bands with a genuine appreciation for powerful riffs, muscular rhythms and metal played with conviction.
The venue is equally important. Rock City, in Almàssera, has established itself as one of the Valencia region's essential destinations for live music. Since opening in 2011, it has welcomed more than 900 musicians to its stage, spanning everything from international metal heavyweights to punk, rock and alternative favourites.
Peter Murphy, Barricada, Lordi, Marky Ramone, Gojira, Moonspell and Fear Factory are just some of the names that have passed through its doors. It's a venue that understands the importance of live music, with the technical facilities and intimate atmosphere that make a difference when the volume goes up and the guitars start flying.
There's something particularly appealing about seeing a band with this much history in a room like Rock City. Forget the distance and spectacle of an enormous arena; this is an opportunity to get close to the action, feel the full force of the guitars and experience the musicianship without a massive production getting between the band and the audience.
Flotsam and Jetsam have survived changing trends, industry turbulence and four decades of musical evolution. They've shared their history with one of metal's biggest names, released records that remain essential listening for thrash fans and, crucially, continue producing new music that deserves attention in its own right. Rats In The Temple is the latest chapter, and Rock City gets to experience it up close.
Four decades in, the Arizona veterans still have plenty of fight left in them. Valencia, consider yourselves warned.
For tickets and more information: Rock City
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