FLOTSAM AND JETSAM have announced their new studio album "Rats In The Temple," set for release on August 28, 2026 via Napalm Records. The Arizona thrash metal veterans will deliver 13 tracks on what frontman Eric "A.K." Knutson calls "a BEAST, truly our best effort to date."
The announcement marks a milestone year for the band — 2026 marks the 40th anniversary of their landmark 1986 debut "Doomsday For The Deceiver," the album that launched one of thrash metal's most enduring careers. "Rats In The Temple" follows their 2024 album "I Am The Weapon" and promises to push the band's sound into bolder territory.
The 13-track album features titles such as "Harvesting The Hate," "Damnation," "Absolution," "Blame The Knife," and the title track "Rats In The Temple" — hinting at the aggressive, riff-driven approach that has defined the band's discography for four decades. The current lineup — Knutson on vocals, Michael Gilbert and Steve Conley on guitars, Bill Bodily on bass, and Ken Mary on drums — has produced what the band considers their finest achievement.
"This record is a BEAST, truly our best effort to date!! Check it out with the volume at full, with the best speakers you have. This is FLOTSAM AND JETSAM's best album... and that's saying something," Knutson declared.
With a late August release date, "Rats In The Temple" is shaping up to be one of the most anticipated thrash metal albums of 2026. Napalm Records will distribute the album worldwide.