Flotsam And Jetsam - Whammy Bar, 4 October 2026: Review & Photo Galleries

After nearly four decades of dominating international stages alongside some of the best in business, such as Metallica, which a former band member, Jason Curtis Newsted, left to play with full-time, US thrash metal veterans Flotsam and Jetsam are breaking from their Australian Monsters Of Thrash tour this Sunday night to play their first New Zealand show at Auckland's Whammy Bar. Founding members Erik Knutson, known as AK, and Michael Gilbert are backed by a current lineup touted as the strongest ever as they promote their new album Rats In The Temple.

Head Lock Grave

I’ve seen these lads support an overseas act and draw the biggest circle pit of the night, so I expected nothing less tonight. They bring energy to the bill and pull a decent crowd. When Sylvester Porizakova joined the band as lead vocals in 2024, he was already a seasoned performer, having toured Spain and Europe with Labretta Suede and The Motel Six.

After recently supporting DevilSkin and following the success of their 2025 debut album Monolithium, fans eagerly await the release of their second album, Rewake In The Mold Of Travail, in November this year. These lads are on fire, favourites with an invigorated young crowd who follow them loyally and show up in the pit.

Tonight was no exception. On the third song, As A Ghost, a wall of death ensued. I’m sure they made some new fans tonight, with audience members asking, " Who are you guys, and when are you playing again.”

Just One Fix

Formed in 1998 in Auckland, Just One Fix are purveyors of crushing Thrash Death Metal. Their 2025 Album release, Submit Or Death, the first release since 2017, was well received and has the band back on track and out and about supporting international thrash acts like King Parrot and an upcoming show with Scottish legends Carcass.

We had a small taste of things to come with a new unrecorded song, Red Mist, offered up for our listening pleasure. Much has been said of the merits of having Sharne Scarborough on guitar, shredding it on stage, but Ant Ward's fat bass riffs certainly bring it musically, along with his sense of humour.

Beer breaks are scheduled on the set list and followed, and we took a short intermission while we waited for Ant’s poison to be replenished before finishing with the headbanger Your Own God Now.

Flotsam and Jetsam

The Whammy Bar's small stage feels even tighter than usual as guitarists Michael Gilbert and Steve Conley unleash fast, thunderous riffs, matched by Bill Bodily's ferocious bass. The band's presentation is far more polished than in the old videos I remember, with the synchronised 1980s guitar-gun moves now gone.

AK's vocals have also evolved, hardly surprising after 40 years of touring and recording. Driven by Ken Mary's lightning-fast drumming, the band combines technical skill with assured stagecraft, sounding as relevant to modern audiences as they did when they released their beloved 1986 power/thrash debut, Doomsday For The Deceiver.

“Let's do something really fucking old,” AK says, then explains that the song I Live You Die was written in 1983, appeared on their first demo and second album, and has been in every Flotsam show for 40 years. Bill Bodily steps forward wielding his bass, and the crowd throw horns as they descend into a drunk choir.

Impressed with the crowd's singing, “Fuck you guys are bad ass,” the band powers into Demolition Man. Not letting up, the relentless momentum carries us through as Ken Mary spins his sticks, and we change eras to a song from the latest album, Rats In The Temple. The band oblige the calls for “one more song”, and AK offers his bottle of Jack Daniel's to the fans in true Rock’n’roll style.