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Flotsam and Jetsam (band)
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=== 1989β1995: MCA era === In 1989, Flotsam and Jetsam were signed to [[MCA Records]] and began work on their third album ''[[When the Storm Comes Down]]'', which was released in May 1990.<ref name="LarkinHR" /> The band expected to gain recognition with this album, but it suffered from a variety of mixed reviews. A video made for "Suffer the Masses" did however receive heavy rotation on [[MTV]]'s ''[[Headbangers Ball]]''.<ref name="hbb">{{cite web|url=https://www.headbangersballunofficialtributesite.com/episode-database|title=Headbangers Ball- The Unofficial Tribute Site β Episode Database|website=Headbangersballunofficialtributesite.com|access-date=April 25, 2021|archive-date=May 29, 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170529021919/https://www.headbangersballunofficialtributesite.com/episode-database|url-status=dead}}</ref> Musically and lyrically, ''When the Storm Comes Down'' marked the beginning of at least two changes for Flotsam and Jetsam: it mirrored much of the occult and dark themes evidenced in the lyrical content of their previous two albums, instead focusing on politics and society in general, and saw the band expanding their thrash roots and using elements of the [[progressive metal|progressive and technical]] style of their later albums. The band toured for about a year and a half in support of ''When the Storm Comes Down''; they co-headlined a U.S. tour with [[Prong (band)|Prong]], and subsequently toured or played selected shows with bands such as [[Testament (band)|Testament]], [[Savatage]], [[Exodus (band)|Exodus]], [[Vio-lence|Vio-Lence]], [[Sacred Reich]], [[Wrathchild America]] and then-unknown [[Pantera]].<ref name=metallipromo /><ref>{{cite web|url=http://metallipromo.com/pantera.html|title=Pantera|website=Metallipromo.com|access-date=July 2, 2017}}</ref> Shortly after the ''When the Storm Comes Down'' tour ended, bassist Troy Gregory departed to join [[Prong (band)|Prong]]. Holding auditions in Phoenix, the band hired Jason Ward to fill the role. With Ward as their new bassist, Flotsam and Jetsam released their fourth album ''[[Cuatro (Flotsam and Jetsam album)|Cuatro]]'' in October 1992.<ref name="LarkinHR" /> It marked an evolution in style and songwriting, moving from thrash to a slower, slightly more, melodic sound, while also continuing the progressive and technical song structures used on ''When the Storm Comes Down''. The band released four singles this time, two of which ("Swatting at Flies" and "Wading Through the Darkness") were shot as music videos and both received regular rotation on ''Headbangers Ball''.<ref name="hbb" /> Flotsam and Jetsam promoted ''Cuatro'' with a year-long tour, playing with bands like [[Body Count (band)|Body Count]], [[Sepultura]], [[Testament (band)|Testament]], [[White Zombie (band)|White Zombie]], [[Nudeswirl]] and [[Damn the Machine]], as well as doing a US tour with [[Mercyful Fate]], [[Cathedral (band)|Cathedral]] and [[Anacrusis]].<ref name=metallipromo /> Slowing down after the moderate success of their previous albums, it took nearly three years until Flotsam and Jetsam released their fifth album ''[[Drift (Flotsam and Jetsam album)|Drift]]'' in April 1995, which was dedicated to Jason's older brother [[Jeff Ward (musician)|Jeff Ward]], former drummer of such bands as [[Nine Inch Nails]], [[Ministry (band)|Ministry]], Revolting Cocks and [[Lard (band)|Lard]], who died in 1993. Three singles were released off of the record, and one of them ("Smoked Out") had a music video. However, with ''Headbangers Ball'' already off the air in the U.S., and many heavy metal radio stations changing formats, ''Drift'' did not sell as well as the band's previous albums, and about the same time they toured the U.S. with [[Megadeth]] and [[Korn]] during the summer of 1995, MCA's six-year relationship with Flotsam and Jetsam had ended.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.flotsam-and-jetsam.com/|title=History|website=Flotsam-and-jetsam.com|access-date=July 17, 2021}}</ref>
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