The pandemic affected the creative process of many artists, and it was no different for Flotsam and Jetsam . In an interview on The Wikimetal Happy Hour , vocalist Eric “AK” Knutson and drummer Ken Mary talked about the experience of recording during this chaotic period.
The Arizona band released Blood in the Water , their fourteenth studio album, on June 4th. “I didn’t intend to write anything about [the pandemic ] this time, but it’s unavoidable,” commented Knutson. “For over a year and a half we’ve been worried about our loved ones and friends, questioning what our careers would be like. Regardless of what you start writing, it ends up having a taste of fear and anger.”
During the project's recordings, which took place in the middle of the isolation period, the members never stayed in the same studio room to protect elderly relatives and those in high-risk groups. The situation was even more delicate because Arizona had the highest COVID-19 in the world, according to data published in January of this year.
“When we started, we were sending ideas back and forth, checking which ones everyone liked and finishing those,” the drummer said. “We were never together, we could only wave through the glass and say, ‘Hey, how are you?’ It was a strange experience.”.
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