Lazarus A.D. - The Onslaught (2009)

Formed in Kenosha, Wisconsin, USA back in 2005, Lazarus A.D. originally formed under the name of Lazarus, but added the A.D. suffix to differentiate themselves from the four or five other bands using the Lazarus moniker.

As far as I can remember I first became aware of these guys sometime back in 2007 when they opened for Anthrax on their, 'Spreading the Disease 20th Anniversary Tour' here in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Although probably really drunk on that evening, I remember being impressed with these guys, met them after they got off stage and also got my hands on their 2006 demo. Shortly thereafter the band released, 'The Onslaught' independently in a limited quantity of just a 1000 copies. Nearly two years later the band hooked up with Metal Blade Records who re-mastered/mixed the album with James Murphy (Obituary, Death, etc. guitarist, producer duder) and re-released this up till then hidden gem.

In case you don't know, Lazarus A.D. plays fast, technical and aggressive thrash metal, though unlike a lot of the bands within the thrash revival, Lazarus A.D. isn't a complete retro band. This holds truth simply because their song writing is way above average, the solos are just jaw droppingly amazing, the drums kill, the bass is thick and heavy, the vocals are angry and intense and finally with plenty of catchiness, hooks, energy, breakdowns and groove to keep me coming back for more and more, and honestly I never tire of this record one bit.

Honestly I'm quite sure once you hear songs like, 'Last Breath, 'Thou Shalt Not Fear', 'Who I Really Am' or 'Forged in Blood' you'll be hooked, but honestly not one single song on this album is bad at all or forgettable, it's in fact a nearly perfect modern thrash record. I never heard the original version of this album, but I'm going to assume it wasn't in the best shape and it's pretty obvious after listening to this album that James Murphy did a fine job making this album sound thunderous.

In the end I really believe Lazarus to be one of the most dynamic and talented bands within the thrash revival and if they continue on like this they could very easily become a thrash band of legend. For now the guys are working on their much desired sophomore release and then they'll be hitting the road early in 2011, and let me tell you these guys are something to see onstage. Don't miss them!