LAZARUS A.D. - THE ONSLAUGHT + Ltd Card (*NEW-CD, 2023, Brutal Planet) elite Thrash better than the Big 4!
BPCD1584 LAZARUS A.D. - The Onslaught 637405142587
- Remastered by Rob Cowell of Bombworks Sound
- Limited to just 500 copies world-wide
- Kenosha, Wisconsin band
- Originally released independently by the band in 2007
- The band signed to Metal Blade Records and re-released the album in 2009
- The 2009 Metal Blade release was remixed by the legendary James Murphy, a member of thrash legends, Testament
- Lazarus A.D. toured for a year and a half to promote the reissue of The Onslaught, supporting Testament on their Formation of Damnation tour and Kreator on their Hordes of Chaos tour
- During this period, the band shared the stage with three of thrash metal's "big four" (Megadeth, Slayer and Anthrax), as well as other acts like Judas Priest, Rob Zombie, Exodus, Napalm Death and Kataklysm
- Youtube videos from this album typically have 2-7k views
- Last Breath has 1.5 million views on Spotify while other tracks have close to 1 million
WHAT OTHERS ARE SAYING ABOUT LAZARUS A.D.
Lazarus AD's The Onslaught represents a glimpse of a different future, a much nicer one for thrashers....it's one of the best thrash albums this side of Y2K. Buy it.
Metal-Archives Reviews
I can say if you like the classic thrash era there is something here for everyone. I grew up listening to bands like Slayer, Kreator, Exodus and Testament...Lazarus A.D. continues what those bands started.
Metal Critic Reviews
ABOUT THE ALBUM
One listen to Lazarus A.D. and you might think the new Anthrax album sounds fresh and new! Oh, wait - it's LAZARUS A.D.!!!! The Onslaught is an up-to-date, state of the art, ripping thrash album, with all the best bits of Slayer, Exodus, Testament and Anthrax. Mainly fast and mid tempo, crunching songs - relentlessly thrashing the listener in only pleasurable ways! Vocalist Jeff Paulick sound very similar to Rob Dukes of the mighty Exodus, and drummer Ryan Shutler (R.I.P. 2015) is one of the greatest of all-time. Don't take our word for it - LISTEN FOR YOURSELF! The drum patterns are intertwined with the guitar work in order to create tension and a sense of musical progression, using prominently the double bass and ride cymbal. It's nothing short of magical. The first two tracks on the album get things rolling to perfection. "Last Breath" kicks off with a blistering intensity and then morphs into a Metallica-like chug-chugging of guitars. The vocals don't even kick in until a minute and a half in, and they don't need to because the riffing does all the work. "Thou Shalt Not Fear" just screams Testament (the album was remixed by James Murphy of Testament!) and that's all that needs to be said. The remainder of the album continues to be powerfully aggressive with plenty of solos throughout. The pace of every song is intense; there's no time to stop to rest the ears. The 2023 first-time-on-vinyl release has been expertly mastered for vinyl (color) by Rob Colwell of Bombworks Sound, comes with a 12x12 full color insert, and is limited to just 300 copies word-wide. And, that's not all! We promise, Lazarus A.D. - The Onslaught WILL make you wanna circle pit 'til dawn!!!!
Tracks
Last Breath / Thou Shall Not Fear /
Damnation For The Weak /
Absolute Power / Revolution /
Rebirth /Lust / Forged In Blood /
Every Word Unheard /
Who I Really Am
CRITICS REVIEW
Lazarus A.D. – The Onslaught (Brutal Planet Records, 2023)
Close to two decades ago, four metalheads from Kenosha, Wisconsin came together to play some triumphal thrash and one day ride the lightning with Metallica. They recorded a demo in 2006, then a year later recorded The Onslaught, putting out a thousand copies as an unsigned band. Finally, Metal Blade caught the fire and had their CD remastered. The band toured with some metal greats like Testament and Kreator, but never fulfilled their dream of sharing the stage with Metallica. Sadly, they only made two albums, and their drummer passed away in 2015. This band just caught my attention most recently. But I have to say, this is some of the most badass metal I have heard in a long time. All of the songs captivated me, which is rare.
Right from the get-go, Last Breath deals it out with duo guitar wizardry and bombastic drumming that would even rival a portion of Death Angel’s catalogue. Jeff Paulick’s vocals carry the coarseness of medium-grit sandpaper while accentuating tormented lyrics. With all the groove thrash splendor the gods of metal would bestow, Thou Shalt Not Fear is a stellar orchestration of deep guitar and ride cymbal/double bass action, and rapturous soloing as the icing on the cake.
Absolute Power is a juxtaposition of the melodic with a power attack of guitar riffing, all while blast beats transcend the composition to another level. The song after, Revolution, picks up the speed slightly and shows off some masterfully played guitar harmonies, as well as vocal trade-offs. The soloing is some of the finest. Lust is another barn-burner, replete with exquisite guitar harmonies and shout-out vocals. There is even a slowed down ending where the drum precision is allowed to shine more lucidly.
Talk about a technical work out, it would take a lot to pull off the aggressively galloping Forged in Blood. This one is a stock yard of moving parts, all timed to the second to make it work. Every Word Unheard continues to serve up jaw-dropping guitar, played with velocity and technical genius. The last song, Who I Really Am, features trade-off vocals that would not be an easy feat to pull off. The soloing leaves one wanting more, a satisfying way to bring the album to its end.
In summary, this is face-melting thrash groove. They remind me of Pantera and Slayer but original enough to stand on their own merit. This album is exemplary in its sumptuous harmonies, solid power riffing, capable thrash vocals, ample guitar texture, brief but astounding soloing, bass all over the frets, and a drummer who leads with skill and aggression. Lazarus A.D.’s The Onslaught is easily in my top 15 favorite metal albums. Please, do yourself a favor and treat yourself to this criminally-overlooked album.
--Doug Peterson, music critic and enthusiast
