Author: Sandi Sadar Šoba
Artist: Lazarus A.D.
Label: Metal Blade Records
Release: 2011
Runtime: 41:55
Rating: 4.5/5
No, I’m not exaggerating, but the return of a band named after Saint Lazarus, the friend of Christ whom the Messiah raised from the dead, reawakening the faith of the masses, and who is himself the patron saint of lepers and gravediggers, is one of the bigger and louder surprises, or call it miracles, of metal today. Just two years after the adrenaline-soaked, undeniably talented debut The Onslaught, a lot of water has flowed under the bridge. These young guys have made their chemistry even better, sharpened their sound and their thrasher slogans even further, and reached the next, higher level of their me(n)tal evolution. Wisconsin is on the map not only thanks to the tireless efforts of the Wisconsin Metal Alliance, which laid solid foundations for tempering young hopefuls and rooting firm congregations of metal believers, but also because four standard-bearers of the new-school sound planted it there in big letters, with backbreaking work and souls wholly devoted to the thrasher imperative “thrash or die”. That sound, if we’re going to make comparisons, is a more-than-sinewy yet juicy cocktail of Metallica in their prime, with the legacy of the entire Bay Area thrash scene audibly in the mix. Woven into that old foundation are the playful rhythms and aggression of Pantera from the phenomenal Far Beyond Driven era, a hellish hot rod topped off with a pinch of Lamb Of God, but more than a chain of big-name associations, what comes through this time is a thrasher ego all their own, with gleaming, razor-sharp titanium teeth!
The trip through the talented quartet’s remarkable landscape, lasting a little under three quarters of an hour, conjures up the feeling of pleasure reawakened, one that doesn’t crave rationalization but surrenders to the rushing roar of blood surging through a somewhat drowsy body. Sure, you could complain that thrash sounded even better and more of-its-time at least a decade ago, and that the recipe for cooking up thrash songs is predictable and there’ll be precious few surprises. To people like that, every novelty is just a field for venting their frustrated rage and their lack of literacy beyond the confines of their long-gone childhood, when metal was ruled by big names that, let’s be honest, still have no real competition even today, right? Still, with every killer riff (and there’s no shortage of them on this record), every solid, precise hit on the drumheads or cymbals, and every verse, Lazarus A.D. crossed the Rubicon of comparison with the giants of the past and forged an exceptional, brutally honest piece of work. So I’m inclined to believe Prešeren’s advice: “Cobbler, stick to your last.”
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y1n2ykwuVaY
Black Rivers Flow sounds fresh from the opening feedback of the explosive start of American Dream onward, which seduces you with outstanding guitar work from the talented guitar duo Dan Gapen and Alex Lackner. The vocal chemistry also floors you, with the more melodic, screaming voice of frontman and bassist Jeff Paulick set against the more brutal backup of the aforementioned lead guitarist Dan Gapen, and the skilled rhythm executioner, the talented drummer Ryan Shutler, is right there among the alliance of the exceptional. The thrash orgasms keep rolling with the record’s first single, The Ultimate Sacrifice, a more aggressive track that calls to mind the late Dimebag and his home crew of knights of sweat and true believers, Pantera. After a punkish stampede, we creep up on the title track Black Rivers Flow, one of the more rhythmically dynamic moments on the record. Lazarus A.D. prove they’re worthy of standing alongside the greats in every element of the music. “Set sail for oblivion / Mapped out by our ignorant hand / Put the blame on another dominion / The only choice we had / The shattered coast begins to blacken / Along with hope of recovery / Abandon ship that we call this planet / And plead for our sanity” the vocal duo sings, while the sonic wrecker keeps torpedoing the unsuspecting with wild meter and heartfelt, honest firepower! Suddenly modern metal doesn’t sound worn out or fashionably watered down, thrash isn’t boring and empty, and the flames of Saint Lazarus himself burn in the belly of this hellish beast, who has clearly picked up his guitar shenanigans from Children Of Bodom, Legion Of The Damned and plenty of chrome-plated gods of the six strings. By Casting Forward and Light A City (Up In Smoke), you’ve been served just about every argument and every shade of variety, and at every moment it’s impossible to argue that these guys, given their youth and studio inexperience (yes, it’s true that this is their “only” second album), are overtaking the competition at a rapid pace and without mercy. The closing act, Eternal Vengeance, arrives far too soon, and its seven epically inspired minutes don’t bore you for a second.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Afstn3q9G3k
I don’t know, maybe it’s not just a matter of reason, but a huge dose of arrogance and destructiveness has clearly seeped into the hearts of the seen-it-all, consumerism-sated masses, who can only vent their spleen on the young hopefuls of the new generation, while putting the old, often long-faded flowers on a pedestal of untouchability, even though they haven’t been able to create anything convincing enough to shake the world in a good while and would rather rest on their laurels of old glory. Personally, I think Lazarus A.D. have more than fed hungry ears with their second studio child, and if they don’t deserve standing ovations and chants of a name that will one day be big, they at least deserve credit for their effort, heart and technical chops. I’d even add a medal for the courage to revive the hides of giants and shake the world with their uncompromising take on thrash, in its best and even improved form! Black Rivers Flow is a quality, brutally delicious record, but the band’s true greatness will be shown by the test of time and perseverance.
Line-up
Dan Gapen – guitar, vocals
Jeff Paulick – bass, vocals
Alex Lackner – guitar
Ryan Shutler – drums
Production
Lazarus A.D. & Chris Wisco
Track list
1. American Dreams
2. The Ultimate Sacrifice
3. The Strong Prevail
4. Black Rivers Flow
5. Casting Forward
6. Light A City (Up In Smoke)
7. Through Your Eyes
8. Beneath the Waves of Hatred
9. Eternal Vengeance
