Hello – my name is Dave, and I’m a thrashoholic. I just can’t get enough thrash. It’s easily my favorite subgenre of metal, and after unsuccessfully attempting to write this review with my fanboyish tendencies suppressed, I have decided to just let loose and tell you all how much I like – perhaps even love – Lazarus A.D.’s The Onslaught.
The album has a classic thrash feel but sounds completely modern, thanks in part to James Murphy, who remixed and remastered the album from its original form. I know a lot of folks like their thrash to sound dirty, and while I can appreciate the sound and sentiment, I prefer the razor-sharp edge that a good clean production job can provide. In this regard they fall into the same area as the recent works from Testament and Destruction (probably closer to the latter, though.) “Last Breath” grabs you right from the start with good hooks and a spitting, slightly raspy, vocal delivery – fueled by anger, for sure. Tracks like “Damnation For the Weak” and “Lust” throw in tempo changes and breakdowns to add a little variety to the thrash attack. Further down the line, “Every Word Unheard” is a fine example of how they can lay down some thick grooves and keep thrashing just as hard.
The standout track is “Revolution,” which thunders along at a good pace and has a particularly catchy chorus. It’s also quite the instrumental juggernaut: the vocals kick in after about 50 seconds, then around the 2 minute mark it’s just, riffs, leads, and solos until the last verse is delivered at 4:30. You’ll be so busy thrashing around that you won’t even notice. Also of note is “Forged in Blood,” one of the flat-out heaviest tracks here thanks to ample amounts of double-bass and the flat-out neck wrecking riff at 2:33.
Fuck it – this one doesn’t need any more analysis. It’s a goddamn THRASH record, and a great goddamn thrash record at that. It’s one of those records that I listen to and can’t imagine why anybody wouldn’t like it, but I expect a lot of you to tell me that this is a boring rehash while touting the merits of your favorite recycled tech-death bands. You can keep it. I’ll take my Lazarus A.D., a can of cheap beer, and thrash away.
