Lazarus A.D.

In spring 2005 the Wisconsin thrash unit Lazarus A.D. coalesced around guitarist/vocalist Dan Gapen, bassist/vocalist Jeff Paulick, guitarist Alex Lackner, and drummer Ryan Shutler. Their punishing attack, rooted in the Bay Area thrash sound of the 1980s yet sharpened by contemporary melodic grooves, earned the quartet an early break in 2006 when they supported Anthrax. Capitalizing on regional interest in a three-song EP, the group embarked on tour before retreating to the studio to issue its self-released debut, The Onslaught, in 2007. Underground metal outlets hailed the record, prompting Earache Records to feature the band on the forthcoming compilation Thrashing Like a Maniac. The following year Lazarus A.D. signed with Metal Blade, which reissued The Onslaught in early 2009.