Lazarus A.D.

Kenosha, Wisconsin is not a typical place where you would think a band with old-school sounding thrash roots like Lazarus A.D. would come from. Formed in 2005 in a state where people are affectionately known as "cheese heads," they grew up influenced by Bay Area thrash bands Exodus and Testament. They have been crafting their precision-like skills ever since and are now making the metal world take notice of their Midwestern brutality.

Dan Gapen (guitars/vocals), Jeff Paulick (bass/lead vocals), Alex Lackner (guitars), and Ryan Shutler (drums) notoriously crush live audiences with their intricate brand of thrash and party arduously at every show they perform.

Their full-length debut "The Onslaught," was originally self-released by the band in 2007. Metal Blade Records signed the band in 2008 and James Murphy re-mixed and re-mastered the original recording. Since the re-release, they have toured steadily, opening for established thrash acts such as Anthrax and Testament.

Fresh off the Baptized in Beer U.S./Canadian tour with Bison B.C., the youngsters are still forging ahead with their newfound experience.

Speaking with Jeff through e-mail, I found out why this band is starting to carve out their own niche in the metal scene.

Metal Mayhem: How did the Baptized in Beer tour with Bison B.C. go?
Jeff Paulick: It was a great time; we really enjoy doing small club tours. It gives us a chance to get up close and personal with everyone. The guys in Bison B.C. and Woe of Tyrants really know how to keep the party going that’s for sure.

MM: How did Dan break his hand that forced the band to cancel the last three dates?
JP: To be honest, we had some shitty promoter in Vegas dicking us around on our beer and Dan got pissed off and punched the guy in the face. And he ended up breaking his hand on the fuckers jaw. No, I’m just fucking with you; he really punched the side of our tour bus. Yeah, he is a dumb ass and he knows it.

MM: Any other mishaps?
JP: So far we haven’t really had any other mishaps on the road. I hear a lot of horror stories about other bands and their problems, knock on wood. We have been lucky up to this point. Now that I’ve said that we are probably fucked. So thanks for asking … hahaha!

MM: How hard do you guys party? Any wild drunken stories from the road you'd care to share?
JP: We definitely like to drink our beer and smoke a lot of weed. We haven’t done anything too crazy as of yet. We aren’t trying to rock the boat just yet. We don’t want to be known as a problem band especially when we are only the opening band on tours. I see plenty of crazy times in our future when we can afford to pay for the damages!

MM: Your sound does have that definitive Exodus (and Testament) flavour without directly copying them, but how old were you guys, or were you even born yet when "Bonded by Blood" was recorded in 1985? How did you get turned on to such bands influential to your sound while you were growing up and what do you listen to now?
JP: HAHA! Most of us weren’t born yet. And those of us who were, probably were still shitting our pants. I think ultimately we all were drawn to heavy music, I could relate to it. I still listen to all the bands that influenced me but I also listen to other styles of music just so I’m not a narrow-minded person. I guess you can say I want to be a well-rounded individual. There's nothing worse than having some ignorant fuck trying to push his narrow-minded views on you.

MM: At a young age, touring with thrash veterans like Testament and Anthrax, what gives you the confidence and motivation to go out and kick ass at every show?
JP: You said it right there. We are touring with bands that we idolized when we were kids and I’ll be damned if I don’t bring my fucking "A" game to the stage. The last thing I want is those guys saying my band sucks. I know you can’t please everyone and a lot people tend to "drink the Haterade" as you become successful. In the end I just want people to respect my music.

MM: Do you mind being labelled as part of the New Wave of American Thrash, or neo-thrash? What's your opinion on those monikers and where does Lazarus A.D. fit into that scene?
JP: I really don’t care for the label. Fuck that shit, about us being a thrash band. My goal is that everyone says we are a kick ass metal band. I’ve never been one to say, “I only like this type of metal." I like all kinds of metal. Besides, it gets way too confusing with all the different subgenres.

MM: How has Metal Blade been treating you? Have they been getting you the tours, promotion and coverage you would expect from such a well-respected label?
JP: Metal Blade has been treating us great. We have a great team of people in place. We do so many interviews it’s hard to keep track of them all. I’m pretty sure the label is happy with us so far.

MM: What are you working on now? Recording any new material soon?
JP: We have about half of the next album written so far. And right now we have no plans on recording a new record till sometime next year. Our big priority is spreading the word about “The Onslaught.” We really feel it’s a great record and deserves the right exposure.

MM: Are there any plans for a tour soon?
JP: We have a few tour offers on the table for the fall and winter. We are just waiting for Dan’s hand to heal up and then we are back on the road. We plan on being on the road for all of 2010. Life at home is way too boring … hahaha!

MM: What does Lazarus A.D., or you personally, want to accomplish with your career in music?
JP: I’d be lying if I said I didn’t want to be the biggest metal band in the world. In the end, I just want to be able to do what I love for a living. Touring the world and playing my music for all the great fans. Hopefully it all works out.

Article by Kelley Simms