Maximum Metal Rating Legend

Lazarus A.D. Black Rivers Flow Company: Metal Blade Records Release: 2011 Genre: Heavy, groove Reviewer: Iced Mojo

A brute force not to be taken lightly

Black Rivers Flow--Lazarus A.D.'s sophomore release on the mighty Metal Blade record label. Less thrash and more groove than their debut, however metalheads never fear, this is every bit as heavy as before just not a carbon copy. It opens very distorted, almost like a typical Nirvana-esque sound, but it changed quick with tracks like The Ultimate Sacrifice, Black Rivers Flow, and Through Your Eyes; the double bass and multiple solos make help to shape this fine release into what it is. Now comes the track The Strong Prevail, which has plenty of trash riffs showing that the boys have not forgotten what brought them to the dance. While this is a stellar release, Beneath The Waves Of Hatred keeps this from being great. It is boring and it just feels as though they tried to make something from nothing. The album features some of the best solos I have ever heard and with power and screaming vocals.

Their prior release "The Onslaught" and "Black Rivers Flow" both feature a predominant bass which is odd, yet refreshing on a thrash album. The differences are many--The Onslaught has more solo breaks on it, the use of a double bass is on most of the first, while that feature is sadly lacking from the follow up. Even though the first was remasterd [original only had 1000 copies made] it was still a raw and raunchy sound, where Black Rivers Flow has a more polished sound. The biggest is the first is straight thrash, and this one is Groove Metal meshed with a little thrash.

In closing, this Wisconsin four-piece is a brute force not to be taken lightly. Fans of Pantera, Kryterium, and other groove-heavy groups will love this release. I look forward to headbanging to these guys in their long and bright future.