The burly Wisconsin dudes of Lazarus A.D. are happily stuck in the 1980s thrash utopia embodied by classic bands like Slayer, Testament, and Anthrax, among others. They've embraced the classic style, but refuse to remain a slave to it on THE ONSLAUGHT. The album's title is certainly truth in advertising, as its contents are almost unrelentingly heavy. Sheet-metal riffs fall like hammer blows on the oppressive "Absolute Power," solos like rusty meathooks sink deep into"Rebirth," and the stop-start gallop of "Forged in Blood" leaves dust in its wake. There's nothing fancy here, just an old-school beatdown.