In 2002, Mark Zonder and William J. Tsamis of legendary US Metal band Warlord re-united to issue a brand new studio album entitled "Rising Out Of The Ashes". However, among the nine tracks a re-working of "Lucifer's Hammer" as well as several songs from Tsamis' own post-Warlord project Lordian Guard were to be found. Joacim Cans of Hammerfall is singing on "Rising Out Of The Ashes". "I think Joacim did an amazing job," says Mark Zonder today. "We always considered him a full member of the band. Unfortunately, when things stalled out and we were not able to play more dates or do another record, it really didn't matter. Joacim is still a good friend today. We had a great time recording and doing a couple shows." So after the early works of "Deliver us" and "And The Cannons Of Destruction Have Begun" it was "Rising Out Of The Ashes" that marked the return of Warlord. "I guess," reflects Mark Zonder. "But it was not really looked at it that way. We just wanted to do another album and put out Warlord songs. It was more of a creative decision as compared to a big business decision. Warlord has always been about the music." After all, it was not a case of trying to deliver that "ultimate" Warlord album, as Mark Zonder remarks: "We really did not look at it that way, just trying to do the best album possible. We are very hard on ourselves and really strive to make the best albums possible. We just do not slam ten songs together and put them out. A lot of thoughts and serious decisions are made to achieve the best possible result. I love the record and all the songs. We all had a great creative time recording it." As already mentioned not all of the compositions on "Rising Out Of The Ashes" were brand new: "Bill (William Tsamis) had some of those ideas back in the day and had come up with some new ones. It was more about the arrangements and making them Warlord instead of just basic riff ideas." Even if Joacim Cans was being considered a full member at the time, it was guitarist William Tsamis who had the most input regarding the album: "Joacim did not have that much of an input as Bill had all of the vocal lines and melodies done. Bill looks at the voice as just another instrument that is written very specifically for the song. Not a lot of jamming going on at all." Promoting the album Warlord also played the Wacken Open Air festival: "We went on at 2 am but we had a great time and the band sounded great. I do remember it like yesterday and I thought the crowd reaction was great. Nothing better than Warlord on a big big stage." Initially, Warlord had problems finding a record company willing to put out "Rising Out Of The Ashes": "Nobody wanted the record. Finally it was released via Athreia Records in Italy, and they sold it to Drakkar in Germany. Nobody, and I mean nobody, wanted it and just to be clear: we were not looking for a lot of money. We just never got any offers and it was shopped all over the place." Once again, just like "Deliver us" and "And The Cannons Of Destruction Have Begun", "Rising Out Of The Ashes" will be put out as a triple vinyl album via High Roller Records including quite a few extra tracks. Mark Zonder explains: "All the additional demo stuff is from the 1980s, except for the Lordian Guard stuff, which is from later periods." Matthias Mader
