Biography
Slaughter are an American hard rock band formed in Las Vegas, Nevada, in 1988. The group was founded by lead vocalist and rhythm guitarist Mark Slaughter and bassist Dana Strum, both of whom had previously played together in Vinnie Vincent Invasion. With the addition of guitarist Tim Kelly and drummer Blas Elias, the band quickly gained recognition for their energetic live shows, memorable hooks, and melodic guitar work. After Tim Kelly tragically passed away in a car accident in 1998, Jeff Blando joined the band as lead guitarist and has remained a core member ever since.
Rooted in the hard rock and heavy metal sound of the 1980s, Slaughter developed an aggressive yet melodic style. They have released five studio albums, two live albums, and one compilation to date. Their 1990 debut, Stick It to Ya, sold over two million copies worldwide and was certified double platinum, thanks to hit singles like “Up All Night” and “Fly to the Angels.” Its follow-up, The Wild Life, earned gold certification with over 500,000 units sold.
In addition to commercial success, the band received critical praise, including winning the 1991 American Music Award for Favorite Heavy Metal/Hard Rock New Artist, surpassing other major acts of the era.
Despite the shifts in the music landscape during the 1990s, Slaughter has remained active, continuing to tour and release new material. They’ve become a fixture on the rock and metal festival circuit, performing at events such as the Monsters of Rock Cruise, M3 Rock Festival, and Rocklahoma. With numerous headline shows both in the U.S. and internationally, their high-energy performances and strong fan connection have helped sustain their popularity for over 30 years.
There are multiple artists tracked as "Slaughter" on last.fm. They are listed here in order of prominence.
1. Slaughter was a Canadian thrash metal band formed in Toronto, Ontario, Canada in 1984 and briefly featured Chuck Schuldiner on guitar in 1986. Originally, they released one full-length called "Strappado" and several demos. Slaughter was disbanded from 1989 to 1995 but returned in 1996 to record a cover of Celtic Frost’s “Dethroned Emperor” for a tribute album called “In Memory of Celtic Frost”. They then re-released “Strappado” and a new compilation album called Not Dead Yet / Paranormal under the Nuclear Blast record label in 2001. They released Not Dead Yet in 2011 and Meatcleaver in 2013.
2. Slaughter was a French heavy metal band, formed in April 1983. Their '86 demo 'Excalibur' was reissued as a 12" by Fils du Metal in the spring of 2010.
3. Brazilian thrash metal band active in the late 80s.
4. Japanese heavy metal band active in the late 80s.
5. Polish death/thrash metal band active in the late 80s.
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