Slaughter

Slaughter is an American hard rock band that formed in Las Vegas, Nevada, in 1988. The group was founded by lead vocalist and rhythm guitarist Mark Slaughter and bassist Dana Strum, who previously played together in the band Vinnie Vincent Invasion. The addition of guitarist Tim Kelly and drummer Blas Elias allowed Slaughter to quickly gain attention for their lively performances, catchy hooks, and melodic guitar solos.

Following Tim Kelly's death in a car accident in 1998, Slaughter added Jeff Blando as their new guitarist, who has remained an essential part of the band's lineup ever since. Blando also contributed to the band's most recent studio album.

Slaughter's music was heavily influenced by the hard rock and heavy metal scene of the 1980s, with an aggressive yet melodic sound. To date, Slaughter has released five studio albums, two live albums, and one compilation album. Their debut album Stick It to Ya, released in 1990, has sold over two million copies worldwide and went double platinum, producing hit singles such as "Up All Night" and "Fly to the Angels". Their follow-up album, The Wild Life, has sold over 500,000 copies, receiving a gold certification.

In addition to their commercial success, Slaughter has also received critical acclaim for their music, including winning the American Music Award for Favorite Heavy Metal/Hard Rock New Artist in 1991, beating out other popular hard rock and heavy metal acts of the time.

Slaughter has continued to release new music and tour regularly since the 1990s. Over the years, Slaughter has taken part in a number of festivals, including the Monsters of Rock Cruise, the M3 Rock Festival, and Rocklahoma. They have also played numerous shows and tours throughout the United States and abroad.

In 2013, Dustin Rowles of Uproxx included the band in his list "In Which We Remember 10 Hair Metal Bands So Crappy You’ve Probably Completely Forgotten About Them". By contrast, in 2020, Jeff Mezydlo of Yardbarker included them in his list of "the 20 greatest hair metal bands of all time".