As requested, here’s SLAUGHTER 1990’s smash hit album ”Stick It To Ya” as part of the excellent Universal Music Japan ‘HR/HM 1000’ series. This is a remastered version including bonus tracks.
Slaughter formed in Las Vegas, Nevada, in late 1988 out of the ashes of lead vocalist Mark Slaughter and bassist Dana Strum’s previous band, Vinnie Vincent Invasion. Vinnie Vincent Invasion’s record company, Chrysalis Records, took the $4 million contract away from Vinnie Vincent for over-exceeding his credit line with the label, and transferred the contract to former members Slaughter and Strum.
By 1989, Slaughter and Strum completed the lineup by recruiting lead guitarist Tim Kelly and drummer Blas Elias.
Produced by Mark Slaughter & Dana Strum, Slaughter debut album “Stick It to Ya” sold over 2 million copies and became one of the biggest CDs of 1990, with three singles in the Top 40 and their videos in solid rotation on the various music television outlets.
The LP was also nominated for a Best Metal Album of the Year at the 1991 American Music Awards show.
Their success may have seemed to happen overnight, but as far as the band was concerned, it came as the result of plenty of hard work.
What made Slaughter work as unit was the songwriting of Mark and Dana, and most of it still stands up. A lot of this material — straight up melodic hard rock with a little flourish — is solid and consistent.
The late Tim Kelly on guitar drives these tracks never pretending to be a great soloist, but making up with dedication and commitment what he lacks in virtuosity. Mark Slaughter’s raspy, higher-pitched vocals are pleasingly distinctive, while Blas Elias on drums and Dana Strum on the bass provide a thumping foundation to build on.
The anthemic “Up All Night”, the killer “Eye To Eye”, “Desperately”, “Mad About You” and the great, atmospheric ballad “Fly To The Angels” (with solid lyrics above the average for this kind of songs) are my favorites.
Speaking about the bonus tracks; “Fly to the Angels [Acoustic Version]” and “Wingin’ It” were included on the original CD release too, but not the cassette or LP versions of “Stick It To Ya”. “Wingin’ It” is an accapella joke tune, only a minute in length, but absolutely hilarious to this day. I wish the album had been re-sequenced so that it still closes the album, as this is an obvious closer.
After that, there are four demos. These demos are remarkable in how fully realized they are. The songs were slightly changed later for the definitive versions.
More than ‘just another hair metal band’, Slaughter showcased more substance above the average on their debut “Stick It to Ya”, arguably the last melodic hard / hair metal band to make it big before the grunge dark age.
This remaster delivers the songs fuller and clear, and for sure it’s the definitive version of this really strong record.
A must have in your US Melodic Hard Rock collection.
1 Eye To Eye (2003 Digital Remaster) - Slaughter
2 Burnin' Bridges (2003 Digital Remaster) - Slaughter
3 Up All Night (2003 - Remaster) - Slaughter
4 Spend My Life (2003 Digital Remaster) - Slaughter
5 Thinking Of June (2003 Digital Remaster) - Slaughter
6 She Wants More (2003 Digital Remaster) - Slaughter
7 Fly To The Angels (2003 Digital Remaster) - Slaughter
8 Mad About You (2003 Digital Remaster) - Slaughter
9 That's Not Enough (2003 Digital Remaster) - Slaughter
10 You Are The One (2003 Digital Remaster) - Slaughter
11 Gave Me Your Heart (2003 Digital Remaster) - Slaughter
12 Desperately (2003 Digital Remaster) - Slaughter
13 Loaded Gun (2003 Digital Remaster) - Slaughter
14 Fly To The Angels (Acoustic Version) (2003 Digital Remaster) (Acoustic Version;2003 Digital Remaster) - Slaughter
15 Wingin' It (2003 Digital Remaster) - Slaughter
16 Mad About You (Original Demo) - Slaughter
17 She Wants More (Original Demo) - Slaughter
18 Up All Night (Original Demo) - Slaughter
19 Fly To The Angels (Original Demo) - Slaughter
Line-Up:
Mark Slaughter - lead vocals, guitar, keyboards
Tim Kelly - guitar, background vocals
Dana Strum - bass, background vocals
Blas Elias - drums, percussion, background vocals
Additional musicians:
Todd Cooper - horns
Gerri Miller - camera noises
Slaughter – Stick It To Ya 1990 [Remastered / Japan HR-HM 1000 reissue series] 2013, MP3+FLAC
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