Search - Slaughter :: Revolution

Slaughter - 'Revolution' (CMC International)

Mike Reed | USA | 04/11/2005

(3 out of 5 stars)

"I've never been like the biggest Slaughter fan,but I've always liked their music to some degree.'Revolution' is their fifth CD and it really isn't bad.Former Vinnie Vincent Invasion vocalist Mark Slaughter and crew are apparently still into creating an almost 'Beatle-esque' sound like they did on their previous release 'Fear No Evil'.The Beatles weren't Slaughter's only infuence,listen to the Zeppelin-like "Heaven It Cries".Other well penned tunes include "I'm Gone","Heat Of The Moment","Tongue 'N Groove" and their cover of Joe Walsh's "Rocky Mountain Way".Not a bad find."

Great CD

Chad Ouimette | Ottawa, ON | 12/16/2003

(4 out of 5 stars)

"The title of this review may be less than catchy, but the music speaks for itself on this album. Slaughter didn't really go for an alternative 90s turn here like most bands, but they add a few dimensions to thier earlier albums like psychedelic sunday-like grooves and a variety of new instruments. It works well. Vocalist Mark Slaughter doesn't use his patented nasal wail of a voice here as often, which helps fit into this generally more somber and moodier CD. He still belts of a few voicebox breakers, but for the most part he has subdued himself a bit, and again it works. The CD's weakest point would have to be a constant lack of real rocking material. I would have liked to have heard more songs like the title track and "I'm Gone". "Can We Find A Way" is one ballad too many to go along with the greater tracks like "You're My Everything" which is just beautiful, and "Hard To Say Goodbye". You can imagine yourself singing these tracks to someone. "Stuck on You" represents the other bulk of filler in this album, but beyond that, this CD is one of the very best and in a decade not so kind to good rock n' roll. A must buy! 10/13"

Great Slaughter effort in the 90s

Diane J. Trautweiler | New Jersey, USA | 02/20/2005

(4 out of 5 stars)

"The rock band, Slaughter, exploded into the rock world in 1990 with their debut album, Stick It To Ya, rocketing the band into platinum status. With a successful tour notched under their belt and legions of fans following their every move, they soon released their highly underrated sophomore album, The Wild Life, in the year of 1992. By then, the music scene was slowly changing, and it appeared that the world found out about Slaughter a little too late.



Regardless, Slaughter still had a loyal following and a stubborn attitude. Refusing to give into passing trends, they released their third effort, Fear No Evil, which was released in 1995. A fine piece of work, but not quite as dexterous as their previous efforts, it didn't sell as many numbers on the charts. Nevertheless, the band trudged on, touring endlessly for a year or two.



Slaughter fans never gave in, and neither did the band, surviving the shifts of wind in the music climate like experienced sailors. They defied the "follow me" tendency and stuck to writing and playing the kind of music THEY wanted, playing where THEY wanted, and being true to who THEY were.



1997 may prove to be a very exciting year for Slaughter. Their most recent effort, Revolution, shows growth and maturity, and provides a challenge to the ear that's both pleasing and exhilarating.



1. American Pie: Full of flavorful groove and sound. The lyrics are simple and uncomplicated, setting the album up for its somewhat retro atmosphere. Very cool and laid back, this song will have you tapping your foot at the very least. Highly likable and infectious.



2. Heaven It Cries: A powerful rocker with heavy drum beats and rhythmic guitars, this song reeks of the bands' Zeppelin influence, combined with it's own brand of Slaughter. The lyrics are thought-provoking and meaningful, painting a conversation between man and God. This song is, without a doubt, a winner.



3. Tongue In Groove: This song gets lost in the shuffle with the rest on the album. The beat is typical and rocking, with nothing extraordinary about it. The lyrics are to the point of silly. Compared to the other material on the album, this one doesn't stand on its own.



4. Can We Find A Way: The beginning starts out as smooth as a Milky Way bar, rich as cheesecake, and way groovy man, then kicks into a hooky chorus. The lyrics reflect peace, love and harmony. This one is extremely likable -- very Slaughter -- with a twist of tranquil instrumentation that blends nicely.



5. Stuck On You: Lyrically, this song is whimsical, cute, and all-out fun. Mark's vocals are sarcastic, with hollow and distorted sound effects, making this song a bit unique in approach. If you don't find yourself liking this one, you need to go clean your ears out.



6. Hard To Say Good-bye: A ballad about leaving your loved ones behind, this song is very meaningful. Musically, it's a melodic ballad, but a bit different than some of their previous ballads. Not as poppy as some of their earlier ones, this one hearkens to a more classic-sounding rock ballad. This one shines with a magic all its own.



7. Revolution: This title track is sure to become THE Slaughter anthem. A high-octane rocker chocked full of raw energy, this is sure to be a crowd-pleaser in concert.



8. Guck: A nice, short instrumental that sequels into the song that follows, it shows the diversity of this band. Slaugther has, in the past, included several instrumentals on their previous efforts, showcasing the fact that they can play different types of music.



9. In The Heat Of The Moment: With a pulsing, sexy beat, and lyrics that are sung with dripping sensuality, this gem of a tune is one of the best on the album. If this one doesn't get your heart racing, you'd better check to see if you have a pulse.



10. Rocky Mountain Way: A Joe Walsh cover tune, this one is rockin' n' rollin' all over the place with some ultra-jamming guitars, soaring lyrics, a way-cool voice box, and a throbbing, sexy drum beat -- this is one party of a song!! If this one doesn't have you sweating and moving your pelvis to the beat, you must be dead.



11. You're My Everything: Beautifully penned words, surrounded by engaging keyboards and guitars with a happy feel, this one is going to be a favorite for many.



12. I'm Gone: Fast and furious, this one rocks, though a bit reminiscent of Loaded Gun from Stick It To Ya. Welcome to Love Songs, Bay-bee!!!



13. Ad-Mojoem-Dei-Gloriam: A bit of a different-sounding instrumental with it's tribal flavor. The question is, why was it used to close the album? An album as awesome as this should have gone out with a bang.



As an added bonus, and in light of the computer generation, drummer Blas Elias did a superb job in putting together a free multi-media CD-ROM program, which includes some pictures of the band throughout their career, disc information, fan club information, lyrics, and four video clips. For those who actually own a computer that accepts this free media, this is an enjoyable little nugget.



Overall, Slaughter put out one kickin' rock n' roll album. This gem of ear-candy seems almost worth the toil of searching high and low from store to store on its release date to locate it. The Nay-sayers of the Grunge Generation (or whatever generation we may be in at present), may cackle when the word Slaughter rolls off the tongues of their cheer-leading squad, but cackle all you wish. Slaughter is here (and, in fact, has never left). Whatever preconceived notions you may have about them, if you don't give a listen to Revolution, you just may be missing out on some seriously kewl music. They're back with a vengeance and here to stay, and if you don't like it, you're going to have a few fingers pointing your way.



© By Diane Trautweiler."