• Thu. Nov 7th, 2024

As the voice of the Vinnie Vincent Invasion and Slaughter, Mark Slaughter forged a name for himself as one of the rock and roll world’s top vocalists in his heyday. He continues to do his thing, having released a solo album, Reflections in a Rear View Mirror, a few years back. With Halfway There, Mr. Slaughter has given audiences his second solo release. Does lightning strike twice for the Slaughter frontman?

For Halfway There, Mark Slaughter is joined by a band that includes Josh Eager, Jaymi “Pink Bassman” Millard, and Bill Jordan, with Slaughter himself producing and engineering the release. The album was released on EMP Label Group, the label owned by Megadeth bassist David Ellefson. Naturally, longtime fans of the iconic vocalist are wondering about what to expect from the Slaughter frontman’s latest album.

 

 

Let me be the first to tell you that Halfway There kicks ass. It seems like when many of these musicians from iconic bands go solo, the releases end up being cash-ins that fail to live up to the hype. And with Mark Slaughter’s second release, that could not be farther from the truth. While I enjoyed Slaughter’s first solo record (and wrote a glowing review for it), I will be the first to admit that the second one feels more like a “real” Slaughter album, which will be a welcome change for fans of the man’s most classic era.

The straight-up rock tracks on here, including opener “Hey You,” sound like they would have been right at home on Slaughter’s 1990 debut, Stick it to Ya, and this fan cannot think of greater praise than that. From rockers to more melodic, bluesy tracks, and even ones that borderline on the power ballads of the band’s glory days, there is plenty to love about this release. The diversity of the album shows throughout its duration, with everything from the Alice in Chains-esque “Conspiracy,” to “Disposable,” which features Beatles-esque vocal harmonies.

Halfway There is the total package, and shows fans that Mark Slaughter is still going strong, giving audiences the album they have been waiting for. Definitely more of a “classic” Slaughter style album than his first solo release, this is the one that fans want. Very highly recommended!

 

By Taylor T Carlson

Taylor T Carlson Assistant Editor/Senior Staff Writer Taylor T. Carlson was born August 17, 1984, and has called the Vegas Valley home his entire life. A die-hard fan of classic rock and metal music, Taylor has been writing album and concert reviews since he was 16 years old, and continues to do so, having done well over 1,000 reviews. He is also a fan of video gaming and cinema, and has reviewed a number of games and films as well, old and new alike. His thorough and honest (some would say brutally honest) reviewing style has won him the respect of hundreds of music fans and musicians alike, both local and abroad, and the ire of just as many others. Despite being one of the youngest attendees at classic hard rock/metal shows around Vegas, he is also one of the most knowledgeable, having gained the unofficial nickname of “The Eddie Trunk of Las Vegas.” In addition to reviews, Taylor has written and self-published three books on classic hard rock bands, and is a regular participant in rock and roll trivia contests. Taylor also holds a masters degree in special education from the University of Nevada Las Vegas (UNLV), and has appeared on the hit History Channel television series Pawn Stars. His dream is to be able to one day make a living from writing music books and reviews.

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