"We always put tons of energy into shows," says Blas Elias, drummer for the rock band Slaughter. "That's our favorite thing--playing live shows, meeting the people. No matter what size venue we're playing, whether it's a club or an arena...we always give 100 percent."

Slaughter is making a stop in Lancaster on the band's summer tour to promote their latest album, Revolution. It's the fourth record from the group that burst onto the heavy metal scene in 1990. Their debut recording, Stick It To Ya, went gold almost immediately, with the help of two Top 40 singles "Up All Night" and "Fly To The Angels." Boosted by constant touring from the band, including an opening slot for Kiss, the record went platinum five months after its release. Slaughter was named 1990's "Best New Heavy Metal Band" at the American Music Awards and the record eventually went double-platinum. Their second album, The Wild Life, debuted at number eight on the Billboard Top 200 chart, and, in 1992, was certified platinum in the US and Canada. Of the band's new album, which was released on May 20, Elias says audiences can expect to hear a sound similar to the group's previous efforts. "You definitely know it's the same band," he explains. "No fans of Slaughter who liked our first record are going to be disappointed."

While selling records has helped the band stay together for eight years, Elias thinks the secret to their longevity is a love of performing. "We actually really enjoy what we do or we probably wouldn't still be together through some of the hard times we've been through," he notes. "A lot of the bands that were popular when we were have broken up and may be getting back together now, because this kind of music, it seems, is getting popular again. We never went away. We've always been doing it because we love to do it."

The original lineup of the band also features Mark Slaughter on lead vocals, Dana Strum on bass and Tim Kelly on guitar. Their current tour will take them throughout the US and Canada, and they'll hook up later this summer with Alice Cooper and Dokken for several shows. Having taken some time off from touring to complete their album, the group is more than ready to get back in front of the fans. "We just can't wait to get back out on the road," Elias says. "We've been in the studio mode and now we're ready for the road mode."