Brother Wilf bought tickets to go see Slipknot (with Korn) in Toronto on November 30 on their Prepare For Hell tour. Every ticket purchased came with a free download of the album, which I thought was a cool touch. Since he bought several tickets, and some people going to the show with him already the album (Slipknot had been leaking a track a day prior to release), he sent one of the freebie downloads to me! New Slipknot for me! RAWK!
[NB. Wilf also bought the CD – he really likes supporting these guys…]
At one point, I owned their last record (All Hope Is Gone), though I can’t tell you what happened to it, now. I thought it was here but… no. Alas. Over the years, I have owned all of this band’s albums – owned them, sold them off, loaned them out… whatever the case, I do not currently have any of their records here, and that’s a terrible oversiiiiight!!
The band went through a difficult time after that last album (2008), when bassist Paul Gray died in 2010 due to drugs/heart disease. There are tracks here that are obviously in eulogy for him, and I was told by someone that some of the music contained herein was written by him before his death, but I have no idea if that’s true. The band also fired drummer Joey Jordinson in 2013. A new bassist and drummer were added for the recording of this album, though their identities were not released (they wore masks in the video), leading to a whole lot of speculation and drumming up publicity for the record. A smart move on the band’s part, after so long away.
I like Slipknot. They have a sound, an intelligence, aggression and that something that pleases me greatly.
And this record, their first in six years, is phenomenally good. The riffs are blistering and slinky, the grooves are heavy and completely satisfying. There are a few moments that are more melodic, and the intro track is an incredibly haunting slower piece, but for the most part this record is built to cause mayhem and destruction. In other words, it’s another perfect Slipknot album. Other reviews online have said that this record puts together the best elements of all of their albums, to date, and I can’t argue with that. I’m too busy banging my head to this monster of a record!
Thanks heaps for getting this into my ears, Brother Wilf! \m/ \m/
keepsmealive 
I find as I get older, I can’t get as much into the really angry modern metal. But Slipknot, I have respect for. I don’t dig the costumes and image too much, but musically I think they just keep getting better. RIP to the fallen!
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Yup, respect for the fallen! And respect for the sound that Slipknot creates, which is unlike any other owing, probably, to the large number of players and those sinuous, crushing riffs. And the drums are insane – I have always loved the drums of Slipknot. But probably the biggest thing to respect is the integrity. When they make a record, you know for DAMN SURE that what you’re getting is the premium best they could do. No filler.
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