Slipknot Reborn: Three Years Later
(main photo credit: metalinjection.net)
On May 2, 2010, bassist Paul Grey was found dead in a hotel room. Autopsy released that Grey had died from heart failure due to a drug overdose. The death shook not just the bands or fans, but also the metal world.
Through 2011 and 2012, Slipknot wondered if they would ever be one again. They did tour, using former guitarist Donnie Steele as their bassist. However, Steele left the band in 2013. That wasn’t the only loss the band suffered.
On Dec. 23, 2013, news broke that Slipknot had also fired Joey Jordison for unknown reasons. Neither Joey nor the band would speak of it. It looked as if it was the end of Slipknot for good.
However, just after the new year came around, guitarist James “Jim” Root posted a photo of his arm holding a guitar. The caption read #Slipknot2014. That meant the band was recording again. But who was going to replace Grey? Who was going to replace Jordison?
After the album was released in Oct. 2014, things started coming together. Someone recognized the hand of the new bassist resembled the tattooed hand of former Mastadon bassist Alessandro Venturella in the music video for “The Devil in I”. The band couldn’t hide that anymore and admitted it was indeed him.
That left just one question. Who was the new drummer? Whoever he was, he was damn good, as the album portrayed.
There was a time that the band said they may never release his identity. The most anyone had seen of his face was the short glimpse of shots from “The Devil in I” music video.
Eventually, the truth was revealed. The drummer to replace Joey Jordison was son of Bruce Springsteen’s E-Street Band drummer Max Weinberg, Jay Weinberg. Jay had unknowingly flown to LA, auditioned for the band he had loved for basically his entire life, and was named part of the band.
Now, the music.
Clearly, .5: the Grey Chapter is a dark one as it’s the first without Grey and Jordison, two of the band’s founders. It was mostly about Grey, however. The band never wanted to focus on losing Jordison as much.
The music is dark. Fans got a first taste of it in Aug. 2014 when the band released both “The Devil in I” and “The Negative One.” Both songs start out sort of slow, then slap you right in the face with speed metal.
Songs such as “Custer”, “Skeptic,” which is about Grey, as well, “Sarcastrophe” and bonus track “The Burden” do that, as well. “Lech” and “AOV” are the two songs that kicks your ass from start to finish. “Goodbye”, “If Rain Is What You Want,” and “Override” take a little longer with their slow starts, but like all songs on this album, it eventually does kick your ass.
“The One Who Kills The Least” and “Killpop” are two songs on this album that get off to an ordinary. No slow start, no in-your-face to start it off. Then there’s the two songs that are more like starters, “XIX” and “Be Prepared For Hell”.
No matter how the start or how they end, Slipknot has once again delivered, despite having two new members in the band. After what seemed like was a lighter album in “All Hope is Gone”, the band showed that have not lost a step and have overcome the worst tragedy.
Rumors have gone around that Slipknot is in the works of writing their sixth official album, even though it could be years before they record again. Corey Taylor is on tour with his other band, Stone Sour. The rest of the band is reportedly writing music together, however.
Slipknot is back, and they’re not going anywhere anytime soon.
Comments
Post a Comment