Slipknot (band)
Slipknot (/ˈslɪpnɒt/ SLIP-not) is an American heavy metal band formed in Des Moines, Iowa, in 1995 by percussionist Shawn Crahan, former vocalist Anders Colsefni and bassist Paul Gray.[1] After several lineup changes in its early years, the band settled on nine members for more than a decade: Crahan, Gray, Joey Jordison, Craig Jones, Mick Thomson, Corey Taylor, Sid Wilson, Chris Fehn, and Jim Root. Slipknot is well known for its attention-grabbing image, aggressive style of music, and energetic and chaotic live shows.[2][3]
For the band's debut album, see Slipknot (album).
Slipknot
Des Moines, Iowa, U.S.
1995–present
- Joey Jordison
- Paul Gray
- Donnie Steele
- Josh Brainard
- Anders Colsefni
- Craig Jones
- Greg Welts
- Chris Fehn
- Jay Weinberg
The band rapidly rose to fame following the release of their eponymous debut album in 1999. The 2001 follow-up album, Iowa, although darker in tone, made the band more popular. After a brief hiatus, Slipknot returned in 2004 with Vol. 3: (The Subliminal Verses), before going on another hiatus and returning in 2008 with its fourth album, All Hope Is Gone, which debuted at number one on the US Billboard 200 chart. After another long hiatus, Slipknot released its fifth studio album, .5: The Gray Chapter, in 2014. Their sixth studio album, We Are Not Your Kind, was released on August 9, 2019.[4] Their seventh studio album, The End, So Far, was released on September 30, 2022. The band has released two live albums titled 9.0: Live and Day of the Gusano: Live in Mexico, a compilation album titled Antennas to Hell, and five live DVDs. The band has sold 30 million records worldwide and over 12 million in their home country.[5][6]
Bassist Gray died on May 24, 2010, and was replaced during 2011–2014 by Donnie Steele. Jordison was dismissed from the band on December 12, 2013. Steele left during the recording sessions for .5: The Gray Chapter. The band found replacements in Alessandro Venturella on bass and Jay Weinberg on drums. After the departure of Jordison, as of December 2013 the only founding member in the current lineup is percussionist Crahan. Fehn was also dismissed from the band in March 2019 prior to the writing of We Are Not Your Kind and was replaced by Michael Pfaff. The band parted ways with Jones and Weinberg in 2023.
Artistry
Musical style
Slipknot is most often considered a nu metal[160][161][162][163] and alternative metal[164][165][166][167] band, or heavy metal in general.[168][169][170] They have included elements of groove metal,[171][172][173] death metal,[173][174][175] hard rock,[176] grindcore,[174][175] thrash metal,[173] metalcore,[177] and rap metal.[178] The album All Hope Is Gone is considered a groove metal album[179] with elements of death metal[180] and thrash metal.[181]
The band's members prefer to distance themselves musically from other nu metal bands such as Korn and Limp Bizkit. Slipknot describes its sound as "metal metal" and regards the link to nu metal as coincidental and a result of nu metal's emergence being concurrent with that of Slipknot.[182] The band's sound typically features a heavily down-tuned guitar setup, a large percussive section, sampling, keyboards and DJing/turntablism.[183] Using a variety of vocal styles, the music typically features growled vocals, screaming, backing vocals, as well as melodic singing.[183] The band has continually experimented with its sound, most notably developing tracks led by acoustic guitars and melodic singing that first appeared on Vol. 3 (The Subliminal Verses).[184]
Lyrics
Slipknot's lyrics are generally very aggressive; they sometimes include profanity while exploring themes such as darkness, nihilism, anger, disaffection, love, misanthropy, and psychosis.[20][184] They often draw upon topics including the music industry, politics, personal strife, and reflection, among others.[185] Rick Anderson of Allmusic said, "those lyrics that are discernible are not generally quotable on a family website".[33] On Vol. 3, Taylor deliberately avoided using profanity in response to claims he relied on it.[186]
Legacy
Slipknot has inspired a new wave of bands and artists, including: Deafheaven, Code Orange, Knocked Loose, vein.fm, Ho99o9, City Morgue, Demon Hunter, Cane Hill,[250] Of Mice & Men, Suicide Silence, Whitechapel, Poorstacy, Loathe, Blood Youth,[251] Bad Omens,[252] Sleep Token,[253] Slaughter to Prevail,[254] Infant Annihilator,[255] and Asking Alexandria.[256]
Rob Harvilla of the Ringer name Slipknot one of the most important bands of their era.[257] According to author Garry Sharpe-Young, the band was among several that were important in starting the new wave of American heavy metal.[258]
Feuds
Mushroomhead
Slipknot had a longstanding feud with the band Mushroomhead which—along with their fans—said Slipknot "stole their image".[265] While Slipknot acknowledged their images had similarities, its members were not actively involved in the feud, saying the similarities were coincidental. Taylor said, "we both started at the same time—neither one of us knowing anything about each other".[266] Taylor also said that at a live show in Cleveland, Ohio, several Mushroomhead fans threw objects including a fist-sized padlock at Slipknot and that when Slipknot's set was finished, Machine Head and Amen went into the crowd and "handled it right there".[267] In 2009, former Mushroomhead vocalist Waylon Reavis said his band's members were no longer interested in feuding with Slipknot, saying, "they're not the first masked band, we're not, no one was".[268] During an interview with Rock Rage Radio, Reavis praised Slipknot as he criticized his former bandmates after a dispute with the band's founding members which led to his dismissal. He stated that Slipknot was better and he admitted that his thoughts were personal, since he was not involved with Mushroomhead when the feud started.[269]
Limp Bizkit
While on tour promoting anticipation for the release of their self-titled album in the spring of 1999; Taylor had taken notice of Korn drummer David Silveria in a promotional campaign for Calvin Klein at multiple truck stop kiosks. Taylor had expressed his disgust with the campaign, and had taken numerous copies of the magazine issues and burned them onstage during multiple live performances. Within hearing of the gesture; Limp Bizkit frontman Fred Durst (who was a friend of Silveria's), took offense at Taylor's actions. Durst would later make retaliatory comments towards Slipknot's fans in June 1999, referring to them as "fat, ugly kids".[270] Slipknot singer Corey Taylor responded during an appearance in Sydney by claiming that the fans of Slipknot "for the most part, enjoy all kinds of music, like Limp Bizkit… maybe." Taylor went on to claim that insulting fans of Slipknot could also be insulting fans of Limp Bizkit.[271] Despite the initial attacks between the two bands, they shared numerous UK festival dates together through 2000, including the 2000 Reading and Leeds Festivals.[272][273][274] Durst later praised Slipknot's music during an October 2000 interview, though Taylor later criticized his artistic direction, claiming "Fred Durst is a great businessman, but he is not an artist".[275]
Taylor and Durst would find themselves on friendlier terms in 2010, while recording the album Gold Cobra; Durst included a line on the song "90.2.10" giving a shout out to Taylor.[276] According to Taylor during a live interview in 2011; Durst’s children were allegedly fans of Slipknot.[277] Limp Bizkit was later booked on the 2014 Japanese leg of the Knotfest tour along with Korn.[278]
In 2021, following Jordison's death, Limp Bizkit paid tribute to him at one of their shows in Iowa.[279]
Studio albums
As a support act
Festivals
