Slipknot: Has All Hope Gone?

We at AATR Towers are HUGE Slipknot fans and when we first heard The Devil in I we were literally wetting ourselves with excitement, however, the new album (and we hate to say this) has left us feeling pretty cold and let down – before all the haters come and rip us apart, let us explain ourselves first:

Maybe we were expecting too much from the band given their strong back catalogue? Following the firing of Joey Jordison & of course the demise of Paul Gray the 2 main songwriters some will suggest that maybe Slipknot should’ve called it a day when Paul Gray passed away…that could’ve made complete business sense but having released 4 stunning, groundbreaking studio albums & 1 live album you could forgive the band for thinking they have the Midas touch.

Now we the fans (maggots) have had this record launched upon us like a huge media tidal wave. This recording was always going to divide the fans & divide it seems to have done (at AATR, we are split pretty much in the middle as to who likes it and who doesn’t). Especially as now it has come to light that Joey was fired.

It leaves us asking ‘Are Slipknot going to go the way of another metal mainstay?’

Lets do a reality check and be honest for a minute. Slipknot are still a relatively new band in the grand scheme of their illustrious career. Yes they may have been in existence for 18 years (Mate, Feed, Kill Repeat was issued in 1996) but look at their recording output with a record label.

Slipknot (1999)
Iowa (2001)
Vol. 3: (The Subliminal Verses) (2004)
9.0:Live (2005)
All Hope Is Gone (2008)
5: The Gray Chapter (2014)

This isn’t a lot of product to put out in that time.  So can we as fans forgive them 1 sub par album?

Riddle me this. How many times have Metallica fans forgiven them for releasing a duff album? I personally can think of at least 4. (I’m sure some of you reading this can think of more. Some of you may even agree that Metallica died with Cliff Burton).

We can also look at Marillion – everything from the departure of Fish in 1988 to present day (some will argue that Fish will ALWAYS be the voice of Marillion).

As well as these, some fans have said that:

* Slayer haven’t released anything good since Seasons In The Abyss.
* Decapitated’s Facebook posts have been split down the middle with people saying the new album is the best album since their debut Winds of Creation, whilst others have slated it saying they should never have got back together.
* Megadeth should have called it a day after Rust In Peace.

It’s not just these bands, this is across the whole spectrum of the metal genre there have been below average albums released.

I guess dear reader our point is this…do we forgive them a bad album & hope the next album is better? Or do we think they should stop & hopefully not damage the memory of Paul and we remember the great music of Slipknot past. Did Slipknot in fact die with Paul?

You can only re-imagine the same riff a number of times (Sepultura from Roots onwards anyone?) as they have proven with this current album.

Isn’t it always best to go out with your head held high & be remembered for all your good work?

Think about how many metal bands have lost key members & continued. Now how many (in your opinion) continue to produce decent product?

AC/DC without Malcolm?
Sepultura without Max & Igor?
Led Zeppelin without Bonham
The Who without Entwistle & Moon?
Slayer without Lombardo?

This list could indeed go on.

So dear avid reader. This is where we open the floor to you.. Have your say – should Slipknot have stayed in retirement or is this just a blip in their (up until now untarnished career)? Are we speaking utter shite? Is the album a ‘grower’?..Give us your comments below!