Slipknot is a unique mix of post-Korn alternative metal, rap meal and Marilyn Manson-like neo-shock rock. This blending of various styles has made the group one of the most popular bands in the nu-metal explosion era of the late ‘90s. Adding to their one-of-a-kind sound was their theatrical and attention-grabbing stage persona – the members always performed in similar industrial jumpsuits, paired with homemade Halloween masks. Adding further to this mysterious image were their stage aliases, which were merely the numbers from 0 to 8. With their lyrical darkness and nihilism, and an interestingly insulting name for their fans “Maggots”, Slipknot is practically an entire culture in itself.
Speaking to NME, Shawn Crahan of Slipknot revealed that the band was potentially planning to record a double or concept album. Fresh off a tour, the band member added, “I will give you this – we have decided to do things differently”, adding further that, “every three or four months we’ve been getting together and we’ve been writing for up to 30 days. Currently, we have about 27 pieces of work – about seven or eight are completed”.
With talk of new music going around, fans of the band can’t help but get excited about what might be in store for them. Fans now await the news of a brand new tour by their favorite band. Slipknot tickets will be the hottest commodity among the metal music lovers, as soon as they go on sale. So, keep yourself updated regarding the latest about Slipknot’s upcoming performances.
Early Years and Career
Slipknot was founded in Des Moines, Iowa, in 1995 by Shawn Crahan, Joey Jordison and Paul Gray. After multiple lineup changes, the group finally settled on eight members that would go on to remain a part of the band for the decade ahead. These included Corey Taylor, Jim Root, Mick Thomson, Paul Gray, Sid Wilson, Chris Fehn, Joey Jordison and Craig Jones. Following Gray’s death in May 2010, guitarist Donnie Steele joined the group.
The band first got into the recording studio in December 1995, after signing on to a local hometown label, SR Studio. Slipknot released its first, self-financed album, called Mate. Feed. Kill. Repeat on 31st October, 1996 and received mixed reviews. Even though the album got some airplay, it did not pique the interest of any major labels.
It wasn’t until early 1998, when the band made an exclusive five-track demo for record labels that they managed to get the kind of attention they were looking for. In February of 1998, producer Ross Robinson showed interest in their work and offered to produce their debut album. By late June of the same year, the band had struck a deal with Roadrunner Records.
Debut Album
Slipknot released their self-titled debut album in June 1999, followed by a home video Welcome to Our Neighborhood and the singles “Wait and Bleed” and “Spit It Out”. Even though the early songs by the band received some airplay, the fame of the band started to grow mainly because of word of mouth and touring. The band toured in multiple countries up till 2000 and soon, their debut album was certified Platinum.
Iowa and Breakthrough
Amid multiple conflicts between the band members, Slipknot released its second studio album, Iowa on 28th August, 2001. The album turned out to be a big success for the rising stars. It peaked at number three on the Billboard charts and at number one in the UK. With the intense promotion of the album, the band got to perform several sold out shows in large arenas in various countries.
More Music and More Success
As the conflicts within the band grew, the group went on another hiatus. But soon, work on their first live album began. The album, called 9.0: Live, performed reasonably well on the Billboard charts, peaking at number 17. The biggest success moment for the band came in 2006, when they won their very first Grammy Award for the Best Metal Performance for the single “Before I Forget”.
The band started working on its fourth album, towards the end of 2007 with producer Dave Fortman. The album All Hope Is Gone, was eventually released on 20th August, 2008, and opened at number one on the Billboard albums chart. The group embarked on a lengthy tour in support of this album throughout 2008 till October 2009.
The group’s most recent album, .5: The Gray Chapter, was released in 2014 after a lengthy hiatus, exacerbated by the death of Gray in 2010. The album includes five singles and was a big commercial success, receiving mainly positive reviews from critics. The single “The Negative One” also received a Grammy Award nomination for the Best Metal Performance and the album itself was nominated for the Best Rock Album the following year.
Musical Style, Influences and Themes
The musical style of Slipknot is regarded as the pioneer of the New Wave of American Heavy Metal music. The band is considered a mainly nu metal band, but does not associate its sound to other nu metal bands such as Korn and Limp Bizkit. The members of the band use a number of different vocal features including growling, screaming and melodic singing. Slipknot has continuously experimented with its sound over the years.
The main themes explored by the band are typically very aggressive in nature, such as darkness, anger, psychosis and misanthropy. They often sing about topics such as politics, personal grudges, the music industry and reflection.
Slipknot has varied its sound by mixing it up with different genres – groove metal, thrash metal, death metal and alternative metal. The band has cited some works of Korn and Limp Bizkit as their influences, along with works of Jimi Hendrix, Nine Inch Nails, Skinny Puppy, Emperor, Beastie Boys, Kiss, N.W.A., Metallica and Slayer.
In addition to their unique music, Slipknot is also famous for its high energy performances and chaotic live shows that have played an important part in its success. The energetic performances often feature extreme acts such as diving from high balconies on the stage and setting other band members on fire. Slipknot makes extensive use of elaborate stage setups, pyrotechnics and hydraulic drum risers to add to the high-impact performance structure.
Awards and Nominations
Over the years, the metal band has received several nominations and has won many awards in multiple categories. The group has been nominated for nine Grammy Awards and has won one Grammy for the Best Metal Performance for “Before I Forget”. Their song, “Custer” was also nominated in the same category in 2016.
Other awards that Slipknot has won include the Kerrang! Awards for the Best Single for “Wait and Breed” and Best International Live Act in 2000. They also won the Kerrang! Award for the Best Live Band in 2008. At the Metal Hammer Golden Gods Awards, Slipknot has won the Best Live Band Award and the Best International Award in different years. They have also won multiple Total Guitar Readers Awards and Revolver Golden Gods Awards.
Slipknot Tour Tickets
Slipknot tour tickets are likely to sell out, quite quickly after they go on sale. If you want to enjoy the antics of this band live in action, you need to keep yourself updated regarding the latest happenings for Slipknot, where they would be performing next and how you can get your hands on tickets.
