Last night I finally gotten around to listening to Slipknot’s new album, “The Gray Chapter”. I listened to the whole record. It’s a long record but I was pretty much blown away by the music on it. While I love metal & hard rock… I’m not much into the downtuned guitars and screaming vocals but with Slipknot, I’ll take that stuff as an exception. It really was an amazing album. Probably the best album of this year so far.

The album has pretty impressive songwriting and great melodies. I love all the guitar sounds. The riffs and the leads will melt your faces. The studio quality of the album is pretty impressive as well.

Some of you may not see it but I’m a huge fan of metal and heavy music. I grew up listening to metal. I tried listening to Slipknot in the past before but I couldn’t get into them until now. After hearing this new album, makes me want to buy their previous albums. Love ’em or hate ’em, they are the greatest metal band in the industry today.

If pop, country and rap weren’t dominating the industry, then Slipknot would have been huge mainstream stars. They are pretty huge and successful but only in the rock & metal industry. I respect Slipknot a whole lot now. This band is really great.

I know this band isn’t for everyone. They are controversial and dark but give them a chance. You’ll actually dig this band yourself once you start listening. “The Gray Chapter” would be a good album to start off with if you’re a new fan.

I’m hardly ever that blown away by listening to albums that much but the new Slipknot album really did it to me. They just made a new fan here and I hope I get my chance to see them live in concert sometime in the future. Check this album out. It’s listenable and will blow your mind.

Kev

In the past, I was never really interested in the masked and costumed metal band, Slipknot, until now. I’m very interested into getting into them. I’ve read too many interviews with the band through Guitar World magazine and the more I read about them, the more I get interested in their music. I’ve heard a few songs from their new album, “The Gray Chapter” that they just released and they really impressed the hell out of me. I think Corey Taylor and Jim Root are awesome musicians. They only have about 4 or 5 albums in their discography and I think I would want to try and get them all but I’m gonna get their new one first, though.

I know this band Slipknot is criticized for their weird masks and costumes but in the band’s defense, I think the masks and costumes are all for entertainment and for theatrical purposes. In the past, I used to be against bands who wear masks and costumes. Now I understand them. I completely understand why some bands do it. Why?

Some bands prefer to play anonymously because some of them don’t want people to know who they are. Why do some bands prefer to play music and hide their identities? Probably ’cause of the type of music they play. They write controversial lyrics in their songs and write heavy music — they probably don’t want their families and friends knowing that they play that stuff.

Another reason these bands play with masks and costumes is for entertainment and theatrical type of stuff… kind of like what Kiss and Gwar have done. You know how when you watch a play or a circus and you see people on stage wearing costumes and stuff??? Well bands wearing costumes is pretty much the same thing. Theatrical. For entertainment. They just think that bands wearing casual clothing like jeans and t-shirt is kind of boring so they want to put some excitement and thrills to their live shows.

Like I said bands wearing costumes used to bother me but not anymore. I kind of understand why they do what they do it now. I used to think they were a bunch of egotistical pricks who are out for attention but this is just their way of entertaining people. It’s their way of putting on different and creative rock concerts, ya know? Something fun.

I’ve been enjoying Slipknot more and more. Instead of bashing them and hating them, just actually listen to them. They’re really enjoyable. Looking forward to getting their new album soon. I just read an interview with Slipknot in the new Guitar World magazine with them on the cover and after reading that interview, really makes me want to get the album. I really like the band’s sound. This band really have matured and they’ve gotten better. Love their guitar sound.

Kev