Slipknot is definitely not a band for the masses. To listen to their music takes a certain disposition, and to enjoy it takes an even more open attitude. That said, their self-titled 1999 album is nearing platinum in both the United States and Australia. And their lastest effort, "Iowa," seems not to have lost anything from that first smashing success.
The name of the album itself is not a random pick. All nine members made their debut in Des Moines. Drummer Joey calls this album - and, in fact, the band itself - a bit of a payback to Middle America, saying, "All of us were so used to having the middle finger thrown at us, that when we finally threw it back, we did so with 10 times the venom."
Old fans of Slipknot should be familiar with the costumes the band wears during shows. The numbered Ed Gein-style coveralls and freakish masks lend to the band's hardcore image, while the anonymity of each member beats in tune with the feelings of those who listen. The real power behind Slipknot, however, unlike many visual bands, lies not in their performance on stage but in their music.
|
The constant driving, unrelenting percussion beats and the hard-edged guitar riffs and rhythms, combined with the screaming, growling, angry, angst-filled lyrics, give the band a style rarely heard in much of today's popular music. And, frankly, Slipknot is a welcome relief from the canned, rote songs produced by such performers as the Backstreet Boys.
The depth of despair the band is trying to convey can be seen in the titles of the songs themselves. Songs such as "My Plague," "I Am Hated" and "Everything Ends" scream of self-loathing and helplessness. The anger at the world that pours out of these songs is overwhelming for many listeners. Take the lyrics from "Everything Ends," a song about a lost love: "You are all f---ed and overrated/I think I'm gonna be sick and it's your fault."
Every song continues in a similar vein. Take the lead song, "People=S--t." It begins with nothing but vocalist Corey screaming into the microphone. He then slams into a harsh discourse about how he cannot stand to be around people, pushing him closer and closer to the snapping point.
Most of the lyrics are harsh and screamed in this manner. Occasionally, the nice "singing" voice of Corey comes through, but not often, because that's not what Slipknot is about. Their music sets the stage for these pounding lyrics. The constant driving beat pushes the songs through with a melodic but hard-edged sound. While at first the singing may sound like nothing more than yelling and all the drum beats and guitar riffs may sound the same from song to song, within two or three listens the inexperienced ear can hear the subtle differences between each one.
However impressive the rest of the band is, the standout performance of course comes from Joey, the drummer. Although he is the driving force behind every song, like Shawn says on the band's Web site, "[Our] music is so reliant on [every member] that ... without one person, something is really, really missing.... Even the littlest things make our songs magical."
The listener may not be able to keep up with the high energy and constant pressure of these guys. Perhaps their albums could be improved by using one track to highlight Corey's abilities.
Granted, many of the lyrics are more explicit than most people - especially many parents - would like, but they do have a sense of realism about them. As percussionist Shawn put it, "Everybody's got a sort of tweaked and demented way about themselves." Although he is speaking in particular about the masks they wear in concert, the same sort of statement applies to their music and why it so popular.
So, if you are already a Slipknot fan or you're in touch with your twisted and demented side, pick up "Iowa." And if you're not, give it a try. You may be in for a surprisingly liberating experience.
Read More
The best albums of 2014
By Noah Zeidman | December 4, 2014Across genres, it has been a pretty great year in music.
Top 10 movies of 2014
December 4, 2014This has been an excellent year for film, offering everything from gripping blockbusters to innovative personal films.
Iggy Azalea is “Reclassified”
December 4, 2014It has become common practice among music artists to repackage their albums in an effort to simultaneously boost single sales and dish out new content by slightly renaming the album or slapping “Deluxe” onto the title.
