Despite their reputation as one of metal’s least compromising acts, Slipknot manages to remain true to their roots while becoming more accessible to wider audiences. Slipknot has always managed to create an image of thrashing-heavy metal while maintaining a range distinctly their own.
“WE ARE NOT YOUR KIND” continues this trend while exploring the roots of their sound and facing the evolution of the band. The Iowa-reared heavy metal band released their first album, “Mate. Feed. Kill. Repeat.” in 1993 and immediately stirred controversy in the turbulent atmosphere of the nineties. Critics were quick to label Slipknot satanic – many went so far as to assert the band’s culpability in acts of violence. For better or worse, Slipknot has always distinguished itself as a raw-sounding, adrenaline-filled metal band with many copycats but few equals.
More recent releases such as 2008’s “All Hope is Gone” demonstrate the growth of the band from an edgy fixture of the 90s to a maturely savage rock act, refining their raw sound into a deafening shout of rebellion. “All Hope is Gone” signified the beginning of the band’s change while “WE ARE NOT YOUR KIND” indicates its climax.
Slipknot overcame their bassist and songwriter Paul Dedrick Gray’s (Pig) death in 2010 as well as the passing of Shawn Crahan’s (Clown) daughter, to refine their sound, and it shows in their latest piece. “WE ARE NOT YOUR KIND” maintains the raw anger fans love while also showcasing the band’s softer side. “Unsainted” is arguably the best work on the album, managing to incorporate the primal complexity for which the band is renowned. Other songs in the vein of pure metal include “Nero Forte” and “Critical Darling,” which are sure to please longtime fans.
Meanwhile, “My Pain” and “A Liar’s Funeral” showcase Corey Taylor’s haunting vocals while giving listeners a glimpse of a softer, more ethereal Slipknot that deals more in whispers than in screams. “Red Flag” is an unfortunate assertion of the stereotypical mindless shrieks many associate with metal – in this instance the band fails to subvert the generalizations which they so often slip by with a sarcastic grin.
Slipknot is metal for all. Their usage of double percussion manages to produce a sound entirely their own. They rough and gritty tone that pervades metal while taking it up a notch. Slipknot showcases hard rock ferocity at its very finest while demonstrating the vocal potential to produce melodies that could almost be considered sweet. The heavy metal band can’t be defined, much less contained, with each anthem roaring with their trademark brutality and beloved sound. In “Spit it Out”, Taylor claims “I’m all f*cked up and I make it look good.” And damn, it sounds pretty good too.
