All Hope Is Gone (Special Edition CD/DVD)

After being a fan of slipknot since the 7th grade after discovering that such a crazy band existed of psychopathic mask wearing maniacs, I've listened to every slipknot album with the exception of 9.0 live, seen them live, and have their disasterpieces dvd. I have to say that after the raw animalistic sound of their debut album, their more streamlined sophmore album, and their more mature and experimental 3rd album, I was not too sure how their 4th studio album would sound, and after giving it a listen, I have to say it brought a smile to my face. The album is like a sample platter of each of their previous albums, songs sounding very heavy, some more streamlined, and some soft, there are also some more experimental songs on here that are very soft, and others very different. All in all, if you can respect an artist for maturing, this album is worth the listn if you are truly a fan of slipknots music.

Look on the bright side. Slipknot can't due any worse than this album and their next one (if they aren't too embarrassed to release one) has to be better.

All Hope is Gone starts out much the same as the other Slipknot albums. They build you up with an intro track and you lose your mind on the first song. All is certainly good there.

After that, Slipknot attempts to evolve into a band that should be called, Slip-Sour.

Instead of keeping up the pace with the blistering, opening track, "Gematria (The Killing Name)", they go into a mid-tempo, radio-friendly rocker. Granted, there is always some of that on their albums and often they are good songs. "Sulfur" IS a good song. Unfortunately, it isn't even the most commercial song on here by any stretch.

The hardest aspect to deal with is that Corey sings WAY too much on this album. If I wanted the Stone Sour singer, I'd buy Stone Sour albums. Pretty much every song on this album has Corey using his singing voice to some degree. Yuck. He has a good singing voice, but in Slipknot, it is best when used in moderation.

Even though I am entirely bothered by Corey's vocal direction on this CD, I think this album is really good up thru Track 5 ("Dead Memories"). After that, the album becomes rather underwhelming with nothing standing out as being catchy or interesting (sans "All Hope Is Gone").

Let's take a song like "Snuff". It's not actually a bad song, but it belongs on a Stone Sour record -- NOT a Slipknot album. What maggot want's a weepy ballad on their Slipknot album?? Go 'mature' on someone else's dime and stop wasting real Slipknot fans' time and money.

I think this album is ideal for those who mostly prefer Slipknot's singles, who likes Stone Sour and/or thinks that Volume 3 was the best Slipknot album up until this point. If any of that describes you, you'll be happy with this album.

If you are a long-time maggot who thinks that Slipknot and Iowa were the best Slipknot material, you might not be too happy with All Hope Is Gone. This album certainly wasn't made with those fans in mind. This was clearly an attempt to please critics and casual fans -- and I'm not even sure that they will ultimately accomplish that.

It's been way too long since the last Slipknot album. This one is no disappointment, there are a few kind of slow songs that remind me of Stonesour but the heavy songs are sick. A must have.

maybe theyve always been immature and its taken me this long to figure it out? idk...

after reading through reviews here amazon, it leaves me wondering. are they wrong or am i?

i think this album is amazing. theres really not a bad song on the album, except dead memories. i dont get why slipknot put a stonesour song on thier album.

let me break it down for you.

execute- the typical intro. builds a nice atmosphere for the album.

gematria- what can i say about this song that everyone else hasnt? most reviews ive read completely bash the album and say gematria and psychosocial are the best songs EVAR!! whatever.

sulfur- nice song. i like the double kick with the heavy guitars. the chorus is catchy and the guitar chug along nicely.

psychosocial- same as gematria. btw i hate listening to this song on the radio. the ultimate breakdown is cut out. it pisses me off so much.

dead memories- worst song on the cd. if i want to listen to stonesour, ill listen to stonesour. im trying to get my slipknot on. when i hear this on the radio i change the station. what a terrible single!!!!

vendetta- same as sulfur, i like the heavy guitars with the double kick. coreys voice sounds amazing in this song. and its cool to chant out 'are you ready for the time of your life'

butchers hook- weird time signatures in this song. very cool and unique song. this song appeals to me alot.

gehenna- what to say about this song....well its creepy. and coreys singing sends chills down my spine.

this cold black- ah, sounds like an iowa song on some parts. although if i had to choose, id say this is the 2nd worst song on the cd. that doesnt mean its a bad song though, its decent.

wherein lies continue- meaty riffs in this song. still not that good though. id say its tied with this cold black as the 2nd worst song on the cd. still a decent song though.

snuff- amazing song. reminds me of circle, but this is like 10x better.

all hope is gone- i think this is the heaviest song on the cd. it melts your face off. crazy as riffing, blast beats, double kicks and screaming in this song.

til' we die- boring song. and theres this annoying 'tone' during the chorus.

overall- pretty good album. dont bother with the special edition. just get the regular version.

i dont see how its possible to give this cd 1 or 2 stars. your not a true maggot if u did...

The album is best Slipknot has until now, the songs are a bit more "worked", I can not say complex but they just have better quality and poses that force that slipknot is known for.
A surprise for me was the "ballad" songs, they are really nice also.
The product itself is nicely wrapped and has a well done booklet, good looking design, colors.

WTF is up this album. Did slipknot go pop? The album starts out really good and then it falls on its face. Dont compare this to st. anger cause st. anger suxs death magnetic is better. Compare this to Killswitch Engage and see which one is better.

Warning, this album has repetitive lyrics and crappy music. I was a huge slipknot fan at one point. I thought they were so unique and talented. I was wrong. Their first album is still great but everything after that just gets worst and worst. I blame OPETH. After listening to them, this band sounds sooooo bad. I do like the first song of the album because it sounds like it came of their first CD. By the way, I know mate kill feed repeat is their first album but that lame CD doesn't count.

I don't know so many people are saying "This sounds too much like Stone Sour." While I love both Slipknot and Stone Sour and am a hardcore fan of both bands, this is still truely slipknot. You've got to give Corey Taylor credit, he continues to scream and sing incredibly. You would think his vocals would've given out from doing this for at least 10 years, but they really haven't. I think the reason people say it sounds like Stone Sour much more than Slipknot is because there's a lot more singing in this album than the previous ones. However, every song is pure slipknot. No one deserves to ever call them sell-outs or any bull like that. Some songs take some getting used to, but the highlights in the album are worth going through every song multiple times.

Execute(N/A)

Gemetria(The Killing Name)-9.0/10
Favorite lines in this song: "What if God doesn't care?" and "We will burn your cities down." This utterly proves Slipknot hasn't changed, this song is really heavy thrown in with some really nice screams.

Sulfur-9.5/10
-Really catchy chorus and I love the wah on the guitars during
the verse, it's something abstract for Slipknot and they pulled it off. Great guitar work from Jim & Mick, and a nice solo.

Psychosocial-9.0/10
-This song has a lot of potential because it has a hard verse for the
metalheads and a really soft chorus for the grunge people. However, I had a hard time interpreting the lyrics to this song, but I guess it leaves a nice gap for interpretation.

Dead Memories-10/10
-My favorite song off the album, by far. I really believe this song will
get tons of more people into Slipknot, and it's a radio-friendly song with all singing, but not too soft. It's truely awesome how the verse breaks down intro triplets the second time around.

Vendetta-9.0/10
-One Word. Drumming. Oh My God. Double-Bass in this song is crazy. Joey Jordison really shows what he's got in this song, I'll tell ya. The verse feels really catchy too with clean vox from Corey. Really good song.

Butcher's Hook-6.5/10
-Only song I don't particularly care for. The verse is cool and all, but the chorus sounds forced and repetitive along with most of lyrics throughout.

Gehenna-9.5/10
-Vintage Slipknot. I LOVE the whole "stalking" theme in this song. It's funny because Corey can write ballads and songs like these too, really though, this is by far my favorite creepy song by Slipknot. That high vocal note in the chorus always gets me.

This Cold Black-9.0/10
-My favorite head-banger off the cd. I've been playing guitar for 3 and 1/2 years, and I still had no idea what Jim was doing during the kickass solo, it sounds like dj scratches, I considered it was from Sid, but it was still the guitar, freakin' awesome.

Wherein Lies Continue-8.0/10
-A really good chorus, always leaves me feeling powerful afterwards for some reason. I like the "Thou Shalt Not" in the beginning too.

Snuff-10/10
-I just about cried the first time I heard this song, it leaves goosebumps and your heart aching. It has a sense of sadness mixed with the will to never give up.

All Hope Is Gone-8.0/10
-I thought the first main parts of the song sound really jumbled and out there, but I found the chorus catchy with all the combination screaming.

GET THIS ALBUM!!!

slipmethecock becuz this album and subliminal 3 blow. they went soft on us people. just give it up. this is not the 2001 and below stuff. i knew something was wrong after corey cut his hair. like all bands, it is hard to top your first or second album. and the title says it all for this band- all hope is gone.

I love all three albums with the 9. Self/titled was the most amazing and fresh sound with sick original EVERYTHING. I love everything about it and still listen to it relentlessly. Then IOWA proved this band was like no other and they were amazing, new, and different from the first album, and i can't stop listening to it either. When Subliminal released it was another success. I love, love, love these albums. At this point, I thought they had to be the best band I had EVER heard in my life and I loved every single song. It is Proof that a band can put out brilliant, original sound, with the most talented group of individuals and they were unstoppable. I can't stop listening to these albums and I have never found a band that is so captivating before. What happened? AHIG has 3 good songs. It DOES NOT sound ANYTHING like Stone Sour and people need to stop the comparison. This is just a bad release, nothing else. It sucks because we waited for so long, but we had such high expectations after 3 amazing albums and if this had been the first one, it would have been the last. There, I said it. This album sucks, but, if they stay together, I will buy the next album. I LOVE this band. We have been blessed with 3 good cd's and if that is all we get, it is way more than any other band has produced. I still love the 9, Come Back!!! (but NOT on MTV. I can't stand marketing television(MTV) and Psycosocial?? That song title is sad.) They will come back better or we are screwed. Who can top this band??????

The highly anticipated 4th album from slipknot is a half hearted let down. When I listen to Slipnot I dont expect to hear Stone Sour. The album is good only half of the time and it isnt straight through.

I have liked Slipknot when I heard the song "Wait And Bleed" from their self-titled. However, I didn't buy their albums until "Iowa" was released. Then I bought also self-titled. They both are great albums. After that "Vol 3" was at first a disappointment - but then I started to like the songs. So...this album All Hope Is Gone? NO! Slipknot is a good band and this is a great album...still 9 years after the release of "Slipknot".

The album starts with a short intro "execute." Then, it exlodes! "Gemetria" is a fantastic song! It is full with rage! ("WHAT IF GOD DOESN'T CARE?..." "Sulfur" and "Psychosocial" continue the same line. Slipknot is back! The next track "Dead Memories" is a little bit slower - but still not a ballad! It's a good song. "Vendetta" and "Butcher's Hook" are back to good old Slipknot. "Gehenna" is again a little bit slower track - but this ain't a ballad. I think that this song would be a good choice for a single. "This Cold Black", "Wherein Lies Continue" are true Slipknot. I would say that these songs are quite near we used to listen to in "Iowa". "Snuff" is the only awful song in the album - it is too slow and meaningless. "All Hope Is Gone" is again a fast upbeat song with full of nu metal sound.

Overall, It is a good album - it's not perfect it's not as good as "Slipknot" or "Iowa" but hey - those are classic albums. You cannot expect that every album they do is a classic. This is a great album - and they can be proud of it! Don't judge it!

Stars: Gematria (The Killing Name), All Hope Is Gone, Psychosocial

I've liked some of Slipknot's stuff. They have some awesome drumming that pounds your face off! All the instruments come through clear and sound f-ing awesome! But the actual music doesn't hold much interest for me, I get rather bored with the album, which for me was its downfall. I would like to give the 3.5 stars, but Amazon in their infinite wisdom won't let us die hard raters do that. All Hope Isn't Gone on this album, but it won't be going nonstop in your MP3 player either.

Love the sound, and even snuff, although slow and sounds more like a stonesour song than a slipknot one, i found it to be awesome as well. Think you should listen to it, i got into psychosocial right away, then sulfur and then some of the other tracks. Its something that shows the band still has the ability to ravage you with hard music. No offense, i heard the new metallica and this cd, and this cd is the one that amps you up. Buy it, for this price, come on... what you have to lose.

I think this is a quality album by slipknot. Granted there are a few questionable choices the band made on this album but overall I think its worthy of the Slipknot discography.

People seem to not realize how old most of the members of Slipknot are. Most are mid to late 30's, and Shawn being the oldest at 40. 40 years old! That could be my dad rocking out in Slipknot. They have been around for 13, almost 14 years now and, as other reviewers have said, you can't expect them to release "Slipknot" or "Iowa" 4 times in a row. After playing their older songs live so many times after so many years its not surprising that they would want branch their sound out and explore other ideas. You have to remember most musicians make music to satisfy their own creative desires, not yours. Another factor to keep in mind is their success. How angry could one still be after making millions and millions of dollars and being one of the most recognizable and famous bands of our time. My point being, its understandable why their sound has tweaked and some of their songs may be a little on the softer side by now.

Anyways that is all besides the point of this review..which is the music! Except for a handful of tracks ( "dead memories", "snuff", "Vendetta"), any of these songs sound like good old slipknot to me. "This Cold Black", "Gemetria(The Killing Name)", "Wherein Lies Continue", "Butchers Hook", and "All Hope is Gone" are easily on par with anything on Iowa or Slipknot as far as heaviness and quality are concerned. "This Cold Black" sounds like its an Iowa outtake to me. "Sulfur" does have a little bit of a Stone Sour lean in the chorus and verses but it has some bite to it and ends on a good heavy note. "Psychosocial" is obviously a quality track and is one of the heavier singles Slipknot has released. It reminds me of "My Plague" a little bit. "Gehenna" is a personal favorite of mine, it has the dark, twisted atmosphere and effects that were lacking from Vol.3. While it is not particularly heavy all the way through, it is very creative and its reminiscent of similar dark tracks such as " Skin Ticket" "Iowa" and "prosthetics".

"Vendetta" is a huge disappointment. It starts off with a sick death metal riff, then goes all stone soury / Korny on us. There are a few redeeming qualities, the guitar parts are catchy and there is some good scratching but other than that I hate this song. "Dead Memories" and "Snuff" are OK tracks but I just think they totally kill the vibe and flow of the album. After the first 3 upbeat heavy tracks, "Dead Memories" and "Vendetta" slow the album down to a boring crawl. Same with "Snuff" which is sandwiched in between two of the albums heaviest tracks. And as others have said, they sound more suited for a Stone Sour album than a slipknot one. These 3 tracks fail to do what Vol 3 succeeded in doing by making softer Slipknot songs that still sound like they belong on a Slipknot album.

Overall this is a great album, perhaps it won't go down as a Slipknot classic like the self titled and Iowa, but it has classic slipknot elements while still expanding their sound at the same time. Theres tracks for metal and rock fans of all kinds, which can either be seen as a negative or positive depending on which camp you're in. I personally don't go to Slipknot if I want bone rattling heaviness as I listen to a lot of black and death metal, so the fact theres more singing and rock vibes at times doesn't bother me to the point where I don't want to listen to this. If you're looking for a fun, heavy listen you could do much worse.

My first listen through, I was only sold on a few songs. But once I went back, I started to really get into the middle group of songs (even though the second track is still my fave). Really good metal, and probably one of the coolest bands to see live. Even if you're only a half-fan, I would see these guys live just to know what "Getting your money's worth" really means.

This being Slipknot's 4th album of a career nearing 10 years, they are reaching that point where what they as a band call "progression" runs the risk of being called "selling out" by their fans who loved them from the word "go". 20 years ago, my friends and I slapped the "sell out" tag on more than a few bands (Metallica being the biggest offender of our youth). So, I have to wonder if this album will be Slipknot's transition album that leads them to that inevitable fork in the road where they progress beyond their core fans or run the risk of becoming stale. It seems to be a very thin tightrope to walk for every band, especially in the genre metal where fans can turn into foes overnight.

With all of that in mind, I can see the aspects of "All Hope Is Gone" that might make some of Slipknot's original fans angry or disinterested. Compared to the all-out-fury of "Iowa" or the combination of technical mastery and melodic foreplay of "Volume 3", "All Hope Is Gone" is often more straight-forward and subdued by comparison. It is fairly evident that Slipknot is focused more on writing songs first rather than taking a multitude of riffs and building a great song around them. In this case, for me, the approach works well.

What I can sympathize with those disenchanted by this album about is that the singles on this album are clear, present and obviously crafted for radio and mainstream exposure. Granted, I think "Psychosocial" is a very powerful song as far as singles are concerned, but some of the softer stuff on this album can get a little too soft at times. At this point, I like most of it, but I can see why others might not.

For those seeking the Slipknot of old, "All Hope Is Gone" is bookended by two mega-tracks that are as brutal and violent as anyone could ever want, especially the finale which is the perfect rallying cry for this time in our history. Much of this album is still very good, but I do wish they would have explored more of the technical aspects of the last album, as things get to be a tad formulaic at times.

Personally, I think "All Hope Is Gone" meets most of the expectations and anticipation that has heaped upon this album prior to its release. I think that in time, a good amount of people that are initially turned off by this album will find plenty to like about it.

Could someone (a Slipknot fan) explain the connection between Bette Midler and the band Slipknot? I just don't see it.

About half this album is quite strong, especially the masterpiece 'Psychosocial', but the other half is rather flat. I have no problem with bands trying new avenues and mixing up their sound, but it still needs to be good. Slipknot just isn't the band to be tinkering perhaps. Maybe the side projects of certain members is influencing the band as a whole. 'Iowa' was so astounding that it will likely never be topped (although the first few tunes had me anxiously wondering).

note: I have been listening to all types of metal since 1986 and own close to 1000 albums, so I know a thing or two, and think I have the right to rate the album accordingly

It's not as fresh as their debut release, not as brutal as Iowa or riveting as Vol3. If you take of those releases, throw them in a blender this is the cocktail that you have to enjoy. Be prepared to listen to it a few times as the band has many different songs for you to digest. Simply put, Slipknot continues to push the edge just in a fashion that some fans and so called critics may not agree upon.

Take this to heart. Few bands in their recording history churn out stellar releases each and every single time. Even fewer bands that have 9 band members have been this successful. I tip my hat to the Iowan boys for the success they reached and making their mark on the music scene for all time.

I first heard Psychosocial expecting normal Slipknot stuff. Instead, I got something much heavier and more complex. I, personally, am thoroughly satisfied with this CD. This disc varies more than Slipknot ever has before, displaying highly talented musicianship, ranging from slow and threatening (Gehenna), to classic Slipknot stuff (Gematria), to hard rock almost reminiscent of front man Corey Taylor's other band Stone Sour (Vendetta), to something that resurrects thoughts of Slayer (All Hope is Gone). It's brutally brilliant and diverse. Check it out.

Psychosocial, admittedly, is a basic riff that is repeated throughout the whole song and doesn't really offer anything new. However it's catchy, heavy and fundamentally the only reason I bought this album. It was the first single and is the best song on the album.

Gematria, is the 2nd best song. Faster and more aggressive then the others, which takes Slipknot back to their roots of their self titled album which featured all the nu metal classics including Wait and Bleed, Surfacing, Sic and Eyeless.

Compared to Iowa, this is a more melodic, cleaner sounding album with less 'shouting' and more so called singing by Corey. It's more of an reincarnation of the Subliminal Verses, if alittle more experimental. But does it live up to ones expectations after 4 years of Slipknotness existence? No, not really.

So why not? None of the songs, apart from the two mentioned, stand out. I'm not saying they are 'filler' tracks, but they offer nothing new. They are simply reincarnations of every other slipknot song. Technically, they are impressive and one would wonder why this album was still such a dissapointment, even if there is some serious headbanging to be done here.

I'll let you decide. If you want pure, uncommercialized brutality, buy their first self titled album, or any other for that matter.

ok first off to those who think this album should sound like mate feed kill repeat or slipknot realize this if it did you would have spent 20 bucks on a album you already bought almost 10 years ago. i have been a maggot since theyre self titled album which i thought was great i bought m.f.k.r. it was ok (lil rough around the edges)i got iowa it sucked, i almost didnt get vol 3 because of it but i did get it it was ok it had some good songs on it now for my review of a.h.i.g. great album nuff said. slipknot has matured in not trying to be over the top gimmicky and really put together the greatest album of theyre career yes it has some stone sour in it but so what stone sour is a great band too. ok simply put if you've grown up since the first cd so have they and it shows the songs are crafted beautifully.

I have been a fan of Slipknot since M.F.K.R. and i have seen the band's decent into mainstream sadness. by far, this is the worst album the band has put out since IOWA. The subliminal verses had its good points, but the only good point about this is the single, Psychosocial. Listening to the album, i grew more and more unenthusiastic about the potential that this band may have come back to their roots, but they couldnt have gotten further from it. every song on this track sounds like Stone Sour, which is a sad, sad thing. It's as if Corey tried to convince the rest of Slipknot that music isnt music unless its moody and boring. Slipknot is not heavy anymore, they haven't been since their self titled album. this is truely a sad day for the maggots. DONT WASTE YOUR MONEY! DOWNLOAD FOR FREE THEN IMMEDIATELY DELETE.

The idea behind 'All Hope is Gone' is that Slipknot is trying to say that the hope of figuring them out is gone. The album runs similar to Volume 3, but in my own opinion, slightly higher. While I do not like every track on this album, they are all very well produced and performed. 'Hope' definately has the best rhythm of all the other albums to date and easily the tighest production, but this is also where it begins to depart from the other albums. The album lacks the raw savagery of loose, animalistic playing. The guitars are more focused on tight rhythms and intricate solos, versus the older albums, where they tended to have a more beastial sway to them. The drums are much more studied and almost seem to be the only Slipknot sound which is carried over. The turn-table is fairly mute and the bass is mostly back-up. The vocals are strong, but at points a tad too sappy, which draws away from the previously murderous, maniacal voice which added to the mystique of Slipknot. Talent shines brightly on 'Hope' and it is overall a very well made album, but it does seem to be hollow in spots.

Ok people. The first album I heard by Slipknot was their third album. I love that album, I hold it in high regard as their best album they've made so far. I worked my way back and loved those albums as well. I can strongly say that I am a Slipknot fan. This said, I was a little bit uneasy about this album when I heard their two songs "Psychosocial" and "All Hope is Gone" on their website. It wasn't exactly what I was hoping for. It sounded to random and unfinished. I ordered the album, played it, and I have to admit that this album is NOT bad. Every song has at least one great part to it, whether it's the chorus or the end or the beginning. I enjoyed thier slower songs like "Snuff" and "Dead Memories", but I liked thier faster more 'hardcore' songs like "This Cold Black" and "Wherein Lies Continue" also. If you enjoyed the Slipknot albums before this one, you will like it. It's not thier best, but it's worth having in your collection. I strongly recommend getting this album if you are a Slipknot fan or at the very least a fan of their 3rd album.

If you read any review that pans this album... they are wrong !!!! It has all the elements that a great album should have. Highs and lows... Hard and soft. The song writing is the best of thier career. You can't stay grwol & scowl forever ...so this is the best point to move forward from there. Thank god they dumped Rick Rubin. He is so washed up it aint funny. I don't think he has produced anything good since... I don't know when! Just buy and you will not be dissapointed. Way better than thier previous work. By far!!!!

I was so looking forward to likeing this and hearing this and I was so let down I can not believe it biggest dissapointment in a long time worst album of the year 3 songs were good # 6 Vendetta #12 All hope is gone and maybe # 2 Gematria and # 8 Gehenna starts slow and heavy and then gets boring and weak and to much Stone Sour like songs which is ok in fast stuff but the radio friendley stuff is weak # 11 Snuff is a very bad Stone Sour song and the 2 bonus tracks are simply Stone Sour weak moments the other bonus track is just a remix of Vermillion very weak indeed Slipknot is now for sure just metal for all the 14 year old Hot Topic kids time to call it a day goons

I was a huge fan of Slipknot's sound in their debut release. It was a relentless and pounding album with a wide emotional range. Iowa was a traditional sophomore slump CD. Vol 3 was better but lacked some of the aggression of their debut. This release finally shows the crew return to form. Guitars are aggressive and angry while still remaining expressive, percussion is pounding, and the vocals are, well I'll go ahead and say it, pretty much the best metal has to offer.

If you found yourself a Slipknot fan at any point in their career, you should enjoy this release, and I recommend it without reservation.

In almost 10 years together their talent really shows on this album. Tight riffs, drums, good use of the different vocal styles, and excellent production.

The biggest thing to me was the natural progression they're making. This includes guitar solos (sometimes a lost concept) and delicate acoustic guitar again. An all-around great record from beginning to end. All hail Corey, Joey, James, Mick, Paul, Chris, Craig, Clown, and Sid!!

Des Moines' favorite sons are back for more, and the maggots are ready to feed!!!!

When a band manages to survive for a decade and more, it's because they're willing to stretch out into new territory and keep their sound fresh. As usual, Slipknot is plagued by so-called fans complaining about how the band doesn't sound exactly like it did on albums from at least seven years ago. Well if you want musicians to keep on sounding exactly the same album after album, listen to Country Pop or Lite Jazz and see how long your interest holds up. Slipknot is definitely evolving as a band, and that's what serious veteran musicians do. So this album should be judged not because it's a bit different than their earlier works, but on whether its musical statements are successful. Here's where the rubber mask meets the road for Slipknot.

The side projects, especially Stone Sour, have obviously added variety and maturity to the Slipknot sound. "Gematria (The Killing Name)" is probably their most intricate and solidly written track yet, and things get really interesting in "Wherein Lies Continue" which slows down the attack to the pace of rumbling hardcore and increases Slipknot's heaviness far beyond the standard bashing and screaming that nu-fans think is true metal. Meanwhile, the Slipknot percussion army - the true source of the band's uniqueness - works up some of their swinginest grooves ever in "Sulphur" and "Psychosocial." The only real trouble on this album comes with the power ballads "Dead Memories" and "Snuff," which are reasonable tries at maturity but end up sounding like Nickelback and other meatheads, and an attempt at Korn-ish atmosphere in "Gehenna" is a major misstep. Overall, everybody in the band other than the percussion army is still plagued by a lack of true personality and uniqueness in their performances. #0 and #5 are ridiculously underutilized in the band's total sound, though #8's lyrics and mannerisms are getting better.

While not all of Slipknot's current advancements work, at least they've got the will to develop and improve. That's worthy of respect from fans, even those who refuse to live in the present. [~dooomsdayer520~]

...with many of the maggots out there. I think that this is still a good metal album, and still maintains the essence that is Slipknot. Yes, it features some slower music, but these are still both musically and lyrically sound. It makes for a much more flowing album, a la Pink Floyd; it is very theatrical. Rather than being a deviation from the norm for this band, I see it as a natural evolution from their past. They want to add slower songs, more melodic songs, and as long as the band is up to it, so am I. I'm enjoying, can't get enough, and I want more!