Slipknot - .5: The Gray Chapter

Published October 24 2014

*=Staff's pick	XIX Sarcastrophe AOV* The Devil In I* Killpop Skeptic* Lech Goodbye Nomadic The One That Kills The Least Custer Be Prepared For Hell The Negative One If Rain Is What You Want

Genre	Heavy Metal	Corey Taylor	Vocals
Tracks	14	Jim Root	Guitar
Running time	64 Min.	Mick Thomson	Guitar
Label	Roadrunner Records	Jim Root/Mick Thomson	Bass
Release	21 October 2014	Shawn Crahan/Chris Fehn	Percussion
Country	USA	Craig Jones	Keyboard
Producer	Greg Fidelman	Sid Wilson	Turntables
Similar artists	---

(It is believed that Alessandro Venturella and original bandmember Donnie Steele play the bass and that Jay Weinberg plays the drums on this recording, but this issue still remains unconfirmed at this point.)

Slipknot's first record without two of the most essential members in the past, the sacked drummer Joey Jordison and the deceased bass player Paul Gray. I initially and honestly must openly declare that I'm definitely no expert of the band's music. Frankly I've never been a big fan of Slipknot's past efforts whatsoever. Although I indeed have listened to most of their records repeatedly, the band's music has always come out as too turbulent and a little too chaotic to appeal to me in a way that I find awesome, even if it has its moments of crushing material.

To make things a little simple, you can always claim that the band in this day and age is getting more and more intertwined with Stone Sour or at least that some small things are borrowed from that band. Naturally they are affected by each other since the lead vocalist Corey Taylor really is a potent factor in both constellations. This matter is something that I welcome nonetheless, although both bands overall distinctively still differ in type of music. I undoubtedly feel stronger for the songs with melodic elements and with some kind of hit potential within the masses, like The Devil In I and my personal favorite Skeptic.

As you've already figured out I never really saw the essence in Slipknot's music with noisy signals or the accuracy in their approach to create a blasting turmoil, but I still have to make known that The Gray Chapter actually has something that is able to root out those thoughts to some extent. It's definitely a satisfying effort, although it eventually doesn't have the capacity to really take control over my personal musical cravings. I however certainly believe that fans to Slipknot's two latest albums still should have a go at the band's first record in over six years.

Performance	Originality	Production	Vocals	Songwriting
7	7	5	7	6

Summary
6 chalices of 10 - Tobbe