Slipknot
.5: The Gray Chapter
Track by Track Review by Grownman
XIX
Ominous opener that sounds a hell of a lot like something
off Nine Inch Nail’s Downward Spiral. Corey Taylor’s vocals over an eerie synth
warble is definitely a departure from the signature in your face style of the
band’s previous efforts.
Sarcastrophe
A slow start transitions into signature “IOWA” era ‘Knot.
The bouncy groove, march step percussion and Taylor’s
earlier style of vocals definitely hearken back to the bands first major label
album. That said, something is missing. Maybe it’s the immediacy of that first
album. It’s trying too hard to be pissed off or maybe it’s a more mature
intensity that doesn’t feel as dangerous as it did back then. Or maybe as a fan
I’m expecting more.
AOV
This is a good tune. The old meets the new on this. Slower
tune that finds itself in the groove. Taylor’s variation between clean singing
and rapid delivery is sure to grab the Stone Sour fans. The band’s musicianship
is excellent and the departure of Jordison is barely noticed. Hell this guy may
even have more range.
The Devil In I
Still not totally sold on this tune. I think it’ll be a tune
I’ll have to listen to quite a bit in context with the rest of the album. I’m
personally not a fan of listening to singles too much before an album. This
fits more with their last album that’s for certain.
As much as Taylor denies this is about Jordison, this is
about Jordison.
Killpop
On first listen, I’m really bored about the opening of this
song. The lounge style singing seems to be a set up for harsher moments and I
feel like they should just cut the sh*t and get onto it. Maybe this song will
wear on me but so far I’m gonna forget this one real quick.
Skeptic
Another Iowa’esque track. I like the tempo of the track, the
vocals sound a bit same’ish. I’m longing for a chorus I can sing along with or just some type of hook. Instead most of the song goes absolutely nowhere
until the somewhat bouncy chorus shows up.
Lech
Promising start. The track has it’s moments but I’m starting
to feel like a broken record. Nothing new and not as good as what they’ve done
in the past. Feeling like the band wrote this coming off some really tough
times in their life and could’ve benefited from a longer break. Less is more
and this is too much.
Goodbye
Ballad. Fans will be pissed. Song about the band’s chemistry and their will to overcome their own issues. Hmm…as a fan, I can’t stand when bands sing about
themselves.
Nomadic
This is the companion piece to Goodbye. Sounds quite a bit
like Eyeless with some clean singing parts. Lyrics “I need you to hate
me”….as a long time fan, songs like this are tempting me.
The One That Kills
the Least
A mixture of sincere clean vocals and then more of the
tempered yet angry vocals off the last album. Slipknot trying to sound like
Slipknot but not that Slipknot.
Custer
Brutal tune that finally breaks out of the conventional
sound that the rest of the album is falling into. It’s edgy and dangerous.
Be Prepared for
Hell
A brief interlude with disturbing talking and hints of
laughter.
The Negative One
Hands down best song on the album. A reminder that the band
can still kick ass with the intensity of their youthful selves. Whatever they
were doing when they wrote this, they should do a lot more of. It’s so good
that it makes the rest of the album pale in comparison.
If Rain is What
You Want
Taylor sounds a bit like Bowie with his delivery. The song
is a good tune to go out on. They scale
back on so much of the noise and cut right to the chase. It’s moody without
being sappy. A song that finally takes a moment to breath and showcase the
talents of the band rhythmically without being so over the top. Not at any
point do I compare this sound to Stone Sour or old Slipknot. I hope this is
foreshadowing of what’s to come once they grow into the new members and shed
the skin of the old.
Conclusion
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