Slipknot

(Roadrunner)
by Tim Den

Sonofabitch, if only other “new metal” bands sounded like this. Slipknot is a nine-headed, bondage-loving, death metal backboned machine of destruction. Hailing from Iowa, of all places, the self-titled debut album from these masked freaks is not only the heaviest record this year (along with Integrity 2000), but one of the scariest as well. “You can’t see California without Marlon Brando’s eyes?” You can’t help but wonder what fucked up thoughts fester in those hooded skulls. With tracks like “Eyeless” and “(Sic)” being so intensely brutal, I can’t even imagine what kind of damage they’d do in a live situation. Others like “Wait and Bleed” showcase not only Slipknot’s relentless rhythmic powers (no pseudo hip-hop beats here; only straight up Dave Lombardo hammerings that’ll give most metal drummers lockjaw), but their sublime melodies as well. The two extra percussionists, along with the DJ and sampler, use their collective prowess to enhance certain aspects of the songs, making Slipknot much creepier, heavier, more chaotic, more energetic, and more in-depth than any of their contemporaries. Korn and Limp Bizkit can’t compare to these guys. Anyone who stands in this record’s way will surely be crushed.
(536 Broadway New York, NY 10012)