In the blackened world of Slipknot, dysfunction and turbulence have often coincided with artistic triumph, as is the case with
Vol. 3: The Subliminal Verses, an album largely composed by Paul Gray (who would pass away in 2010) and drummer Joey Jordison (who would be ousted from the band in 2013.)
As with other great albums by bands in turmoil, such as the Rolling Stones’
Exile on Main Street, Fleetwood Mac’s
Rumours and Guns N’ Roses
Appetite for Destruction, Slipknot’s trials and tribulations shine through. Pain, self-loathing and the lure of addiction cut through each toxic groove, from the surreal guitar-layers and psychedelic strains of opener “Prelude 3.0” to the surging riffs, hammering tribal beats and the screams of “I am the damaged one!” on the second track “The Blister Exists.” Two songs in and Slipknot have presented a bloodied microcosm of the rest of the album.
You might know their biggest anthems – but you also need to hear these underrated Slipknot belters…
Slipknot are one of the biggest metal bands on the planet. Headlining festivals has become second nature and their every move is pored over by social media, with fans forever wondering if new music is on the horizon, what the masks mean, and, as millions of memes will show, what Corey Taylor thinks. Such is their ubiquity amongst rock and metal fans that many ’Knot tracks are now part of the fabric of our genre.
Everybody knows Wait And Bleed.
Everybody knows Duality.
Everybody knows Psychosocial. Your local rock club definitely still has all three on its Floor Fillers Megamix CD. But what about the underrated gems amongst Slipknot’s crown jewels?