All Hope Is Gone
Though no one would mistake Slipknot for optimists, the extreme darkness coursing through their fourth album may surprise even their most devoted fans. “.Execute.” preps listeners with nearly two minutes of blasting distortion, before “Gematria (The Killing Name)” crashes in with haymaker riffs that veer closer to chugging groove metal than nu-metal. As the album progresses, Slipknot get meaner and heavier. Anchoring the second half, the title track hits warp speed with piercing thrash solos and hardcore-style gang chants.
There comes a time in every band's life where they take off the masks and grow up -- then again, maybe not, as Slipknot have managed to dig deeper without ever shedding their grotesque veils. They're still wearing disguises but they have shed producer Rick Rubin, the metal legend who produced 2004's Vol. 3: The Subliminal Verses, giving the nonet just the slightest hint of broader horizons beyond their relentless aggression -- not enough for the band to crossover, but perhaps enough to earn grudging respect from listeners outside of metalheads.
After spending the last four years in side projects, on tour, suing Burger King, on hiatus and atypically exploding (or imploding, depending on your outlook) in to bona fide rock stardom, the costumed collective known as SLIPKNOT have regrouped and re-energized for what is arguably the most importan...
Slipknot - All Hope Is Gone review: Slipknot tries to go back to their roots while pulling as far away from them as possible. It is not entirely successful.