Slipknot -- 'Vol. 3: (The Subliminal Verses)' [review]

Slipknot
"Vol. 3: (The Subliminal Verses)"
Roadrunner Records


Boasting nine members in its ranks and three full-length albums under its belt, after a couple of years of inactivity Slipknot seem posed to retake the throne atop the heavy metal heap.

Exploding into the national consciousness in 1999 with a well-embraced self-titled debut on Roadrunner Records, Slipknot -- vocalist Corey Taylor, guitarists Mick Thompson and James Root, drummer Joey Jordison, bassist Paul Gray, percussionists Shawn Crahan and Chris Fehn along with Sid Wilson on turntables and sampler Craig Jones -- established itself as a hard-hitting, anger-seething musical monstrosity with a thick, multi-layered sound courtesy of a nine-piece roster of talent.

The band already had a self-released album, "Mate, Feed, Kill, Repeat" under its belt. After stints on various national tours including multiple Ozzfests, along with the release of 2001's "Iowa," Slipknot established itself as a metal monolith to be reckoned with.

The metal foundation laid by "Slipknot" was torn down and expanded upon with "Iowa" which followed up the template with a hefty injection of death/thrash metal influences. But after a lengthy world tour in support of that album, the band members split apart to focus on various side projects (most notably Taylor and Root's venture with Stone Sour and Jordison's experiences as guitarist for The Murderdolls).

Despite the various members' distinct side projects, they pledged to regroup for one final album (though talk about this being the final release of Slipknot has since subsided).

Now, three years since a release, Slipknot has finally re-emerged with "Vol. 3: (The Subliminal Verses)," a change of direction or sorts for a band that, for the most part, is known exclusively for its metal styling.

First things first, there are a few fundamental changes that the band has incorporated.

Longtime producer Ross Robinson is gone; in his place is Rick Rubin. How big of a problem is this? Robinson seemed to have a firm grasp at fleshing out the three-piece percussion on "Slipknot" and "Iowa," but that sound feels more subtle this time around. Attention seems to fall more on the guitars here. However, musically, the band does sound tighter and more focused on this outing. Taylor's vocals sound as intense as ever. The acoustic guitars everyone was buzzing about prior to the release sound a little less out of place than they may have under the direction from a lesser producer.

Thematically, the band has again embraced new masks (as they have for each album). The familiar layout of album tracks has been abandoned -- the instrumental opener and lengthy, ambient closing track that bookend the first two Roadrunner releases are gone. (The lengthy closer was even more ingrained in the band's lore as this was how the group closed out "Mate, Kill..." as well.)

Clocking in at just over an hour, "Vol. 3" offers up a hodgepodge of music, with portions that seem all the more extreme when juxtaposed against one another -- acoustic guitar vs. drawn-out, screaming solos; hard-hitting drums or just a simple backbeat; vocals that range from screams and growls to melodic, heart-felt singing.

Kicking off the new album is "Prelude 3.0," a song which, at first, appears to be the usual instrumental/sample-laden opener, but what soon evolves into a full-blown song as Taylor sings over otherworldly samples and the drums and guitars kick in as he sings "Now it's over." Jordison's drumming sounds better than ever during the simple fills as Taylor progressively begins to scream harder and harder.

While "Prelude 3.0" could stand on its own as a solid track, it still feels like simple filler, with "The Blister Exists" coming off more as the album's first true, meaty song. "Blister" opens with the familiar heavy guitar riffs and full trio of percussion while Wilson scratches away on the turntables. Taylor tears through the verses before the pogo-inducing chug of the bridge ("Can you feel this!?"). Mid-way through, the song turns into a marching anthem of sorts as Jordison lays down a repetitive beat with the guitars joining in and Taylor and company chanting along.

"Duality," the album's first single, is the first real notice that the band is going for something different here. The vocals are reminiscent of the Butthole Surfers' 1996 offering "Pepper," sounding slightly distorted as though coming through a speaker presented so fast the words almost tumble over one another. Crahan's accentuation of the drumming is great during the chorus. "Duality" is obviously this release's "Left Behind" (off "Iowa"), a straight-forward hard-hitting song that showcases the band's many staples: the forced vocals, hefty guitar and bass, and triple-threat of percussion.

"Circle" is the first glaring example that the band is incorporating some new ideas into its tried and true method. The song opens with an acoustic guitar over a looped sample while Taylor gently sings with string-accompaniment following along in the background. But, as mellow as the song sounds, there's hints of extremity boiling just under the surface: intense guitar feedback following the chorus and the haunting violins in the background. The sample work is similar to Nine Inch Nails' "Hurt" at times, which is the air surrounding the song until it devolves into a sample-heavy dirge towards its conclusion.

The biggest part of "Vol. 3" needed to be addressed is the two-piece "Vermilion" tracks. "Vermilion," the album's eighth track, unfolds like a newer, less-intense "Purity" (available on initial pressings of "Slipknot"), with seductive, low-key vocals spilling through verse after verse lulling the listener into a sense of forced-intimacy, making the track seem all the more intense. By the time the chorus of "I won't let this build up inside of me" breaks the song's tone, the melodic guitar and vocals hardly seem out of place. And Thompson and Root offer some amazing guitar work during the song's bridges. "Vermilion Pt. 2" (track 11), is the most shocking of "Vol. 3's" offerings: just Taylor's heartfelt vocals (with backup accompaniment by other members), acoustic guitars, violin (?!), piano and other ethereal sonics. The one and only word to describe the song was one I never thought could sum up a Slipknot track: beautiful.

Not one to let the listener become complacent however, the band quickly snaps the mood with "Vermilion Pt. 2's" follow-up, "The Nameless," which opens with fast-paced drumming and bass trade offs and Taylor trading vocals with himself, alternating between a growl and scream. But the chorus comes out of left-field with Taylor crooning "I've never wanted anybody more, than I've wanted you..."

The band hasn't sounded tighter and it shows on tracks like "Welcome" and "Before I Forget." Slipknot has grown and matured since its last release, and it shows through the willingness to incorporate nuances like acoustic guitars and string arrangements while still keeping the blistering guitar solos and double-bass drumming.

"Vol. 3" is a completely solid release end-to-end and would be a welcome addition to any fans' collection.