New Slipknot Album: 10 Things The Band Need To Get Right

8. Make A 'Whole' Album

One of the biggest issues with All Hope Is Gone was that it simply didn't work as an album. There were songs that performed individually like the title track, Gematria (The Killing Name) and Butcher's Hook, but these were spread thinly across the album's length. All Hope Is Gone didn't have enough quality content to fuel its runtime, its singles were crammed into the first few tracks and the transitions between the heavy and the melodic were about as smooth as a chainsaw enema. Worst of all, the album lacked any sense of direction, no clear, consistent message that drove its content and as a result, no lasting impact. If Slipknot are to succeed in producing a fifth studio release that's worthy of their name, then it will need to be a coherent, well-structured collection of material that is consistent in quality, from start to finish. Their debut was unified by its volatility, relentless energy and self loathing €“ it was an unending, seething testament to aggression. Iowa took on a darker tone, adopting more melodic elements without losing an ounce of the rage and fervour that propelled their first effort. While the band changed their sound quite dramatically on their third outing, the whole thing flowed beautifully from thudding brutality to reflective melody without breaking a sweat. Those albums had singles that worked as parts of the whole piece, as well as on their own, and if their fifth is to make a lasting impression, it'll need to do the same.