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

5. Learn From Deftones

Nu-metal was essentially a fad; the bands that dominated that scene either died out, or had moved on before things got stale. Deftones have managed to completely escape the nu-metal scene, delivering album after album of atmospheric, inventive metal. I'm not about to suggest that Slipknot should try to emulate the style of Deftones, the result would most likely be an abominable insult to both groups, but the band would benefit from taking a look at the way in which Deftones have managed to attain both stability and longevity. Deftones never really changed their sound that much between each release, they dabbled in trip-hop and glitch with White Pony, went heavy with their self-titled LP and delved into shoegaze, post-metal and dream-pop with their most recent album, Koi No Yokan. But underneath all the maturation and growth, they're the same Californian alternative metal outfit that they've been since 1995. If Slipknot could learn to be as consistent and forward-thinking as Deftones, while maintaining their chaotic elements, then their next album would be a more reigned in, composed effort €“ and if they're to make it to a sixth studio release, then this is a lesson they should learn sooner rather than later.