.5 The Gray Chapter is the first album to come from Slipknot in six years since All Hope Is Gone. Leading up to the albums release many were worried that the album wouldn’t live up to peoples’ expectations, which the band fired back with by claiming that it will be a blend of the bands’ 2001 Iowa and 2004 Vol. 3. I can tell you now that that claim definately came through. Unfortunately, some were still disappointed with the record and were very vocal about their opinions on it, many saying that it was too soft of a record. Having heard these opinions before my first listen, I was slightly worried that they would be true; but they were not. The album does have a few softer songs but so did Vol. 3 after all. The first heavy hitter from the CD comes after the three minute intro track XIX with the song Sarcastrophe.
After a one minute intro to the song, the whole band comes in full force with the harsh vocals of Taylor, the low guitar notes of Root, Thompson and filler bassist Alessandro Venturella; and the smashing snare of filler drummer Jay Weinberg. There’s no break from this from this aggressive onslaught either, as the following track kicks straight into action with AOV.
Track five of The Gray Chapter, Killpop, is my personal favourite track off of the album thanks to a blend of a more slow paced music and the ever aggressive vocals of Taylor. To top this off are the dark lyrics which accompany the music, which speak of lust & a twisted and controlling love, all coming together to form a violent end to the song with an attack to the listener from all instruments and the screams of Taylor with We were meant to be together / Now die and fucking love me / We were meant to hurt each other / Now die and fucking love me.
Three tracks later and we get to Goodbye this albums Snuff or Circle which a clear tribute and memorial to the late Paul Gray. Starting of soft, the song opens with a melody of synths: leads, bass, and drums, as well as a slight presence of guitar and bass guitar; all brought together to form the backing track for Taylor. The lyrics A long time ago we believed that we were united / So the last thing on Earth I am ready to do is say goodbye are the last lyrics to be heard before the band comes together, rather fittingly, to play together throughout the lyrics of A long time ago we discovered that nothing could stop us / This hasn’t torn us apart, so nothing ever will hard hitting and close to home lyrics for the band No one is going to save us this time / No one can know what we’re feeling, in that I may trust.
The first single to come from The Gray Chapter, which Corey Taylor stated was more of a teaser into how the album will sound, was The Negative One, an absolute throwback to the early sounds of the band with the eery sounding synth which opens the song to the amazing yet simple riff which plays throughout. The main riff in this song actually won my personal Best Riff of 2014 Award – almost being beaten by Sick Like Me by In This Moment or Reincarnate by Motionless In White. There’s also of course the music video for The Negative One, which if you for some reason haven’t already watched, I highly recommend; numerous symbols and imagery from previous music videos from the band and adding to the eeriness of the song.
If I had to put one thing wrong against The Gray Chapter it would actually be the album art, which I for some reason honestly can’t put my finger on on why I don’t like it; But what are you going to do, listen to the amazing work found on the CD or stare at the album art?
The Gray Chapter jumped high up in my favourite list of Slipknot’s albums, actually coming in second just behind 1999’s self titled record; so if you haven’t already bought the album or given it a chance, please, do.
Slipknot – .5 The Gray Chapter:
1. XIX
2. Sarcastrophe
3. AOV
4. The Devil In I
5. Killpop6. Skeptic
7. Lech
8. Goodbye
9. Nomadic
10. The One That Kills The Least
11. Custer
12. Be Prepared For Hell
13. The Negative One
14. If Rain Is What You Want
Wannabe Music Reviews 