While virtually nothing is known about the upcoming eighth album from legendary Grammy-winning multi-platinum nu metal nine-piece Slipknot, that hasn't stopped percussionist/founder/de facto leader M. Shawn "Clown" Crahan from detailing the album's creation with Rock Sound Magazine. Having recently been inducted into the publication's Hall of Fame, and in celebration of the 25th anniversary of the band's sophomore album Iowa, Crahan took the opportunity to discuss the making of the upcoming album. Or, possibly, albums plural. To hear Crahan tell it—though he specifies his accounting has already been officially vetted—the process of making the follow-up to 2022's The End, So Far has been both fruitful and surprisingly enjoyable.
Slipknot is hardly a band most would associate with a pleasant workplace, but recent changes (the departure of sampler/programmer Craig "133" Jones, the firing of DJ/turntablist/keyboardist Sid Wilson, hiring drummer Eloy Casagrande, and starting their own label, (sic)est Records) have had a positive effect on the entire unit. He even floats the possibility of the band releasing a double album, a first for the band.
Now, here we are at album eight, and I can promise you, album eight’s coming out. What I can say officially is we’ve written so many songs as of right now. We have so many songs that Corey [Taylor, vocals] has sung on for rough demos. We had not foreseen what has happened, which is effortless recording and fun.
Everyone in the band wants to jam and bring music. Eloy is forcefully feeding the machine, and when you do that with old dogs, they smile and just want to jam.
So technically, I guess we could have a ninth too. We could have a double album. I’m not telling you we’re doing that. I’m just telling you, number eight’s coming out. We’re off all the bullshit. No one’s telling us what to do anymore. We do exactly what we want. We always have, but now it’s so easy. We don’t have any resistance. I don’t think people are ready for what we’ve created because even we are saying we’ve gone to another level.
This new one is probably going to take people a little time because it’s long songs and definitely a musician’s album.
The prospect of a reinvigorated Slipknot that answers to no one is, undoubtedly, an exciting prospect. Even on their more divisive outings, such as the aforementioned The End, So Far, the band has never lacked for creativity. And yet, the recent one-off, "Arsenal," which the band has made clear will not be on this new album, brims with the loose energy of their earlier records. Crahan calling it "a musician's album" is also quite intriguing. Hopefully we'll get a better sense of where the band, now into their fourth decade, might be headed as the album's release grows nearer.
In the meantime, fans can see the Slipknot and a whole host of top-tier opening acts next year on their worldwide (sic)est Stadium Tour. One opener in particular notwithstanding. Tickets for that are on sale now. Click here for details.
Check out the Crahan-directed music video for "Arsenal" and all the dates below.
"Arsenal" is available to stream and download via (sic)est Records.
(sic)EST STADIUM TOUR
07/03 London, UK @ Wembley Stadium #<!
# with Marilyn Manson
< with Hatebreed
! with Lorna Shore
(sic)EST STADIUM TOUR: North America
07/16 Washington, DC @ Nationals Park ~%
07/18 Queens, NY @ Citi Field ~%
07/21 Montréal, QC @ Parc Jean Drapeau ~^@
07/23 Toronto, ON @ Rogers Stadium ~^
07/25 Chicago, IL @ Soldier Field ~$
07/28 Hershey, PA @ Hersheypark Stadium ~!
07/31 Boston, MA @ Fenway Park ~!
08/03 Nashville, TN @ FirstBank Stadium ~^
08/06 Houston, TX @ Daikin Park ~+
08/09 Commerce City, CO @ Dick's Sporting Goods Park ~=
08/13 Inglewood, CA @ SoFi Stadium ~=
08/15 San Francisco, CA @ Golden Gate Park ~&=
08/18 Phoenix, AZ @ Chase Field ~&
~ with Bring Me The Horizon
% with Acid Bath
! with Lorna Shore
^ with Kublai Khan TX
@ with Vended
$ with Lamb of God
+ with Polyphia
= with Loathe
& with Motionless in White
(sic)EST STADIUM TOUR: South America
09/04 São Paulo, Brazil @ The Town #
09/08 Buenos Aires, Argentina @ Estadio Huracán #<
09/12 Santiago, Chile @ Estadio Nacional #<
09/14 Lima, Peru @ Estadio Nacional #
09/16 Bogotá, Colombia @ Vive Claro #<
# with Marilyn Manson
< with Hatebreed
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