Knotfest has gone global in the last few years, seeing namesake band Slipknot take a metal festival all over the world the likes of which have not been seen since the vaunted Ozzfest before it. Such a trek provides ample opportunity for new material to be released and tested out in front of live crowds, as well as kicking the dust off of old classics and deep cuts and bringing them back to life.
In this case, however, Slipknot played a song live for the very first time since its release, which would be momentous on its own. The fact that said song has not been played live at all since its release on 2008’s platinum-selling All Hope is Gone is uniquely notable. “Gematria (The Killing Name)” is the first proper song on the disc, after the sample-heavy introduction “.execute.” clocking in at six minutes of frenetic riffing and concentrated aggression on all fronts.
Fans are pointing to the influence of award-winning drummer Eloy Casagrande potentially being the reason for unearthing these lesser-known tracks in Slipknot’s catalog such as “Gematria,” and given the intensity and technical requirements for the song behind the kit, Casagrande stepped up to the challenge and delivered, adding to the gravity of the occasion.
Previously, frontman Corey Taylor had asserted that the song would never be played live. On a 2023 episode of the All Things Music podcast, he had this to say:
"[The reason] isn't even sentimental. It's resentment. But for me, man, it's such a fucking burner that I just love that song. I can listen to that shit all fucking day. It just comes screaming out of no-fucking-where. But it'll never happen. Unless the pope ends up opening up for Slipknot someday, that shit will never happen."
Check out the fan-captured video of this first-time-ever playing of “Gematria (The Killing Name)” at Knotfest Melbourne below:
Slipknot will be plenty busy in 2025, with four March dates to go in Australia, before touring the whole of Europe on the festival circuit. The long-rumored album Look Outside Your Window may finally arrive within the year, as well as a collaboration with the upcoming horror FPS game The Bornless, though said game has not seen a formal release at this time.
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