September 29th I received my copy of Slipknot's newest album The End, So Far. This is Slipknot's seventh and final album with label Roadrunner Records whom the band signed a deal with way back in 1998. Slipknot were said to be making this album since 2020.
In just days before this album released on 30th September 2022, It was said that some members of the band were not happy with the production on this album and early reviews have shown a fairly mixed review of the album BUT today I am here and will be listening to this new album and posting my thoughts and what I like and don't like with the album, and it will all be done track by track. So let's push our fingers into our eyes and get (sic).
THE END, SO FAR
1: Adderall
A totally different sound from Slipknot. Clean Corey vocals and synthy mixing from Sid. I really like this one. Sets me up for a totally different sounding Knot album. This is chill and catchy. Love it!
2: The Dying Song (Time to Sing)
This was I believe the second song released prior to the album's release and just shifts us from the new sound that was Adderall to the classic Knot sound with The Dying Song. Catchy chorus and meaty drums and guitars occupy this space.
3: The Chapeltown Rag
Ah ha! The first song released from the album is here! Probably my fave thing about this song is the way it flows. It's a similar sounding song to that of one from the All Hope Is Gone album for me, and it's also similar in its end to We Are Not Your Kind song.
4: Yen
Another one that was released in plenty of time before the album. Strange how the first few tracks were the ones they put out first, decent samples of the album I suppose and quite safe choices. Yen is ok like at first listen I was not into this one, like it did not stand out and upon further hearings of the song, I find myself singing along to the chorus.
5: Hive Mind
Now again this was put out before the album and funny enough I first heard this song through Tiktok just 2 days before the album released as Slipknot used the song to promote the new album of course and encouraged fans on tiktok to mosh to it on the app. It feels like organized chaos in a song BUT I mean that well, I am enjoying hearing clown and ol' Tortilla man banging the kegs. Nice to see them get some light with this one. I kinda like this one I feel it will grow more on me after a few more times.
6: Warranty
Alright back onto stuff I have not heard prior to the album's release now. Whoever is the backing vocals with Corey in the start of this one I give props to, I liked that blend. Nice solo. Hmm I'm not quite fussed on this one. I feel like something is missing from it in a way. An incomplete feeling how odd. Maybe this one will grow in time.
7: Medicine for the Dead
Oooof nice growl Mr. Taylor, that's a nice start to this one and this feels thrashy to start and a bit of groove to it, how interesting. Again I feel the same way for this track as I did the last, am I missing something or was this lacking something. Hmm. I also wonder if there are any instrumentals on this album.
8: Acidic
Oh hello there, quite a doom opening, and then we get Corey switching from aggressive to clean and some guitar twang, and It is swapping between the two as the track continues. This feels like a cross between a CFMT song and Slipknot just in terms of it's sound as we have clean Corey, aggressive Corey among some darker metal tones of the instrumentals of which we are so use to from Knot. One to listen in with a few more times to see if it grows or not.
9: Heirloom
Alright with a name like Heirloom I'm waiting on some sort of trophy nostalgic trip haha. Some scratching from Sid is a good start. Hmm groove singing akin to Stone Sour. Again I compare this with the sound of Corey's other band Stone Sour as it sounds more like their song than a Knot song. Feel's like it's missing some catchy chorus from Absolute Zero era Stone Sour. The chorus "The moment never lasts that long" right I will be honest this chorus feels lacklustre and I don't want to say this, but I think this would have benefited Stone Sour more and the rest of the guys in Stone did their own version layering it different would be a bit better suited than this being a Slipknot song. Not bad just I don't buy into it being a Slipknot song.
10: H377
A faster paced song in terms of lyrics and that's nice to see, I like it when Corey talks fast. Catchy chorus which could catch on with time and more plays of the song.
11: De Sade
This feels like Slipknot's version of SOAD's - ATWA & Aerials in a way with some of its form and around the 3:40 mark it kinda feels like Custer. I dig this, good solo Jim.
12: Finale
Wow, no instrumentals on this album. Another song that's quite different and experimental and yet it's closing the album and I find it a shame because this was a good one again.
The Verdict
7/10
That's the album and this has been my thoughts and scribbles on the album first hand. I had a lot of high hopes as ever for any new music from Slipknot, they are truly one of my fave bands of all time. I can't help but to feel a little bit disappointed right now. However, the potential for some of these songs to grow and get better with age is there.
Alright, what did you think of this album? Did you like it or did it make you De Sad?
Let me know!
Comment, share and let me know if there are any top tens or music or films you want me to check out or rank, and I will get onto it.
Thanks for reading, Stay (Sic) Shiny!
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