Time To Hang Up The Jumpsuits…

From the beginning Slipknot seemed like some absurd gimmick – nine members in jumpsuits and masks that all supposedly contribute musically as well as physically to their WWE-style live shows. But despite critical skepticism, their self-titled debut managed to bring forth a brutal amount of sonic energy. Indeed, after a few world tours Slipknot became the official poster children for Hot Topic and thousands of disillusioned, angst-ridden teenagers across the planet. Suddenly, the image replaced the music, and the bands second album, Iowa, blandly brought forth nothing more than mere rehashed b-sides from their original self-titled release. Despite constant intra-band feuding, Slipknot return with Volume 3: The Subliminal Verses.Taking the helm of the sinking ship that currently comprises Slipknot (many believe this is the bands last album), famed producer Rick Rubin has worked with everyone from sheer pop acts to the death metal godfathers, Slayer. But not even Rubin himself can save this band from falling off into musical oblivion; to be remembered merely as a gimmick, rather than for anything musically noteworthy.
ame That being said, Rubin’s presence on the album can be felt immediately, most notably in the guitar work. Brushing off the simplistic four-chord crunches, the band (and Rubin) implement a slightly more diverse array of effects to, if only slightly, enhance the overall musical appeal. Even vocalist Corey Taylor steps outside his normal range with, slower, quiet spoken word melodies, apparent in the commercial radio friendly “Duality.” But through all these advances, Volume 3 remains tragically uninspired both lyrically and musically. If indeed, this is the bands last album, let me be the first to say “goodbye!”