Slipknot’s new album came out for pre-order on iTunes today, along with a track list and announcement of the “Prepare For Hell” tour dates.
The long-awaited album, .5: The Gray Chapter is the band’s fifth studio album. Fans can pre-order the album, which comes out on October 21, and receive an immediate download of two songs: “The Devil In I” and “The Negative One.”
The band released “The Negative One” earlier this August, after six years since any new music. The track hit the top of the metal singles chart and has topped it for three weeks. Slipknot’s music video is exactly the freaky, horror-story style you’d expect.
“The Devil In I” is a melancholy, melodic track backed by dark instrumentals. Overall, it’s more hard rock than heavy metal- but the rest of the album promises to be a throwback to the restlessly angry 2004 album, Vol 3. The Subliminal Verses.
.5: The Gray Chapter is a reference and farewell to bassist Paul Gray, who died of a drug overdose in 2010. Frontman Corey Taylor told Pulse of Radio that losing Gray was devastating, but brought the band closer as they took it upon themselves to “make up for that emptiness by being a little bit of Paul. Like we were all a little bit of Paul in our own way.”
Taylor went on to say in an interview with Full Metal Jackie that the album was a way to handle Gray’s death: “After everything we went through, there’s a catharsis that comes with this, being able to throw all the emotion and aggression out that we’ve been holding onto. At the same time, getting to be creative again.” He promised the album would be full of new, visceral music, as it told the story of a band “that’s gone through hell, and yet we’re back.”
The album is also the first without Joey Jordison on drums- and who is remains a mystery. Check out the full track list and tour dates below.
.5: The Gray Chapter
01. XIX
02. Sarcastrophe
03. AOV
04. The Devil In I
05. Killpop
06. Skeptic
07. Lech
08. Goodbye
09. 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
15. Override (Bonus Track)
16. The Burden (Bonus Track)
The Slipknot “Prepare For Hell” tour begins at Knotfest at the end of October, and tickets go on sale September 5. The band said that the chance to play for two nights in a row is “is a new experience in the history of this band. This year’s KNOTFEST is going to be on another level.”
Fans who purchase tickets before October 5 will also recieve a digital copy of the album on October 21. Korn and King 810 will join Slipknot on tour. Band frontman Corey Taylor said that the band has been waiting for this for a long time, and when “Slipknot is coming to your town…Hell’s coming with [them].”
Tour Dates
Buy Tickets
Oct 25: San Bernardino, CA – Knotfest
Oct 26: San Bernardino, CA – Knotfest
Oct 29: El Paso, TX – El Paso County Coliseum
Oct 31: Dallas, TX – Gexa Energy Pavilion
Nov 01: Corpus Christi, TX – American Bank Center
Nov 02: San Antonio, TX – AT&T Center
Nov 04: Little Rock, AR – Verizon Arena
Nov 05: Oklahoma City, OK – Chesapeake Energy Arena
Nov 06: Omaha, NE – CenturyLink Center
Nov 08: Madison, WI – Alliant Energy Center
Nov 09: Sioux Falls, SD – Denny Sanford Premiere Center
Nov 11: Denver, CO – Denver Coliseum
Nov 19: Baltimore, MD – Baltimore Arena
Nov 21: Nashville, TN – Bridgestone Arena
Nov 22: Lexington, KY – Rupp Arena
Nov 23: Ft. Wayne, IN – Allen County War Memorial Coliseum
Nov 25: Moline, IL – iWireless Center
Nov 26: Kansas City, MO – Sprint Center
Nov 28: Rosemont, IL – Allstate Arena
Nov 29: Detroit, MI – Palace of Auburn Hills
Nov 30: Toronto, ON – Air Canada Centre
Dec 02: Reading, PA – Santander Arena
Dec 03: Camden, NJ- Susquehanna Bank Center
Dec 05: Uncasville, CT – Mohegan Sun
Dec 06: East Rutherford, NJ – Izod Center
Dec 07: Boston, MA – Paul E. Tsongas Arena