If you know me, you know that Slipknot is one of my favourite all time bands. So you know that the day this brand new record comes in I had to sit down, listen, and analyse the new thing as soon as humanly possible. The End so Far promises the end of an old chapter and beginning of a new as the Iowan nine end their historic record deal with RoadRunner records, and through its almost hour long run time takes you on a trip of atmospheric intros, driving chorus and bittersweet melody. Here's my track by track breakdown of Slipknot's The End so Far:
(Cover art for 'The End so Far, by Slipknot 2022)
Adderall - This is an interesting way to begin the record, but nonetheless a welcome way to kick things off. I like how it lets Craig and Sid flourish a little in the opener. Very interesting almost drum machine-esque opening with piano chords layered over it. Corey is really his using his regular melodic range, and I'm not opposed to it. Although it's not what I'm used to, I'm open to this piece of experimentation. I think it drags a touch for an opener, at a whopping 5:40, but I'm not about to write it off as something so left field that it doesn't seem like a track from the Knot. It has some very Slipknot undertones, like that wailing guitar introduced, along with V-Mans signature driving bassline weaving through the track. As a tone setter, it doesn't do the best job as we slam into The Dying Song, but nonetheless, cool.
The Dying Song - Now this is an absolute behemoth of a Slipknot track. Corey's voice is the best it's been in years, with a really beautiful rage tied up in the melodic extremities. What I love about this track is how it let's every single member of the nine shine in their own brilliant way. Jay's signature drumming shines through especially, proving once again that he not only lives up to the Weinburg name but rises above it with his own signature blast beats and furious tom work. The guitar riffs are truly foreboding from Jim and Mick respectively, creating a brilliant tone that builds and ebbs perfectly across the percussion heavy track. A really good first song for the record.
The Chapletown Rag - Although we thought that this track would be the wailings of Slipknot about the new digital age, this track is another piece of evidence that Corey is not loosing his touch in terms of figurative song writing. What we get on Chapeltown is a gorgeous mix of the signature Slipknot drive as well as an exploration on the more melodic chorus sections. I can really hear the percussion here, and i love the way it's arranged to just stick out above the drums in the edit. I love the build-up to the breakdown, and the group vocals here are fucking brilliant in creating an awesome climax that once again leads into a slowed down chorus. Sure, it may take an odd path to its point, but i get what the Knot are trying to say, in a world so full of the day to day barrage of social media, nothing takes pride of place anywhere anymore
Yen - Yen has become my favourite of the singles released before this record came out. Where it really flourishes is in its subtlety, with Corey's foreboding vocals layered over the metallic tapping and strange ethereal notes before layering in that brilliant climbing drum beat and bassline. Again, Corey's versatility is evident here, his extreme vocals merge perfectly with his more melodic delivery in the chorus, and creates this really beautifully atmospheric centrepiece. It's such a foreboding track about want and desire, that isn't afraid to grab you by the scruff of the neck and take you for a wild ride into a Vermillion esque tale of infatuation and self loathing. That Sid scratch solo is the hallmark of this track, leading into an awesome new breakdown that slams into yet more melodic flexing from Taylor. As a piece of music this track is sonically almost flawless, layering itself masterfully as it plunges one again into the chorus. Yen is an early highlight of this record, and leaves me so ready for what's to come next
Hive Mind - I've heard the sneak peek of this track over in Tik Tok, and I'm ready to hear all that this song has seemingly promised. The guitar intro has my jaw on the floor, that is so punchy and immediately catchy like the intro to Walk (Pantera). It's definitely evoking People=Shit in it's opening, and once again I'm not annoyed. The group vocals are really where this track shines. This track hits so hard and i really enjoy that, and although the chorus makes me think of The Dying Song i really like the almost discordant melodies from Corey as it drives into another brilliant interlude with that same driving guitar. The beat is so complex but also so easy to nod your head to. I have Goosebumps in those build-up sections as Jay utilises the double pedal perfectly. The chorus is worded pretty well, 'protect the hive mind'. The new bridge sounds really awesome, with some signature wailing guitar behind the building drum work. Holy shit! The instrumentation in the final breakdown section is ordered so well, and really draws on AHIG and that signature sound. All in all, a really solid track that's well put together and is satisfying on the ears.
Warranty - Another triumphant opener here, I love the vocal effects used here layering over the other to create a really great effect. The broken verse sounds brilliant, and the chorus again utilises those amazing gang vocals that are becoming a hallmark of this record. It feels like an update to Duality in the husky vocals. Again, some brilliant subtle instrumentation, and the drum beat here, utilising the ride cymbal in such a way that the chorus builds in a really wonderfully specific way. I wasn't expecting a bridge with the operatic build, but again it's growing in a really natural way, and then ruthlessly shoots back into another fist fight of a closing chorus, with a perfect fake out into a repetition again, an the echoing laughs of Corey Taylor finish the track off perfectly. What a song, this is possibly one of my favourites thus far.
Medicine for the Dead - I like the macabre style that this track opens onto, it really sets a cool atmosphere for what's to come next. The guitar opening also plays with this again, but has a different feel to it, supported by Pfaffs tiny piano. Wow! This song sounds STUNNING. They're really letting their musical guns show in this song, and i can tell. It sounds really stunning. This song is so insistent on it's building slammed beat that lives at the core of the song, and it sounds fucking excellent. The chorus is a really interesting layered vocal experiment that feels really good in this track. Yet more brilliant melodic work from Taylor. This song is such a brilliantly complex track that leaves the listener slamming their head along with it. I love the subtle keys from Michael Pfaff on this record, it seems like it really underpins the track and it builds from there. This song is such a brilliant nod not only to metal and rock as a genre but Slipknot proving that no matter what direction they pull a track, they can hit the mark with insane accuracy every single time.
Acidic - Acidic is another tonal change that I really enjoy on this record. I love how every song has a really cool intro that bleeds into the main track and it's motifs. The main instrumentation of this song is another brilliantly satisfying one. The vibes of this one are really satisfyingly blues-y, and really drives deep with the lyrics, and the rise and fall of the vocals layered on the harsh instrumental. The nine are really taking new strides in developing their own sound, and i love how diverse this record has been so far. The guitar solo in the centre of this track adds a brilliant flavour to it. Those underwater vocals suit the sound so well, and again add another perfect layer. Foreboding and different, Acidic is a strong contender for a highlight on this record.
Heirloom - Now I've been excited about heirloom since the name was teased all that time ago. The drum part on this one along with the rhythmic scratching is truly a joy for the ears. It again has a really cool slamming beat to it, and a nice rythmic chorus. There's seemingly less extreme vocals from Corey and i'm not pissed. I like this exploration of his talents that aren't dependant on the crutch of his screaming. This song proves that even with careful harmonies Slipknot can still make a hard hitting track that utilises its new sound. Although it's not my favourite, i still think its a great peice of music.
H377 - Now this is a nod to the Skipknot tracks of old, and I am in love with it. It hits hard from the opening, and then blasts into a rap-centric vocal delivery reminiscent of the first Slipknot record. The gang vocals again prevail in this track and i adore how their being used. This song is a driving fist fight, with amazing driving percussion and guitar that slams into your ears. H377 is yet another highlight purely down to the pure nostalgia it invokes, but also the way it stands in its own right. Its not afraid to be what the band was, whilst also driving into the future sound of Slipknot, and that is where this tracks beauty lies.
De Sade - Once again, a gritty opener here that leaves me on the edge of my seat. I like how foreboding this track is, really utilising use of blank space in the intro before the bass and guitar fill it expertly. Again, Corey is using his melodic singing, but it suits this quite nicely. The instrumentation is again on point, and builds into a really nice chorus. Nothing huge, but something tells me it's a pallet cleanser for the finale. I'm nodding my head along to it, there's no denying its catchy and sounds really powerful. WOAH! That scratch into the hardcore breakdown is brilliant! This track grabbed itself by the shoelaces and took a complete left turn, which is flawless composure. Again, letting the guitar shine here as we enter the final screaming portion of DE SADE. It ends triumphant, and my god what an end it is.
Finale - I like the gentler opening to Finale here. It feels slower, and more reflective. The orchestral notes are a nice addition, and I'm looking forward to where this goes. Its slowly kicking itself up a notch, and you know that wailing guitar is a harbinger for the next phase. It feels so emotional in Corey's delivery here, and sounds like a reflection of the time Slipknot have had together. This is the final part of their deal with Roadrunner, this is ushering Slipknot into a new era. The instrumental really kicks ass here, and seamlessly merges back into another heartfelt chorus. The keg hit man, I love an audible keg hit. And then the build to a more heavy chorus, with some more emphasis on the vocals sounds very cool.This feels like finality. Like the chapter ending, and a new one beginning, and although its subtle, it's a beautiful way to end this record.
(Slipknot's current line up 2022 - Image courtesy of Pitchfork)
This record really is the end of an era, full of nods to the past and future alike, Slipknot have created a brilliantly diverse record full of brilliant tracks. I can see why this record is going to be divisive, but for me, this is the best way the nine could have ended their final days with roadrunner. Now I'm just excited to see where they go from here!
TLDR; Although it's not the record for the Slipknot puritan, those who are willing to expand on their own musical brains just like the nine will enjoy this top to wonderful bottom. Although there are some small misfires, The End, So Far is a great anthology of the development of Slipknot, and gives me insane hope as to what's to come next.
Rating: 8.5/10
Highlights: Yen, Warranty, Medicine for the Dead, Acidic
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