Dead Memories
Encyclopedia
"Dead Memories" is a song by American heavy metal
band Slipknot
. The song was released as the third single
from their fourth album All Hope Is Gone. The track was released on December 1, 2008. The music video for the single was directed by P. R. Brown
and Shawn Crahan. The video premiered on MTV2 on October 25, 2008. When performed live, Jim Root
performs the solo. Unlike most Slipknot songs, there are no screamed
vocals.
for "Dead Memories" was directed by P. R. Brown
. On September 30, 2008 the band's record label Roadrunner Records
released a 15 second teaser video on YouTube
which featured vocalist Corey Taylor
in what appears to be a grave in torrential rain. The video premiered on MTV
's Headbangers Ball
on October 25, 2008 as part of the Headbangers Ball 20th anniversary special programming. The treatment for the music video was percussionist Shawn Crahan's idea, Crahan calls the music video a "short film" and admits that it was a "very" expensive video. Crahan's initial idea was to have several rooms, he introduced the idea to vocalist Corey Taylor
who decided what each room would be.
The music video starts off with Taylor walking from the Iowa State Capitol
in downtown Des Moines into a rural area. Taylor walks through fields and begins to dig. He seemingly falls through the ground into a room below, now wearing a mask. The room is occupied by turntablist Sid Wilson
, who is crawling on the walls and ceiling. Taylor opens the curtains, only to find the view obscured by earth, suggesting that the room is underground. Wilson tries to stop Taylor from leaving the room by grabbing his leg, however, Taylor is able to leave the room and enter a second room, which is occupied by drummer Joey Jordison
, who is being pampered by women. Taylor spectates the scene, but does not interact with anybody, and then leaves the room. Jordison spots his reflection in a mirror and turns as Taylor exits. He enters a third room that is occupied by sampler Craig Jones. When Taylor enters the room the video is solarized and remains so throughout the scene, although Taylor's actions suggest that it is very dark. Taylor walks around Jones, who remains immobile throughout, and inspects his mask, "twanging" one of the nails driven into it. Jones lights up a flare, which blinds Taylor and then leaves the room and enters a fourth, which is occupied by then bassist Paul Gray
.
This room is filled with mirrors, one of which appears to reflect Gray instead of Taylor, who is noticeably unnerved and attempts to ascertain whether it is Gray or not by turning away from the mirror and back to it. He then waves- Gray uses the wrong hand, reveals that he is not a reflection. Gray advances, smashing the mirror, and his image appears in all the mirrors, visibly frightening Taylor. Backing away Taylor falls backwards, and into another room, occupied by percussionist Shawn Crahan. Crahan is dancing with several women, and does not acknowledge Taylor- although one of the women attempts to persuade him to stay- who pushes his way into another room, which is occupied by guitarist Mick Thomson. The two stand off, and Taylor fails to push past Thomson several times. Thomson then advances towards Taylor, who bolts though the door he came through. He enters a seventh room which is occupied by guitarist James Root and several women, this time engaged in a pillow fight. Root spots Taylor but seems too caught up in the moment to interact with him. Taylor walks through the crowd into an eighth room, which is occupied by percussionist Chris Fehn
, who is lighting candles. Taylor spectates and eventually blows a candle out. At the end of the video he emerges from the pit, where Taylor is also digging as shown at the beginning. On 5 November 2009, a 10 minute "short film" version of the video featuring narration by Corey Taylor was released.
The video could be said to reflect tensions within the band, particularly the confrontation between Taylor and Gray. The "underground" setting might reflect the idea that when members are with the band they are cut off from the rest of the world, and the appearance of Taylor next to his unmasked self could highlight this as well.
, Ryan Ogle says that the track shows Slipknot
's diversity, he went on to state it is "well-written and melodious". Total Guitar's writer Nick Cracknell compared "Dead Memories" to the works of Alice in Chains.
Dan Martin of The Guardian
compared it to "Enter Sandman
" by Metallica
and went on to say, "[it] is so listenable it's almost conventional." However, Jim Kaz of IGN
said that the track almost detracts from the intensity of the album, stating, "it's at this point the band loses a little momentum." In the same vein Ogle of Blabbermouth.net says that it's a track that "lack[s] the white hot fire that allows the rest of the disc to burn our asses." It is the band's second-highest single, behind "Snuff
" which peaked at #2, on the Mainstream Rock tracks chart peaking at number 3. However on the Active Rock chart, it peaked at #1.
Dead Memories (Chris Lord-Alge Mix) CD Single
Heavy metal music
Heavy metal is a genre of rock music that developed in the late 1960s and early 1970s, largely in the Midlands of the United Kingdom and the United States...
band Slipknot
Slipknot (band)
Slipknot is an American heavy metal band from Des Moines, Iowa. Formed in 1995, the group was founded by percussionist Shawn Crahan and bassist Paul Gray...
. The song was released as the third single
Single (music)
In music, a single or record single is a type of release, typically a recording of fewer tracks than an LP or a CD. This can be released for sale to the public in a variety of different formats. In most cases, the single is a song that is released separately from an album, but it can still appear...
from their fourth album All Hope Is Gone. The track was released on December 1, 2008. The music video for the single was directed by P. R. Brown
P. R. Brown
Paul R. Brown is a graphic designer, photographer, and music video director.In 1996 he founded Bau-da Design Lab, which currently operates out of Los Angeles and New York. P.R. Brown is well-known for his album designs for musicians such as Mötley Crüe, Korn, Godsmack, and early in his career he...
and Shawn Crahan. The video premiered on MTV2 on October 25, 2008. When performed live, Jim Root
Jim Root
James Donald "Jim" Root , also known by his number #4, is an American musician known for being the rhythm/lead guitarist of the heavy metal band, Slipknot, and the lead guitarist for rock band, Stone Sour...
performs the solo. Unlike most Slipknot songs, there are no screamed
Screaming (music)
Screaming is a vocal technique that is most popular in subgenres of heavy metal, punk and hard rock, including metalcore, deathcore, post-hardcore, groove metal, black metal, and grindcore...
vocals.
Music video
The music videoMusic video
A music video or song video is a short film integrating a song and imagery, produced for promotional or artistic purposes. Modern music videos are primarily made and used as a marketing device intended to promote the sale of music recordings...
for "Dead Memories" was directed by P. R. Brown
P. R. Brown
Paul R. Brown is a graphic designer, photographer, and music video director.In 1996 he founded Bau-da Design Lab, which currently operates out of Los Angeles and New York. P.R. Brown is well-known for his album designs for musicians such as Mötley Crüe, Korn, Godsmack, and early in his career he...
. On September 30, 2008 the band's record label Roadrunner Records
Roadrunner Records
Roadrunner Records is an American record label that concentrates primarily on heavy metal bands. It is currently a subsidiary of Warner Music Group.-History:...
released a 15 second teaser video on YouTube
YouTube
YouTube is a video-sharing website, created by three former PayPal employees in February 2005, on which users can upload, view and share videos....
which featured vocalist Corey Taylor
Corey Taylor
Corey Todd Taylor sometimes known by the number 8, is an American musician best known as the lead vocalist and lyricist of Slipknot and Stone Sour. Taylor was raised by his single mother. He developed a fond feeling toward classic rock after his grandmother introduced him to it...
in what appears to be a grave in torrential rain. The video premiered on MTV
MTV
MTV, formerly an initialism of Music Television, is an American network based in New York City that launched on August 1, 1981. The original purpose of the channel was to play music videos guided by on-air hosts known as VJs....
's Headbangers Ball
Headbangers Ball
Headbangers Ball is a music television program consisting of heavy metal music videos airing on MTV2, MTV Australia, MTV Two , MTV Adria , MTV Brand New, MTV Portugal, MTV Finland, MTV Arabia, MTV Norway, MTV Sweden, MTV Denmark, MTV Greece, MTV Türkiye, MTV...
on October 25, 2008 as part of the Headbangers Ball 20th anniversary special programming. The treatment for the music video was percussionist Shawn Crahan's idea, Crahan calls the music video a "short film" and admits that it was a "very" expensive video. Crahan's initial idea was to have several rooms, he introduced the idea to vocalist Corey Taylor
Corey Taylor
Corey Todd Taylor sometimes known by the number 8, is an American musician best known as the lead vocalist and lyricist of Slipknot and Stone Sour. Taylor was raised by his single mother. He developed a fond feeling toward classic rock after his grandmother introduced him to it...
who decided what each room would be.
The music video starts off with Taylor walking from the Iowa State Capitol
Iowa State Capitol
The Iowa State Capitol is located in Iowa's capital city, Des Moines, and houses the Iowa Senate, Iowa House of Representatives, the Office of the Governor, and the Offices of the Attorney General, Auditor, Treasurer, and Secretary of State...
in downtown Des Moines into a rural area. Taylor walks through fields and begins to dig. He seemingly falls through the ground into a room below, now wearing a mask. The room is occupied by turntablist Sid Wilson
Sid Wilson
Sidney George Wilson also known as Ratboy or DJ Sid, #0 , is an American disc jockey known as the turntablist of the Grammy Award winning band Slipknot. He is the youngest member of the band.-Biography:...
, who is crawling on the walls and ceiling. Taylor opens the curtains, only to find the view obscured by earth, suggesting that the room is underground. Wilson tries to stop Taylor from leaving the room by grabbing his leg, however, Taylor is able to leave the room and enter a second room, which is occupied by drummer Joey Jordison
Joey Jordison
Joey Jordison , is an American musician, songwriter, and record producer, best known for his work as the drummer for the nu metal band Slipknot. He grew up in Waukee, Iowa with his parents and two sisters, and was given his first drum kit at the age of 8...
, who is being pampered by women. Taylor spectates the scene, but does not interact with anybody, and then leaves the room. Jordison spots his reflection in a mirror and turns as Taylor exits. He enters a third room that is occupied by sampler Craig Jones. When Taylor enters the room the video is solarized and remains so throughout the scene, although Taylor's actions suggest that it is very dark. Taylor walks around Jones, who remains immobile throughout, and inspects his mask, "twanging" one of the nails driven into it. Jones lights up a flare, which blinds Taylor and then leaves the room and enters a fourth, which is occupied by then bassist Paul Gray
Paul Gray (Slipknot)
Paul Dedrick Gray also known as The Pig or by his number #2 was an American musician, best known as the bassist, primary songwriter and one of the founding members of the Grammy Award-winning metal band Slipknot....
.
This room is filled with mirrors, one of which appears to reflect Gray instead of Taylor, who is noticeably unnerved and attempts to ascertain whether it is Gray or not by turning away from the mirror and back to it. He then waves- Gray uses the wrong hand, reveals that he is not a reflection. Gray advances, smashing the mirror, and his image appears in all the mirrors, visibly frightening Taylor. Backing away Taylor falls backwards, and into another room, occupied by percussionist Shawn Crahan. Crahan is dancing with several women, and does not acknowledge Taylor- although one of the women attempts to persuade him to stay- who pushes his way into another room, which is occupied by guitarist Mick Thomson. The two stand off, and Taylor fails to push past Thomson several times. Thomson then advances towards Taylor, who bolts though the door he came through. He enters a seventh room which is occupied by guitarist James Root and several women, this time engaged in a pillow fight. Root spots Taylor but seems too caught up in the moment to interact with him. Taylor walks through the crowd into an eighth room, which is occupied by percussionist Chris Fehn
Chris Fehn
Christopher Michael "Chris" Fehn , or known by his number #3, is an American musician known as one of the two custom percussionists of the Grammy Award winning nu metal band Slipknot and is the current bassist for the band Will Haven.-Personal life and career:Fehn was born and raised in Des Moines,...
, who is lighting candles. Taylor spectates and eventually blows a candle out. At the end of the video he emerges from the pit, where Taylor is also digging as shown at the beginning. On 5 November 2009, a 10 minute "short film" version of the video featuring narration by Corey Taylor was released.
The video could be said to reflect tensions within the band, particularly the confrontation between Taylor and Gray. The "underground" setting might reflect the idea that when members are with the band they are cut off from the rest of the world, and the appearance of Taylor next to his unmasked self could highlight this as well.
Reception
During album reviews for All Hope Is Gone, "Dead Memories" was remarked upon for its melody and accessibility. Reviewing for Blabbermouth.netBlabbermouth.net
Blabbermouth.net is a website dedicated to heavy metal and hard rock news, as well as album and music DVD reviews. Blabbermouth.net was founded and is run by Borivoj Krgin. The first version of the website was officially launched in March 2001...
, Ryan Ogle says that the track shows Slipknot
Slipknot (band)
Slipknot is an American heavy metal band from Des Moines, Iowa. Formed in 1995, the group was founded by percussionist Shawn Crahan and bassist Paul Gray...
's diversity, he went on to state it is "well-written and melodious". Total Guitar's writer Nick Cracknell compared "Dead Memories" to the works of Alice in Chains.
Dan Martin of The Guardian
The Guardian
The Guardian, formerly known as The Manchester Guardian , is a British national daily newspaper in the Berliner format...
compared it to "Enter Sandman
Enter Sandman
"Enter Sandman" is a 1991 song by the American heavy metal band Metallica. It was released as the first single from their eponymous fifth album, Metallica. The music was written by Kirk Hammett, James Hetfield and Lars Ulrich...
" by Metallica
Metallica
Metallica is an American heavy metal band from Los Angeles, California. Formed in 1981 when James Hetfield responded to an advertisement that drummer Lars Ulrich had posted in a local newspaper. The current line-up features long-time lead guitarist Kirk Hammett and bassist Robert Trujillo ...
and went on to say, "[it] is so listenable it's almost conventional." However, Jim Kaz of IGN
IGN
IGN is an entertainment website that focuses on video games, films, music and other media. IGN's main website comprises several specialty sites or "channels", each occupying a subdomain and covering a specific area of entertainment...
said that the track almost detracts from the intensity of the album, stating, "it's at this point the band loses a little momentum." In the same vein Ogle of Blabbermouth.net says that it's a track that "lack[s] the white hot fire that allows the rest of the disc to burn our asses." It is the band's second-highest single, behind "Snuff
Snuff (song)
"Snuff" is a power ballad by American heavy metal band Slipknot, Released as the fifth single from their fourth album All Hope Is Gone on September 28, 2009, the song charted at number two on the Billboard Hot Mainstream Rock Tracks chart, their highest charted single to date, surpassing "Dead...
" which peaked at #2, on the Mainstream Rock tracks chart peaking at number 3. However on the Active Rock chart, it peaked at #1.
Charts
| Chart (2008) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| U.S. Billboard Alternative Songs | 19 |
| U.S. Billboard Mainstream Rock Songs | 3 |
| U.S. Active Rock Active rock Active rock is a radio format used by many commercial radio stations across the United States and Canada. Active rock plays contemporary rock artists with a mix of songs common in the classic rock radio format.-Format background:... |
1 |
| U.S. Billboard Rock Songs Rock Songs Rock Songs is a chart published weekly by Billboard magazine which ranks the airplay of songs on alternative, mainstream rock and triple A radio stations. The first chart was published in the issue dated June 20, 2009. "Know Your Enemy" by Green Day was the first number-one song. The Rock Songs... |
25 |
Track listing
Promo- "Dead Memories" (Full Original Version) – 3:41
- "Dead Memories" (Full Length Alternative Version) – 4:00
- "Dead Memories" (Radio Edit) – 4:28
Dead Memories (Chris Lord-Alge Mix) CD Single
- "Dead Memories" (Chris Lord-AlgeChris Lord-AlgeChris Lord-Alge is a mixer who has worked on various albums. He is the brother of Tom Lord-Alge, another audio engineer. Chris Lord-Alge is known for his extreme use of dynamic range compression in both hardware and software plug-in versions....
Mix) - 3:58
Personnel
- (#0) Sid WilsonSid WilsonSidney George Wilson also known as Ratboy or DJ Sid, #0 , is an American disc jockey known as the turntablist of the Grammy Award winning band Slipknot. He is the youngest member of the band.-Biography:...
– turntables - (#1) Joey JordisonJoey JordisonJoey Jordison , is an American musician, songwriter, and record producer, best known for his work as the drummer for the nu metal band Slipknot. He grew up in Waukee, Iowa with his parents and two sisters, and was given his first drum kit at the age of 8...
– drumsDrum kitA drum kit is a collection of drums, cymbals and often other percussion instruments, such as cowbells, wood blocks, triangles, chimes, or tambourines, arranged for convenient playing by a single person .... - (#2) Paul GrayPaul Gray (Slipknot)Paul Dedrick Gray also known as The Pig or by his number #2 was an American musician, best known as the bassist, primary songwriter and one of the founding members of the Grammy Award-winning metal band Slipknot....
– bass guitarBass guitarThe bass guitar is a stringed instrument played primarily with the fingers or thumb , or by using a pick.... - (#3) Chris FehnChris FehnChristopher Michael "Chris" Fehn , or known by his number #3, is an American musician known as one of the two custom percussionists of the Grammy Award winning nu metal band Slipknot and is the current bassist for the band Will Haven.-Personal life and career:Fehn was born and raised in Des Moines,...
– custom percussionPercussion instrumentA percussion instrument is any object which produces a sound when hit with an implement or when it is shaken, rubbed, scraped, or otherwise acted upon in a way that sets the object into vibration... - (#4) Jim RootJim RootJames Donald "Jim" Root , also known by his number #4, is an American musician known for being the rhythm/lead guitarist of the heavy metal band, Slipknot, and the lead guitarist for rock band, Stone Sour...
– guitarGuitarThe guitar is a plucked string instrument, usually played with fingers or a pick. The guitar consists of a body with a rigid neck to which the strings, generally six in number, are attached. Guitars are traditionally constructed of various woods and strung with animal gut or, more recently, with... - (#5) Craig Jones – samplerSampler (musical instrument)A sampler is an electronic musical instrument similar in some respects to a synthesizer but, instead of generating sounds, it uses recordings of sounds that are loaded or recorded into it by the user and then played back by means of a keyboard, sequencer or other triggering device to perform or...
- (#6) Shawn Crahan – custom percussionPercussion instrumentA percussion instrument is any object which produces a sound when hit with an implement or when it is shaken, rubbed, scraped, or otherwise acted upon in a way that sets the object into vibration...
- (#7) Mick Thomson – guitarGuitarThe guitar is a plucked string instrument, usually played with fingers or a pick. The guitar consists of a body with a rigid neck to which the strings, generally six in number, are attached. Guitars are traditionally constructed of various woods and strung with animal gut or, more recently, with...
- (#8) Corey TaylorCorey TaylorCorey Todd Taylor sometimes known by the number 8, is an American musician best known as the lead vocalist and lyricist of Slipknot and Stone Sour. Taylor was raised by his single mother. He developed a fond feeling toward classic rock after his grandmother introduced him to it...
– vocalsSingingSinging is the act of producing musical sounds with the voice, and augments regular speech by the use of both tonality and rhythm. One who sings is called a singer or vocalist. Singers perform music known as songs that can be sung either with or without accompaniment by musical instruments...
- Dave FortmanDave FortmanDave Fortman is the guitarist for the band Ugly Kid Joe. He currently is an American music producer. He has worked with bands such as Superjoint Ritual, Watership Down, Eyehategod, Mudvayne, Otep, Slipknot on their new fourth studio album titled All Hope Is Gone, and Simple Plan, as well as on both...
– producer - Colin RichardsonColin RichardsonColin Richardson is a British record producer, mixer and recording engineer. He has worked on over 100 albums, and is most frequently associated with heavy metal and its subgenres such as:*Anathema*As I Lay Dying*Behemoth*Bullet for My Valentine...
– mixer