Vol. 3: (The Subliminal Verses)
Encyclopedia
Vol. 3: is the third studio album by American heavy metal
band Slipknot
. The album was released on May 25, 2004, through Roadrunner Records
, and a special edition, containing a bonus disc, was released on April 12, 2005. It is the band’s only album produced by Rick Rubin
and also the only one not to feature harsh profanity
. Following the band’s tour to promote its second album in 2002, speculation regarding the future began. Some band members had already been involved in side projects including Murderdolls
, To My Surprise
, and the reformation of Stone Sour
. However, in 2003, Slipknot moved into The Mansion to work on the album. Initially, the band was unproductive; lead vocalist Corey Taylor was drinking heavily. Nevertheless, they wrote more than enough material for a new album—the band’s first to incorporate more traditional, melodic song structures and acoustic guitars.
The album received generally positive reviews. Slipknot was praised by Allmusic for its “dedication to making it a Slipknot album”, while Q
added that the album was “a triumph”. The album peaked within the top ten in album sales across eleven countries, and went Platinum in the United States. The band also received the Grammy Award for Best Metal Performance
for the song “Before I Forget”. At the end of 2009, “Before I Forget” was listed as “AOL’s Top Metal Song of the Decade”. Roadrunner Records
have listed the music video for “Duality
” as the best video in Roadrunner history.
at The Mansion in Los Angeles, California in 2003. Earlier there had been speculation regarding the possibility of a third album and the band's future, as some members worked on other musical projects. After the album was completed, the band said that these side projects "saved the band" and "helped [them] break out of the box [they] were in". However, coming back together and working out their differences hindered the writing process initially. During an interview in 2008, drummer Joey Jordison
said "we didn't talk to each other for three months, we just sat there wasting money in the fucking Houdini mansion." Speaking retrospectively percussionist Shawn Crahan states; "eventually we got sick of waiting for shit to happen. We got together, had a few beers and wrote a really artsy, fucked up song called 'Happy Ending'."
In a 2003 interview, Jordison explained that despite the initial problems more than enough material was written for the album and added that "it's better to have stuff to pick from than to settle for shit", in contrast to how Slipknot settled too soon with fewer songs on previous albums. Band members were divided over their experience of working with producer Rubin, some of which doubted his commitment to Slipknot as he split his time between many artists at once. Lead vocalist Corey Taylor
admitted in an interview that he drank heavily throughout their time in the mansion, saying "I would drink from the moment I got up until the moment I passed out." He explained that; "everything I did while I was drinking sounded like shit", while expressing how unhappy he was with the choice of vocal takes which ended up on the album. During this time, percussionist Crahan worked on Voliminal: Inside the Nine
, a video documenting the creation process of the album and the touring which would follow.
, starting with their appearance on the Jägermeister Music Tour
. On May 4, 2004, "Duality
" was released as their first official single. Vol. 3: (The Subliminal Verses) was finally released on May 25, 2004, to coincide with the release of the album "Duality" was released on a special edition 7-inch red vinyl. Alongside the normal edition of the album Roadrunner Records also released a limited edition CD that could connect to the Slipknot web site and obtain new songs and other promotional material, but as of 2009 the link on the CD has stopped working. Other singles from the album included "Vermilion
", "Before I Forget" and "The Blister Exists". On April 12, 2005, a special edition version of the album, containing a bonus disc, was released.
was tapping on Radiohead
". For the first time in Slipknot's career, songs such as "Circle" and "Vermilion Pt. 2" were led by an acoustic
rather than an electric guitar
. However, according to Todd Burns of Stylus
, songs such as "Pulse of the Maggots" and "Before I Forget" incorporate a "pounding metal" style. Allmusic wrote that tracks, such as "Blister Exists", "Three Nil", and "Opium of the People", combine the two extremes of their recognizable metal edge with melody, and the most apparent shifts being in Taylor's vocal style, with relatively few songs relying solely on screamed vocals in comparison to their earlier work. Entertainment Weekly
wrote that the album "[bounced] between over-powering speed-metal and haunting acoustic rock".
Vol. 3 (The Subliminal Verses) is Slipknot's first album that does not warrant a Parental Advisory
label, mainly because the lyrics of Vol. 3, compared to other Slipknot albums, are much less explicit in terms of profanity
and obscure dark themes. In a 2008 interview, guitarist Mick Thomson explained that vocalist Corey Taylor
made a point of avoiding the use of profanity in response to claims that he relied on use of it. Only two instances of profanity occur; the use of the word "bitched" in Duality and "bastard" which appears in the monologue leading into "Pulse of the Maggots". According to Allmusic, the lyrics of Vol. 3: (The Subliminal Verses) include metaphors and touch on themes that include anger, disaffection, and psychosis
. Taylor's diversity in his vocal delivery was praised; Burns considered tracks like "Vermilion Pt. 2" to have "stately vocal harmonies". Taylor's performance on the closing track "Danger – Keep Away" was specifically praised; Stylus called it the most "depressing and emotional" track on the album. Burns concluded that overall "the riffs have lost none of their impact, but it seems like finally the group also wants you to appreciate their vocal and lyrical impact."
based on 12 reviews. Johnny Loftus of Allmusic called the album "not just another flashy alt-metal billboard", praising the band's "dedication to making it a Slipknot album". Todd Burns of Stylus wrote that people who accuse the band of having "softened" are "mistaking softness for maturation". Burns went on to call the album "the best pop
inflected metal album since System of a Down
's Toxicity
". Sean Richardson of Entertainment Weekly
wrote that the album is a "deranged hippie update" of Slayer
's "masterpiece" Reign in Blood
; which was also produced by Rubin. Q
hailed Vol. 3: (The Subliminal Verses) as "a triumph". John Robb of PlayLouder
proclaimed complimented Slipknot's unexpected rise to become "one of the biggest groups in the world", dubbing "Before I Forget" a "classic [Slipknot] anthem". Robb added that the album is better than Iowa
, citing its "differing textures". Rolling Stone
gave the album a rating of 3 out of 5, stating the album presented "newer extremes" for the band, "which in Slipknot's case means tunefulness and traditional song structures".
A BBC review praised the album unreservedly, declaring that there "is no finer metal band on the planet". It cited the group's integration of "hyperactive bass drums, complex, compelling riffs and ridiculously fast fretwork" with more melodic styles and described Vermilion as "the key track... an emotional, melodramatic, utterly convincing rollercoaster ride."
Negative reviews were also present, Alternative Press criticized the album, writing that it "plays out like a tepid, second-rate version of Iowa, which pretty much makes it a third-rate anything else." Yahoo!
's Chris Heath also reviewed the album negatively, writing that "The Nameless" combines "the ludicrously vicious and ridiculously placid" and that by doing so makes the track feel "awkward". Heath added, "the themes are predictably absurd ... yet mildly comical given the inclusion of such disparate styles stationed side by side."
Vol. 3: (The Subliminal Verses) peaked at position number two on the US Billboard 200
, online, Australian Recording Industry Association
, and Canadian sales charts. The album was certified Platinum in the United States on February 21, 2005. In 2006, the band won their first Grammy for Best Metal Performance with "Before I Forget". In 2009, Metal Hammer called it one of the "Albums of the Decade". It was also rated 31st in UK magazine Kerrang!
's "The 50 Best Albums of the 21st Century" reader poll.
.
Slipknot
Production
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 album was released on May 25, 2004, through 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:...
, and a special edition, containing a bonus disc, was released on April 12, 2005. It is the band’s only album produced by Rick Rubin
Rick Rubin
Frederick Jay "Rick" Rubin is an American record producer and the co-president of Columbia Records. Along with Russell Simmons, Rubin was the co-founder of Def Jam Records and also established American Recordings...
and also the only one not to feature harsh profanity
Profanity
Profanity is a show of disrespect, or a desecration or debasement of someone or something. Profanity can take the form of words, expressions, gestures, or other social behaviors that are socially constructed or interpreted as insulting, rude, vulgar, obscene, desecrating, or other forms.The...
. Following the band’s tour to promote its second album in 2002, speculation regarding the future began. Some band members had already been involved in side projects including Murderdolls
Murderdolls
Murderdolls is an American horror punk supergroup, founded during 2002 in Hollywood, California. The band line-up consists of core members Wednesday 13 and Joey Jordison. Former members include Ben Graves, Acey Slade, Eric Griffin & Tripp Eisen....
, To My Surprise
To My Surprise
To My Surprise was an American alternative rock band formed in 2002 in Des Moines, Iowa. They are referred to as a side project of Shawn Crahan, a member/founder of metal band Slipknot. In 2003 they released their debut album To My Surprise, however after losing frontman Brandon Darner in 2004 they...
, and the reformation of Stone Sour
Stone Sour
Stone Sour is an American rock band from Des Moines, Iowa. Since 2006, the group has been composed of Corey Taylor , Jim Root , Josh Rand, , Shawn Economaki and Roy Mayorga . Original drummer Joel Ekman left the group in 2006...
. However, in 2003, Slipknot moved into The Mansion to work on the album. Initially, the band was unproductive; lead vocalist Corey Taylor was drinking heavily. Nevertheless, they wrote more than enough material for a new album—the band’s first to incorporate more traditional, melodic song structures and acoustic guitars.
The album received generally positive reviews. Slipknot was praised by Allmusic for its “dedication to making it a Slipknot album”, while Q
Q (magazine)
Q is a popular music magazine published monthly in the United Kingdom.Founders Mark Ellen and David Hepworth were dismayed by the music press of the time, which they felt was ignoring a generation of older music buyers who were buying CDs — then still a new technology...
added that the album was “a triumph”. The album peaked within the top ten in album sales across eleven countries, and went Platinum in the United States. The band also received the Grammy Award for Best Metal Performance
Grammy Award for Best Metal Performance
The Grammy Award for Best Metal Performance was an award presented at the Grammy Awards to recording artists for works containing quality performances in the heavy metal music genre...
for the song “Before I Forget”. At the end of 2009, “Before I Forget” was listed as “AOL’s Top Metal Song of the Decade”. 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:...
have listed the music video for “Duality
Duality (song)
"Duality" is a song by the American heavy metal band Slipknot, the song was released as the first single from their third album Vol. 3: , released in 2004...
” as the best video in Roadrunner history.
Production
Slipknot recorded Vol. 3: (The Subliminal Verses) with producer Rick RubinRick Rubin
Frederick Jay "Rick" Rubin is an American record producer and the co-president of Columbia Records. Along with Russell Simmons, Rubin was the co-founder of Def Jam Records and also established American Recordings...
at The Mansion in Los Angeles, California in 2003. Earlier there had been speculation regarding the possibility of a third album and the band's future, as some members worked on other musical projects. After the album was completed, the band said that these side projects "saved the band" and "helped [them] break out of the box [they] were in". However, coming back together and working out their differences hindered the writing process initially. During an interview in 2008, 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...
said "we didn't talk to each other for three months, we just sat there wasting money in the fucking Houdini mansion." Speaking retrospectively percussionist Shawn Crahan states; "eventually we got sick of waiting for shit to happen. We got together, had a few beers and wrote a really artsy, fucked up song called 'Happy Ending'."
In a 2003 interview, Jordison explained that despite the initial problems more than enough material was written for the album and added that "it's better to have stuff to pick from than to settle for shit", in contrast to how Slipknot settled too soon with fewer songs on previous albums. Band members were divided over their experience of working with producer Rubin, some of which doubted his commitment to Slipknot as he split his time between many artists at once. Lead 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...
admitted in an interview that he drank heavily throughout their time in the mansion, saying "I would drink from the moment I got up until the moment I passed out." He explained that; "everything I did while I was drinking sounded like shit", while expressing how unhappy he was with the choice of vocal takes which ended up on the album. During this time, percussionist Crahan worked on Voliminal: Inside the Nine
Voliminal: Inside the Nine
Voliminal: Inside the Nine is the third video album by American heavy metal band Slipknot. Released December 5, 2006 through Roadrunner Records, the 2-disc DVD set features an 84 minute movie created by band member Shawn "Clown" Crahan. The set also includes live performances, music videos from...
, a video documenting the creation process of the album and the touring which would follow.
Artwork
The cover of the album features the "maggot mask" designed by Shawn Crahan, the name of the mask is a reference to the name given to fans by the band. The mask was made of stitched leather, with a zipper around the mouth area, and copies can be obtained as part of the band's merchandise. It is featured in the music video for the album's second single "Vermilion", in which the band appears whenever the protagonist wears the mask.Promotion
Prior to the release of the album, the band released "Pulse of the Maggots" in its entirety as a free downloadable track on the now defunct SK Radio website, it was available for one day only on March 30, 2004. This also marked the beginning of Slipknot's touring cycle, The Subliminal Verses World TourThe Subliminal Verses World Tour
The Subliminal Verses World Tour was a worldwide concert tour in 2004 and 2005 headlined by Slipknot in support of their third studio album Vol...
, starting with their appearance on the Jägermeister Music Tour
Jägermeister Music Tour
The Jägermeister Music Tour is a hard rock, hardcore punk, and heavy metal music tour that has been held twice a year in the United States since 2002. It is owned by the American importer of Jägermeister, Sidney Frank Importing.-History:...
. On May 4, 2004, "Duality
Duality (song)
"Duality" is a song by the American heavy metal band Slipknot, the song was released as the first single from their third album Vol. 3: , released in 2004...
" was released as their first official single. Vol. 3: (The Subliminal Verses) was finally released on May 25, 2004, to coincide with the release of the album "Duality" was released on a special edition 7-inch red vinyl. Alongside the normal edition of the album Roadrunner Records also released a limited edition CD that could connect to the Slipknot web site and obtain new songs and other promotional material, but as of 2009 the link on the CD has stopped working. Other singles from the album included "Vermilion
Vermilion (song)
"Vermilion" is a song by American metal band Slipknot. The song is released as the second single from their third album, Vol. 3: ....
", "Before I Forget" and "The Blister Exists". On April 12, 2005, a special edition version of the album, containing a bonus disc, was released.
Musical and lyrical themes
Before the release of Vol. 3, band members had promised a more experimental album; drummer Jordison said that "it's almost as if SlayerSlayer
Slayer is an American thrash metal band formed in Huntington Park, California, in 1981 by guitarists Jeff Hanneman and Kerry King. Slayer rose to fame with their 1986 release, Reign in Blood, and is credited as one of the "Big Four" thrash metal acts, along with Metallica, Megadeth and...
was tapping on Radiohead
Radiohead
Radiohead are an English rock band from Abingdon, Oxfordshire, formed in 1985. The band consists of Thom Yorke , Jonny Greenwood , Ed O'Brien , Colin Greenwood and Phil Selway .Radiohead released their debut single "Creep" in 1992...
". For the first time in Slipknot's career, songs such as "Circle" and "Vermilion Pt. 2" were led by an acoustic
Acoustic guitar
An acoustic guitar is a guitar that uses only an acoustic sound board. The air in this cavity resonates with the vibrational modes of the string and at low frequencies, which depend on the size of the box, the chamber acts like a Helmholtz resonator, increasing or decreasing the volume of the sound...
rather than an electric guitar
Electric guitar
An electric guitar is a guitar that uses the principle of direct electromagnetic induction to convert vibrations of its metal strings into electric audio signals. The signal generated by an electric guitar is too weak to drive a loudspeaker, so it is amplified before sending it to a loudspeaker...
. However, according to Todd Burns of Stylus
Stylus Magazine
Stylus Magazine was an online music and film magazine launched in 2002. It featured long-form music journalism, four daily music reviews, movie reviews, a number of different podcasts, an MP3 blog, and a text blog....
, songs such as "Pulse of the Maggots" and "Before I Forget" incorporate a "pounding metal" style. Allmusic wrote that tracks, such as "Blister Exists", "Three Nil", and "Opium of the People", combine the two extremes of their recognizable metal edge with melody, and the most apparent shifts being in Taylor's vocal style, with relatively few songs relying solely on screamed vocals in comparison to their earlier work. Entertainment Weekly
Entertainment Weekly
Entertainment Weekly is an American magazine, published by the Time division of Time Warner, that covers film, television, music, broadway theatre, books and popular culture...
wrote that the album "[bounced] between over-powering speed-metal and haunting acoustic rock".
Vol. 3 (The Subliminal Verses) is Slipknot's first album that does not warrant a Parental Advisory
Parental Advisory
Parental Advisory is a message affixed by the Recording Industry Association of America to audio and recordings in the United States containing excessive use of profane language and/or sexual references. Albums began to be labeled for "explicit lyrics" in 1985, after pressure from the Parents...
label, mainly because the lyrics of Vol. 3, compared to other Slipknot albums, are much less explicit in terms of profanity
Profanity
Profanity is a show of disrespect, or a desecration or debasement of someone or something. Profanity can take the form of words, expressions, gestures, or other social behaviors that are socially constructed or interpreted as insulting, rude, vulgar, obscene, desecrating, or other forms.The...
and obscure dark themes. In a 2008 interview, guitarist Mick Thomson explained that 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...
made a point of avoiding the use of profanity in response to claims that he relied on use of it. Only two instances of profanity occur; the use of the word "bitched" in Duality and "bastard" which appears in the monologue leading into "Pulse of the Maggots". According to Allmusic, the lyrics of Vol. 3: (The Subliminal Verses) include metaphors and touch on themes that include anger, disaffection, and psychosis
Psychosis
Psychosis means abnormal condition of the mind, and is a generic psychiatric term for a mental state often described as involving a "loss of contact with reality"...
. Taylor's diversity in his vocal delivery was praised; Burns considered tracks like "Vermilion Pt. 2" to have "stately vocal harmonies". Taylor's performance on the closing track "Danger – Keep Away" was specifically praised; Stylus called it the most "depressing and emotional" track on the album. Burns concluded that overall "the riffs have lost none of their impact, but it seems like finally the group also wants you to appreciate their vocal and lyrical impact."
Reception
Critical reception to Vol. 3: (The Subliminal Verses) was generally positive. It received a score of 70% on review aggregator MetacriticMetacritic
Metacritic.com is a website that collates reviews of music albums, games, movies, TV shows and DVDs. For each product, a numerical score from each review is obtained and the total is averaged. An excerpt of each review is provided along with a hyperlink to the source. Three colour codes of Green,...
based on 12 reviews. Johnny Loftus of Allmusic called the album "not just another flashy alt-metal billboard", praising the band's "dedication to making it a Slipknot album". Todd Burns of Stylus wrote that people who accuse the band of having "softened" are "mistaking softness for maturation". Burns went on to call the album "the best pop
Pop music
Pop music is usually understood to be commercially recorded music, often oriented toward a youth market, usually consisting of relatively short, simple songs utilizing technological innovations to produce new variations on existing themes.- Definitions :David Hatch and Stephen Millward define pop...
inflected metal album since System of a Down
System of a Down
System of a Down, also known by the acronym SOAD and often shortened to System, is a rock band from Southern California. The band was formed in 1994. It consists of Serj Tankian , Daron Malakian , Shavo Odadjian and John Dolmayan...
's Toxicity
Toxicity (album)
Toxicity is the second album by American heavy metal band System of a Down. Produced by Rick Rubin, Toxicity was released on September 4, 2001 by American Recordings, debuting at #1 on both the United States, with 220,000 copies, and #1 on the Canadian charts...
". Sean Richardson of Entertainment Weekly
Entertainment Weekly
Entertainment Weekly is an American magazine, published by the Time division of Time Warner, that covers film, television, music, broadway theatre, books and popular culture...
wrote that the album is a "deranged hippie update" of Slayer
Slayer
Slayer is an American thrash metal band formed in Huntington Park, California, in 1981 by guitarists Jeff Hanneman and Kerry King. Slayer rose to fame with their 1986 release, Reign in Blood, and is credited as one of the "Big Four" thrash metal acts, along with Metallica, Megadeth and...
's "masterpiece" Reign in Blood
Reign in Blood
Reign in Blood is the third studio album and the major label debut by the American thrash metal band Slayer. It was released on October 7, 1986 through Def Jam Recordings. The album was the band's first collaboration with record producer Rick Rubin, whose input helped the band's sound evolve...
; which was also produced by Rubin. Q
Q (magazine)
Q is a popular music magazine published monthly in the United Kingdom.Founders Mark Ellen and David Hepworth were dismayed by the music press of the time, which they felt was ignoring a generation of older music buyers who were buying CDs — then still a new technology...
hailed Vol. 3: (The Subliminal Verses) as "a triumph". John Robb of PlayLouder
PlayLouder
Playlouder is a digital music and media company. It is a music site which provides news, reviews, and other related content. It also claims to be the world's first Music Service Provider or MSP — a broadband, Internet Service Provider that bundles access to music content with broadband...
proclaimed complimented Slipknot's unexpected rise to become "one of the biggest groups in the world", dubbing "Before I Forget" a "classic [Slipknot] anthem". Robb added that the album is better than Iowa
Iowa (album)
Iowa is the second album by American heavy metal band Slipknot. Released by Roadrunner Records on August 28, 2001, it was produced by Ross Robinson and Slipknot. The title derives from the band's home state, Iowa, which members have stated is one of their biggest sources of inspiration...
, citing its "differing textures". Rolling Stone
Rolling Stone
Rolling Stone is a US-based magazine devoted to music, liberal politics, and popular culture that is published every two weeks. Rolling Stone was founded in San Francisco in 1967 by Jann Wenner and music critic Ralph J...
gave the album a rating of 3 out of 5, stating the album presented "newer extremes" for the band, "which in Slipknot's case means tunefulness and traditional song structures".
A BBC review praised the album unreservedly, declaring that there "is no finer metal band on the planet". It cited the group's integration of "hyperactive bass drums, complex, compelling riffs and ridiculously fast fretwork" with more melodic styles and described Vermilion as "the key track... an emotional, melodramatic, utterly convincing rollercoaster ride."
Negative reviews were also present, Alternative Press criticized the album, writing that it "plays out like a tepid, second-rate version of Iowa, which pretty much makes it a third-rate anything else." Yahoo!
Yahoo!
Yahoo! Inc. is an American multinational internet corporation headquartered in Sunnyvale, California, United States. The company is perhaps best known for its web portal, search engine , Yahoo! Directory, Yahoo! Mail, Yahoo! News, Yahoo! Groups, Yahoo! Answers, advertising, online mapping ,...
's Chris Heath also reviewed the album negatively, writing that "The Nameless" combines "the ludicrously vicious and ridiculously placid" and that by doing so makes the track feel "awkward". Heath added, "the themes are predictably absurd ... yet mildly comical given the inclusion of such disparate styles stationed side by side."
Vol. 3: (The Subliminal Verses) peaked at position number two on the US Billboard 200
Billboard 200
The Billboard 200 is a ranking of the 200 highest-selling music albums and EPs in the United States, published weekly by Billboard magazine. It is frequently used to convey the popularity of an artist or groups of artists...
, online, Australian Recording Industry Association
ARIA Charts
The ARIA charts are the main Australian music sales charts, issued weekly by the Australian Recording Industry Association. The charts are a record of the highest selling singles and albums in various genres in Australia. ARIA commenced compiling its own charts in-house from the week ending 26 June...
, and Canadian sales charts. The album was certified Platinum in the United States on February 21, 2005. In 2006, the band won their first Grammy for Best Metal Performance with "Before I Forget". In 2009, Metal Hammer called it one of the "Albums of the Decade". It was also rated 31st in UK magazine Kerrang!
Kerrang!
Kerrang! is a UK-based magazine devoted to rock music published by Bauer Media Group. It was first published on June 6, 1981 as a one-off supplement in the Sounds newspaper...
's "The 50 Best Albums of the 21st Century" reader poll.
Track listing
All songs credited to SlipknotSlipknot (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...
.
Chart positions
| Chart (2004) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| Australian Albums Chart ARIA Charts The ARIA charts are the main Australian music sales charts, issued weekly by the Australian Recording Industry Association. The charts are a record of the highest selling singles and albums in various genres in Australia. ARIA commenced compiling its own charts in-house from the week ending 26 June... |
2 |
| Austria Albums Chart Ö3 Austria Top 40 Ö3 Austria Top 40 is the name of the official Austrian singles chart, as well as the radio show which presents it, aired Fridays on Hitradio Ö3. The show presents the Austrian singles, ringtones and downloads chart. It premiered on 26 November 1968 as Disc Parade and was presented by Ernst Grissemann... |
5 |
| Belgium Albums Chart Ultratop Ultratop is an organization which generates and publishes the official record charts in Belgium, and it is also the name of most of those charts... (Flanders Flanders Flanders is the community of the Flemings but also one of the institutions in Belgium, and a geographical region located in parts of present-day Belgium, France and the Netherlands. "Flanders" can also refer to the northern part of Belgium that contains Brussels, Bruges, Ghent and Antwerp... ) |
6 |
| Belgium Albums Chart (Wallonia) | 12 |
| Canadian Albums Chart Canadian Albums Chart The Canadian Albums Chart is the official album sales chart in Canada. It is compiled every Wednesday by U.S.-based music sales tracking company Nielsen Soundscan, and published every Thursday by Jam! Canoe and Billboard, along with its sister charts the Canadian Singles Chart and the Canadian BDS... |
2 |
| Danish Albums Chart Tracklisten Tracklisten is a Danish top 40 record chart that is presented every Thursday midnight at .The weekly Danish Singles Chart also known as Track Top-40 combines the 40 best selling tracks from legal music downloads and the sales of music singles on either CD or vinyl... |
7 |
| Dutch Albums Chart MegaCharts MegaCharts is responsible for the composition and exploitation of a broad collection of official charts in the Netherlands, of which the Mega Top 50 and the Mega Album Top 100 are the most known ones. Mega Charts also provides information to the Stichting Nederlandse Top 40, of which the Dutch Top... |
14 |
| Finnish Albums Chart | 2 |
| French Albums Chart Syndicat National de l'Edition Phonographique The Syndicat national de l'édition phonographique is the inter-professional organization which protects the interests of the French record industry... |
6 |
| German Albums Chart Media Control Charts The official music charts in Germany are gathered and published by the company Media Control GfK International on behalf of Bundesverband Musikindustrie... |
2 |
| Irish Albums Chart Irish Albums Chart The Irish Albums Chart is the Irish music industry standard albums popularity chart issued weekly by the Irish Recorded Music Association and compiled on its behalf by Chart-Track. Chart rankings are based on sales, which are compiled through over-the-counter retail data captured electronically... |
5 |
| Italian Albums Chart Federation of the Italian Music Industry The Federation of the Italian Music Industry is an umbrella organization that keeps track of virtually all aspects of the music recording industry in Italy.... |
14 |
| New Zealand Albums Chart Recording Industry Association of New Zealand The Recording Industry Association of New Zealand is a non-profit trade association of record producers, distributors and recording artists who sell music in New Zealand... |
3 |
| Norwegian Albums Chart VG-lista VG-listen is a Norwegian record chart. It is weekly presented in the newspaper VG and the Norwegian Broadcasting Corporation program Topp 20. It is considered the primary Norwegian record chart, charting albums and singles from countries and continent around the world. The data is collected by... |
15 |
| Portuguese Albums Chart Associação Fonográfica Portuguesa The Associação Fonográfica Portuguesa is currently the only recording industry association in Portugal. Created in 1989, it succeeded GPPFV and UNEVA .... |
13 |
| Swedish Albums Chart Sverigetopplistan Sverigetopplistan, earlier known as Topplistan and Hitlistan and other names, is since October 2007 the Swedish national record chart, based on sales data from Swedish Recording Industry Association .... |
2 |
| Swiss Albums Chart Swiss Music Charts The Swiss Music Charts are Switzerland's main music sales charts. The charts are a record of the highest-selling singles and albums in various genres in Switzerland.The Swiss Charts include:* Singles Top 75... |
8 |
| UK Albums Chart UK Albums Chart The UK Albums Chart is a list of albums ranked by physical and digital sales in the United Kingdom. It is compiled every week by The Official Charts Company and broadcast on a Sunday on BBC Radio 1 , and published in Music Week magazine and on the OCC website .To qualify for the UK albums chart... |
5 |
| US Billboard 200 Billboard 200 The Billboard 200 is a ranking of the 200 highest-selling music albums and EPs in the United States, published weekly by Billboard magazine. It is frequently used to convey the popularity of an artist or groups of artists... |
2 |
Certifications
| Country | Certification |
|---|---|
| Australia Australian Recording Industry Association The Australian Recording Industry Association is a trade group representing the Australian recording industry which was established in 1983 by six major record companies, EMI, Festival, CBS, RCA, WEA and Universal replacing the Association of Australian Record Manufacturers which was formed in 1956... |
Platinum |
| Canada Canadian Recording Industry Association Music Canada is a Toronto-based, non-profit trade organization that was founded 9 April 1963 to represent the interests of companies that record, artists, manufacture, production, promotion and distribution of music in Canada... |
Platinum |
| Germany Bundesverband Musikindustrie The Bundesverband Musikindustrie or simply BVMI represents the music industry in Germany. The association represents the interests of nearly 350 labels and music industry related enterprises.... |
Gold |
| Japan Recording Industry Association of Japan The Recording Industry Association of Japan is an industry trade group composed of Japanese corporations involved the music industry... |
Gold |
| New Zealand Recording Industry Association of New Zealand The Recording Industry Association of New Zealand is a non-profit trade association of record producers, distributors and recording artists who sell music in New Zealand... |
Gold |
| United Kingdom British Phonographic Industry The British Phonographic Industry is the British record industry's trade association.-Structure:Its membership comprises hundreds of music companies including all four "major" record companies , associate members such as manufacturers and distributors, and hundreds of independent music companies... |
Platinum |
| United States Recording Industry Association of America The Recording Industry Association of America is a trade organization that represents the recording industry distributors in the United States... |
Platinum |
Personnel
Aside from their real names, members of the band are referred to by numbers zero through eight.Slipknot
- (#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... - (#7) Mick Thomson – guitarsElectric guitarAn electric guitar is a guitar that uses the principle of direct electromagnetic induction to convert vibrations of its metal strings into electric audio signals. The signal generated by an electric guitar is too weak to drive a loudspeaker, so it is amplified before sending it to a loudspeaker...
- (#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...
– guitars - (#2) Paul Gray – bassBass guitarThe bass guitar is a stringed instrument played primarily with the fingers or thumb , or by using a pick....
, backing vocals - (#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 ....
, mixing - (#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...
, backing vocals, art direction, photography - (#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 percussion, backing vocals - (#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 - (#5) Craig Jones – samplesSampler (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...
, mediaSampling (music)In music, sampling is the act of taking a portion, or sample, of one sound recording and reusing it as an instrument or a different sound recording of a song or piece. Sampling was originally developed by experimental musicians working with musique concrète and electroacoustic music, who physically...
, keyboardsKeyboard instrumentA keyboard instrument is a musical instrument which is played using a musical keyboard. The most common of these is the piano. Other widely used keyboard instruments include organs of various types as well as other mechanical, electromechanical and electronic instruments...
Production
- Rick RubinRick RubinFrederick Jay "Rick" Rubin is an American record producer and the co-president of Columbia Records. Along with Russell Simmons, Rubin was the co-founder of Def Jam Records and also established American Recordings...
– producer - Greg FidelmanGreg FidelmanGreg Fidelman is an American music engineer, producer and mix engineer. He has worked with many renowned and highly regarded bands in various genres, many in the heavier rock or metal genres, including Metallica, Slayer, Red Hot Chilli Peppers, Bush, Audio Slave, Marilyn Manson, Slipknot, and...
– mixing - Phillip Broussard – assistant engineer
- Miles Wilson – assistant engineer
- Dan Monti – assistant engineer
- Lindsay Chase – album production coordination
- Ted JensenTed JensenTed Jensen is an American recording engineer. Jensen is the chief mastering engineer at Sterling Sound. He started his career as a mastering engineer in 1976 and is currently the most active Mastering Engineer in the industry...
– mastering - Monte ConnerMonte ConnerMonte Conner is a producer and A&R person for Roadrunner Records. He has worked with numerous bands including, Slipknot, Trivium and King Diamond.- Discography :#Trivium - The Crusade#Stone Sour - Come WhatMay#Jerry Cantrell - Degradation Trip...
– A&RA&RArtists and repertoire is the division of a record label that is responsible for talent scouting and overseeing the artistic development of recording artists. It also acts as a liaison between artists and the record label.- Finding talent :... - Cory Brennan – management
- Merck Mercuriadis – management
- Michael Arfen – US booking agent
- John Jackson – international booking agent
- Michael Boland – design
- Neil Zlozower – band photography