Slipknot "All Hope Is Gone" Album Review

Wednesday, August 20, 2008

Written by: Dee4leeds

It's been a long time coming but finally Slipknot return to front of the music scene with their latest offering All Hope is Gone. The Three Rs reviews the promising album.



Far distant screeching of guitars and vocal cords begin the album. Execute's noise creeping closer, building intensity, gaining pace and growing volume until exploding onto the 2nd track Gematria (The Killing Name). Gematria is a politically charged anthem, crammed with quotes from speeches and thought provoking questions. Asking "America... What if God doesn't care?"

The relentlessness of the opening is calmed by Sulfur, which wouldn't go wrong on a Stone Sour album. The fade out of slow Sulfur is met with the speed of the typically Slipknot sounding Psychosocial. I have no doubt Psychosocial will join the likes of Wait & Bleed, Duality and Before I Forget as Slipknot songs which have broken into the mainstream without losing the hard edge which makes Slipknot. It's complexity is it's simplicity.

The influence of Metallica's Enter Sandman is very evident in Dead Memories, having both a similar riff and song structure. In the second half, though, the masked veteran's trademark guitar onslaught appears. Alan Moore's V would love the surprising upbeat nature of Vendetta, asking questions like "Are You Ready for the Time of Your Life?" Managing to highlight the main theme of the album; "Slipknot Are Back and Better Than Ever." The band have not needed to change anything and somehow still sound fresh.

The album continues with Butcher's Hook, incredibly allowing all nine members a chance to have the limelight which with it's catchy chorus confirms this song as the best in the album thus far. Following the likes of Butcher's Hook with speed could only be done in a DragonForce album, so Slipknot take the chance to slow the pace with the experimental Gehenna.

"TRY TO STOP ME IF YOU CAN!" screams lead singer Corey Taylor in This Cold Black. The song is arguably the strongest on the album, containing a top notch guitar solo, athemic lyrics and a drum track which begs the question: How many drum kits does Joey Jordison go through? If his drum kit hasn't broken, then after Wherein Lies Continue it's going to be in pieces. Although the constant smashing of the drums are relaxed in Vermilion sound alike Snuff.

The album finishes with it's title track, All Hope is Gone. First released in June, the song promised fans this album would be even more noise that sounds like Slipknot. The song is so typically Slipknot that you could guess the band within the first note of the song. Which, in this case, is a good thing as the song is perfect. It sums up Slipknot's work and leaves you yearning for more.



Fans and critics alike had waited 4 years for Slipknot to produce new material, but the wait was worth it. The album is getting rave reviews from the mainstream to the underground and from the void in between, us included. If we have to wait another 4 years for more material we are sure it will be worth it.

Slipknot - All Hope Is Gone: 5/5 - Takes the heaviness of Iowa and melody of The Subliminal Verses and mashes it together.

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Labels: Album Review, All Hope is Gone, music, music review, Review, Slipknot

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Article Posted: Wednesday, August 20, 2008 at 11:12.
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