In a way, it’s almost predetermined as to whether the fifth studio album from Iowan rabblerousers Slipknot is a worthwhile investment of your time. Over the course of fifteen years, in a clear defiance of both generation gaps and the musical food chain, the band have enthralled and enraptured just as many as they have terrified and displeased with their primitive, intense take on heavy alt-metal. Leaving no room for fence-sitters, it makes sense that both sides would continue on their respective paths. With that said, it’s worth mentioning that there’s more to .5: The Gray Chapter than meets the eye. For the first time in many years, it feels as though Slipknot have something to prove – not only to their listeners and their detractors, but above all else, to themselves. The death of bassist Paul Gray and the departure of drummer Joey Jordison have had a significant impact on the personal and professional progression of the band, which partially explains the six-year gap between releases. Frontman Corey Taylor was even on record at one point claiming that the future of the band itself was up in the air. It’s a relief, then, considering exactly how much is riding on its release, that .5: The Gray Chapter is an exercise in triumph over tragedy.
The at-times-uneasy marriage of hammering white-knuckle intensity with sweeping, raised-fist melodicism is refined here, often serving as a definitive trait of the album’s standout moments. The Devil In I serves as one of the best singles the band have released, while Skeptic is an unabashed and fitting tribute to the late Gray. Elsewhere, the surviving septet (and two anonymous newbies) maintain the rage with cathartic, blistering infernos such as The Negative One and Custer, the latter of which amazingly manages to sport as definitive and brain-invasive a refrain as anything you’ve heard on top 40 radio this year. An hour-plus runtime means that not everything on the tracklist is able to justify its existence – the inconsequential interlude Be Prepared for Hell and the by-numbers Nomadic spring to mind in this case. Across the lion’s share, however, it feels as though the band have been able to come into their own again; their decision to continue validated. .5: The Gray Chapter is life after death for Slipknot – and it’s bound to leave their devotees grateful that they have survived.
BY DAVID JAMES YOUNG
Best Track: The Devil In I
If You Like These, You’ll Like This: Soulfly, Coal Chamber, Machine Head
In a Word: Boisterous
