Slipknot frontman Corey Taylor believes the band have delivered a perfect act of “foreplay” in the online campaign leading up to the release of 5. The Gray Chapter.
They blacked out their website and social media channels earlier this year before returning with a run of teaser clips over the summer. Lead track The Negative One was accompanied by a video featuring none of the band, then fans were alerted that the promo for lead single The Devil In I would reveal the members’ new masks.
Taylor tells WAAF: “How this band built its foundation was street level, word of mouth, people talking about us, That’s really just what the internet is. We’ve learned how to use these tools – we’ve been able to take an old-school approach with mystique, anticipation and excitement, which I think is a lost art.
“People are more prone to just throw up onto the internet: ‘There you go, there is is, and let’s pray to God it’s a hit.’ We love the foreplay of it. We love building that up and just getting it to that fever pitch just before it’s about to explode, and then giving the audience every ounce of payoff it deserves.”
Among the details yet to come are the identities of Slipknot’s new bassist and drummer. But speculation has increased that the replacement for Paul Gray is Alessandro ‘Vman’ Venturella, known for his work with Krokodil and as roadie for Mastodon, Coheed And Cambria and Fightstar.
Fans have noted that the bassist who appears in the video for The Devil In I has the same skull-and-web hand tattoo as Venturalla, along with the word DETH across his knuckles.
Further rumours have suggested the band have parted ways with former guitarist Donnie Steele, who played bass offstage when they regrouped after Gray’s death.
Lamb Of God drummer Chris Adler ruled himself out of the running in speculation over Slipknot’s new sticksman. It’s been suggested instead that Jay Weinberg, son of Bruce Springsteen’s drummer Max, is behind the kit.
5. The Gray Chapter is released on October 20.
