Slipknot - Day Of The Gusano review

After 16 long years, Slipknot are finally playing Mexico City. Their carnival of horrors known as Knotfest has rolled into town, ready to crush everything in its path. Shrouded in reds and blues, the devilish horned figure stares out at the tens of thousands braying fans, moving as one amorphous mass, just waiting for the first taste of blood. And that’s what we see. Day Of The Gusano captures the mischief and menace of the 18-legged murder machine: a multitude of cameras honing in on the cast of nightmarish characters as they deliver a blistering set that epitomises what the ’Knot are about at this stage in their career. Overseen by Clown himself, the pro-shots are spliced with handicam footage akin to their 2001 Disasterpieces DVD, getting as close to the carnage as possible. The bird’s-eye camera shows the crowd moving, as the name suggests, like maggots crawling toward the most delicious of rotting meats onstage. It’s a similar setlist to the rest of the tour that hit the UK, but more considered for a crowd that have never seen the masked marauders in the flesh. Metabolic, Me Inside, Custer, Duality… the songs span all the eras of Slipknot, including a savage and rare airing of Eeyore. And while watching any Slipknot performance is a life-affirming experience, it’s a shame that the movie is just that – unlike the theatrical version there’s no backstage or interview footage cut in to offer a glimpse behind the curtain. But if you want to see the most sadistic and dangerous band on Earth up close and personal, this is it. Sid runs around the stage with the Mexican flag, Clown and Chris spin in their drum risers, Corey paces around like a serial killer… this isn’t just any gig, this is performance art from one of metal’s last true success stories. Increíble.