NEW SLIPKNOT MASKS LOOK MORE OR LESS LIKE THE OLD SLIPKNOT MASKS
Tuesday, July 1st, 2008 at 11:07am by Axl Rosenberg
Hey, did you know that there’s a Slipknot cover band called “Tonkpils” (which is just “Slipknot” spelled backwards)? It’s weird, but true. Go figure.
ANYWAY, Slipknot unveiled their new masks at 12:01 am last night (actually, that’s bullshit – it was more like 1 a.m. EST). Now, a pattern has emerged over the years with regards to these dudes and their masks: some of them do major variations on a theme from mask to mask, and some just pretty much stick to the same thing every time. The differences between incarnations of Jim Root and Mick Thompson’s masks, for example, are negligible, while Corey Taylor and Shawn “Clown” Crahan obviously like to get jiggy wit it.
These new masks are no different. Some of them feel legitimately new while some just feel like retreads (my personal favorites are Clown’s bondage mask and Joey Jordison’s Jesus Christ pose). Whether that speaks to the lack of creativity of certain band members or is just a sad fact of the type of mask each musician wears (I mean, how many different ways are there to have spikes coming out of your head?), I dunno.
So… I’ve now spent more time talking about Slipknot masks (or really any masks) than I ever wanted to. Check out the group photo above or head over to Slipknot fan site Slipknot Metal for high res photos of each individual mask.
-AR
P.S. Oh yeah, the band also officially released their new single “Psychosocial,” which you can stream here. It’s longer than the previously-leaked radio edit, and that monstrous breakdown after the guitar solo makes all the difference in the world. In the words of a man much wiser than myself, “Me likey.”
meh… looks the same to me
Guess what? The whole world is not on EST. 1:00 AM EST is about midnight somewhere else. Believe it or not, the world does not revolve around the East Coast.
I was looking at Kerrang! online, and every tween was raving about how the masks are different, but like you say, some of them have barely changed…
I do like that some of them have really tried to improve on the theme of the previous one, for example Joey.
Corey’s is a bit shit, especially considering how good the last mask was.
Best mask? Either the clown or Joey. Also, Psychosocial grew on me after a few listens, but that “psychosocial” chant pisses me off…
I dig Joey’s mask the best. Maybe an influence with his time touring with Satyricon? Sid’s looks like a cross between someone on the G.I. Joe cartoon back in the day, and a 300 throw back. Clown’s has a nice gimpish flare. Dunno about Corey’s choice yet. It’s kind of a kick back to the Iowa mask sans the dreads. The rest are pretty much just tweeked.
The longer version of Psychosocial does make all the difference in the world. I listened to the shorter version first, and I thought, so-so. But that fucking breakdown changes the whole power of the song. The stronger guitar influence on the 2 songs released thus far is a definite bonus for the band.
GWAR has set the bar so high for band costumes that most costumes are merely clown shoes. Slipknot’s fancy-new-and-improved-wow-gee-whiz masks are little more than a new wrapping on a present I don’t want.
I think the whole mask thing in general does this band a disservice of sorts. I avoided them for years thinking they were going to be as bad as GWAR, but they have a great, dense racket that I enjoy.
As far as these masks…pretty much the same, although I DO like Joey’s quite a bit.
That breakdown in “Psychosocial” is great.
I kind of like how mick stuck with his. I really don’t know how he could cahnge it to make it look more bad ass.
i think corey gave his first mask a haircut and now he has that.
The new song > anything Stone Sour has done.
All hope is gone just sounds like Joey Jordison pounding on the drums in a seizure manner. I dont’ really like it.
Almost sounds like Kerry King playing guitar if he was playing drum. Ok, I don’t know where I”m going with that.
UGH, WHO THE FUCK CARES ABOUT THEIR SILLY MASKS? It’s like buying the pig a new SHADE of lipstick.
Kudos to JTL.
So I do indeed like the new masks….but what I like more are the new outfits. Significantly more stylish than the old gigantic boiler suits…not to mention better fitting. Slipknot looks classy ^_^
Once again…this cd needs to hurry the fuck up.
*After looking at the individual pics, I’d like to add that I’m pretty sure Sid modeled his mask after the Transformers new look from the movie last year…more specifically, it looks like Bumblebee. And Sid is a huge Transformers fan, so it makes sense.
And two comments, Kye goes from sounding like he belongs on a Bravo Channel makeover show to a Sci Fi nerdfest.
Maybe he belongs on both :P
personally, i’ve always liked Jim (James)’s mask the best…and even more so with the new one…it fits him rather well…i like how it’s not TOO out there, but still very dark looking close up…
To be honest, the masks aren’t that important. I mean yeah they are a big part of the act (loving corys new mask, hate sids – i like the fact jim and mick have kept theres the same cause they rule – the boiler suites were better)
But im more concerned with the music. now, im keeping an open mind cause any slipknot fan will know by now that they always change from album to album and this one will be no different. and i think the people bitching about the new songs being like stone sour should calm down. What you have to remember is that All Hope and Psychosocial have been releaced first because they are the most comercial songs on the album, particularly Psycosocial. Now, if thats the most comercil song on the album, imagine how metal the rest of them are gonna be!
fail
“You can’t listen to this streaming audio as you’re IP address isn’t within the US so you must be a rag-headed terrorist fucker. Please pretend you’re a member of the US armed forces and try again again in 60 hours”.
*goes to Torrents…*
i like it all mostly joeys that is going to piss some people off which is great. love the new music so im pretty stoked
am I the only one who thinks Corey’s New mask looks like Michael Myers. I know that was always the inspiration for Corey with the mask, but I think this is the first time the look was nailed.
and now that I ‘ve listened to both versions of Psychosocial, it is absolutly amazing how much better the song is with the extra 35 seconds. I dont get why on earth a radio edit must be 4 minutes or less. I mean Tool never had to do that. Not that Im comparing the two, but why is radio forcing people to change their music, considering it is a medium that lost its signifigence some time ago. I dont think slipknot needs to depend on radio, so why make a radio edit in the first place. Probably not even their call.
I am surprised at all of the comments regarding the knowledge of the history of each band member’s mask. I’m not sure it this is cool or just plain sad.
I caught an earfull of Psychosocial today. I’m not too sure how I feel about it. Definitely a good break down, solo, and intro. But the rest of the song seems a little mainstream for me. I’m not too big on just bashing anything mainstream, but Slipknot is supposed to be in a mode of heaviness and darkness that I’m just not seeing in the verses and the chorus.
About the masks. They do look pretty cool. I wouldn’t mind seeing them live again to see them in action.
Man, Slipknot Is Looking Better Than Ever! Sid’s Mask Looks Intense As Hell, And Same With The Clown. Coreys New Mask Looks More Like His Very First One, But Without The Dreds, But It Still Gives Me The Chills A Lil Bit. My Favourite Mask Of All Is Joey’s Mask. He Looks Like Jesus ( Well What Do You Expect? He Is The God Of Drumming ) And It Just Blends In Soo Well With his Last Mask. James And Mick Didnt Change Their Maskes Too Much, Just Added A Couple Of Facial Features That Make Them Look Eviler. Pauls Mask Is Intence, He Took The Bullet Hole Out, And It Looks Like He Got Hit With A Hammer And Got Scratched By Somthing. And Chris’s Just Looks The Same But Kinda Gay With The Long Hair. But Anyways, Slipknot Is Still Number 1 And Looking Better Than Ever
I think chris’s mask is alot more intimidating with the gay hair! But it looks fatter to me
every one please try to under stand the concepted of change is all around us
don’t discriminate them for what they do. they has surprized the world with ther progress
i think they have a handle on things. the new masks are cool but i thinks chris should have done somthing more like a bore masks simulair to the first mask and jim’s mask could look more like his iowa mask insteed of the whit on red he could have done black with face with the ripper no lips. looks like the crow a bit over the top for me but that just me. other thene that everything else is at full force slipknot if you ready this i hope you take my thoughts in to contitoration.keep up the good work and keep on rockin!!!!!
i like the fact that they all have new kick ass music and masks but the thing i’m woundering is that i herd some rumbers going on about the mayhem tours that either they are doing the same shit on the smae tour OR they are still singing and all that BUT they will be switching to diffrent concerts!!!!!! thats my concern i think that the next tour will just be KICK ASS like this years of 08! i hope that they dont make any more explosions on the stage
slipknot lioves men and they change their masks because there pedifiles
my personal opinion is that i really dig all of the masks, i like them all, i mean, yea, some of them barely changed, but still, they are all baD ass masks…except craig’s. i mean, i think he is a little lame, but still, thats my opinion…my personal favorite mask would have to be sid’s mask, i think that one is the shit! im also diggin joey’s and shawn’s too…
J cantrell suck my dick because the macks are fucking cool so die in hell
thats really cool and i hope you can write more ’bout it then you did and give a little more information ’bout the masks and wat you have written it’s one of the best things I have read over my x-mas break and i tend to read more bout this stuff I mean it’s the only thing I will read now that I’m older and get to make my own decisions and yeah but any ways the masks are so fuckin cool J cantrellis just stupid and needs to go get alife and needs to stop being jealious and quite being dumm so thats wat i have to say bout the whole thing so if you all wanna e-mail me you can at jayden_hood@yahoo.com
Joey’s mask is F N sweet b***chs
all their masks kick a**