Antennas to Hell: Slipknot reveals details of new album

Grammy-winning Slipknot are set to release their first album since the death of bassist Paul Gray in 2010.

After two decades of Grammy-winning work, heavy metal band Slipknot is set to release their latest album Antennas to Hell on July 24, reports billboard.com.

Antennas To Hell will encompass some of the band’s best-known singles from their last four studio albums, including “Spit It Out”, “Left Behind” and “Vermilion”. However, there is more to the package than simply the 19 songs from the bands’ previous four studio albums. The album will also have remixes and live tracks as well as a dvd of a live show recorded at the heavy metal festival Download in 2009, reports contactmusic.com.

Slipknot, founded by Paul Gray and Shawn Crahan in Des Moines, Iowa, in 1995, has eight members — Crahan and Chris Fehn on percussion, lead singer Corey Taylor, Sid Wilson on turntables, guitarists Jim Root and Mick Thomson, Craig Jones on sampling and drummer Joey Jordison.

Following bassist Paul Gray’s death from an accidental overdose in 2010, the band’s future has been hotly debated in the world of music with media outlets posting conflicting reports on the end of Slipknot. “We, as a band, have never decided to go away. We’ve never even talked about it; it’s not even a question. The only question was how long it was going to take each individual member to accept what’s happened and feel comfortable with moving on in the record area,” said Crahan.

“Paul was the major part of writing records. It’s not only my brother that I’m seeing, but it’s also what he brought to the table,” added the percussionist. Crahan said the band will be stepping away from the spotlight after playing a series of summer festivals, so that band members can go through “the healing process” and work on a new record. He said the lyrics were already being written for the next album.

The band released four studio albums over the years, 1999’s self-titled debut, 2001’s Iowa, 2004’s Vol. 3: (The Subliminal Verses) and 2008’s All Hope Is Gone, selling more than 20 million records worldwide.

Slipknot’s most recent release, “All Hope Is Gone” reached no. 1 on the Billboard 200, Rock, and Alternative Charts.

(With additional information from Reuters)

Published in The Express Tribune, June 13^th, 2012.