Reviewing ".5: The Gray Chapter" by Slipknot

[WangHalen]

Hey guys, first post here. Been a huge Slipknot fan for a long time, just not really much of a forum guy. Dunno if this has been done before here, but I've been kicking this around in my head since the album dropped last month. I'd like to go through and review the album on a song-by-song basis, excluding the bonus tracks. So, here we go. XIX - As soon as they leaked this song, I was obsessed. This is a perfect representation of how diverse this band can be, and how good they are at it. One of the heaviest metal bands of our day can still produce more off the wall and melodic songs with obscure instruments like, in this instance, the bagpipes. The lyrics spoke to me immediately. Interesting way to start off the album, to say the least. Sarcastrophe - What better way to follow up a song like XIX than with this song, demonstrating the power that Slipknot posses. Killer lyrics, killer sound, got me feeling amped up pretty quick. When I first listened to it, I wasn't sold... Then they opened the second night of Knotfest with it, and it quickly became an all-time favorite. AOV - Another kickass song that had me ready to beat some ass pretty quick. The lyrics throughout the song are insanely good. A very quotable and relatable song. A great example of how Cory can go from his guttural scream to that powerful, melodic voice. He is truly a God of rock, and this song is one of many that can prove that. The Devil In I - Not much needs to be said here. Just a kick ass song that also happens to be radio friendly. Some people have complained that it sounds too much like Stone Sour, but I completely disagree. I've never heard a single Slipknot song that I thought sounded anything like Stone Sour. Also, the music video is bad-fucking-ass. Great lyrics, great sound, great music video to compliment it. 10/10, five stars, one of my favorites on the album. Killpop - Instantly fell in love with this song as well, although I don't like the title. I just don't think it goes well with the song. I was so disappointed in how abruptly the song ends, but this is probably my favorite on the entire album. There could have been more to it, but even so, it's a damn good song. Definitely has some Vermillion type vibes in it. Skeptic - At first, I didn't like the song. I loved the words, but I didn't think the lyrics matched the song itself. But I kept listening, and it grew on me. Cory came out and said that this song is "very much about Paul" in his interview with Larry King earlier this month. I don't think anybody really needed to hear him say that, we all could pretty much assume that, but it was nice to hear him admit to it. It is a fitting tribute to him. Powerful lyrics with a heavy song. It grew on me quickly. "The world will never see another crazy motherfucker like you, the world will never know another man as amazing as you." R.I.P. Paul. Lech - Another killer, head banging, bad ass song. I don't know what else to say about it. It just kicks fucking ass. Goodbye - Again, this song was clearly written about Paul. Very powerful and moving to listen to and think about the legacy Paul left behind on this band, and the genre as a whole. Very well written and put together. Definitely made me feel a few different emotions. Nomadic - Another song that I wasn't sure about at first, but as I've listened to it more, it's grown on me. Not one of my favorites, but it has a good riff and it flows well. I can definitely jam to it when it comes on. The One That Kills The Least - Oddly enough, this is probably my third favorite song on the album. Another demonstration of how Cory can change up his vocals in these songs and the flow never stops. Jim has a very good solo in this as well, and I hope they start playing this live eventually. Custer - Bad. Fucking. Ass. Easily my second, or maybe even THE favorite song on the album. Such a hardcore song. Makes me want to get in the pit and destroy somebody. They can make a chorus out of any lyrics... "CUT CUT CUT ME UP, AND FUCK FUCK FUCK ME UP!" Be Prepared For Hell - This is the one cut on the album that I don't fully get... They usually do this once an album. It's not really a song, but I'm not sure what to call it. I don't understand the placement of it, either. It seems like this would have gone better at the very beginning of the album, like it could have led into XIX. Sort of a head scratcher, but remember, it's Slipknot... They don't give a fuck, and you're not supposed to understand all of it. The Negative One - When this first came out, I dropped to my knees and screamed to the metal gods, thanking them that the classic Slipknot sound was back. This has such a strong Iowa feel to it, from Cory's voice, to Jim and Mick's guitars, and even the new drummers sound... It rocked my fucking face off. The music video is strange, but interesting. Gotta love Shawn and his directing style. If Rain Is What You Want - Mixed feelings here. I expected a song similar to Snuff when I first saw the title on the track list, but it went in a different (and yet similar) direction from that. Not one of my favorites, but not a bad song. The ending is definitely the better part of the song. Overall, this album gets a 9 out of 10 from me easily. I'm no critic, and I'm a little biased, but I just can't get enough of it. I would put this second only to Iowa on my list of Slipknot albums from best to worst. There's definitely a little something for everyone on this record. Glad to have them back, it was a long six years without them. They recovered well from losing Paul, and the new drummer seems to be just as good as Joey was. He even brings more energy to the stage than Joey did in recent years.