This is Slipknot's third album, (excluding Mate. Feed. Kill. Repeat.) and they are clearly going down a different path. But as to where some may dissagree, I like this path better. In my opinion, they have increased musically, gotten more mature, and have a much wider range now. They keep there traditional heavy music, with songs such as Pulse of the Maggots, (although the vocals aren't as intense as normally) go softer with songs such as Prelude 3.0 and Danger-Keep Away, and even venture into the world of acoustic guitars with Circle and Vermillion Pt. 2. They also change in there songs from heavy to soft, in songs like The Nameless and Before I Forget. And, they're even adding guitar solos! To me, they have improved. Here is my view of the album, song for song.
1.Prelude 3.0-5/5
This is one of their slow songs. The guitar, drums, vocals, and everything else go together perfectly. I think that it's the perfect opening for this album. That's about all that can be said about this song.
2.The Blister Exist-4/5
This is an example of their heavier songs from this album. The vocals are some of the heaviest on the album, and every once in a while go to singing. Later on in the song there is a drum solo with 6 (Shawn-custom percussion) and 3 (Chris-also custom percussion) playing marching band drums, and 1 (Joey-drums) playing along with his snare and bass drum.
3.Three Nil-4/5
This is another example of one of there heavier songs from this album. And also like The Blister Exist, the vocals go to singing. This song and The Blister Exist are sorta the same in a way. But it is still a very good song.
4.Duality-3.5/5
This is Slipknot's first single off of this album. This is one of my lesser liked songs from this album. One of the good things about this song, is that it sticks out from te other songs. It's different from the other songs. One things that I didn't like about this song as much is the ending. In the end it slows down, which is cool, but is sorta Eyeless (from their self titled album) and it sorta turned me off about it.
5.Opium of the People-4.5/5
This song has a very cool begining. It has an awesome guitar part in the begining that I like very much. It has some pretty heavy vocals as well, and the singing part I like very much also. Great song.
6.Circle-5/5
This song starts off with some strange noises that kinda freak you out, and then has acoustic guitars come in. 8 (Corey Taylor-vocals) has great singing vocals on this song. This song really gets me. And it's perfect how Joey comes in with the drums at the end. It's perfect for the somg. I love this song.
7.Welcome-3/5
This is my least liked song off of the entire album, (excluding The Virus of Life) Although it is still a great song. And I like the guitar solo in it, even though it's not really anything special. It doesn't get me as much as the other songs on here.
8.Vermillion-5/5
This song has a cool begining. It's sorta eerie. This is the creepiest song off of this album, (besides The Virus of Life.) It's about a guy stalking a girl. But in the end, it's a dramatic song. The guy in the song, at least I think anyways, realizes that the girl isn't real. It's all in his head. (I assumed this because the lyrics go "she isn't real, I can't make her real.") The song has a very dramatic ending. I love it. Once again, I think that it all goes together perfectly. It also has a very cool guitar solo in it. This song was also put out as a single.
9.Pulse of the Maggots-4/5
This is Slipknot's new anthem for their fans. The title "Pulse of the Maggots" is refering to the fans, because Slipknot says that when they're up on stage, all of the fans look like a bunch of maggots. This song also has a cool guitar solo. Over all a great song.
10.Before I Forget-4/5
This was Slipknot's fourth single from this album. (The first three where Duality, Vermillion, and Vermillion Pt. 2) It also took home the Grammy for "Best Metal Preformance." It has jammin' verses, a cool pre-chorus, an awesome chorus, and an awesome, and very melodic, bridge. An awesome song overall.
11.Vermillion Pt.2-5/5
This is another one of Slipknot's slow acoustic songs. The singing is awesome on this song as well. Although it's not really a second part to Vermillion. It's just an acoustic version. It's also another one of Slipknot's singles from this album.
12.The Nameless-5/5
The live version of this song was released from the 9.0 Live album as a single. The verses are very cool, and the chorus is just amazing. The first two chorus's are done acoustically, with amazing and melodic background vocals, while the last chorus is done with the same singing lead and background vocals with additional screaming background vocals and distorted guitars. I love this song.
13.The Virus of Life3/5
Although I do like this song a lot too, it's my least liked off of the entire album. It's a slow and creepy song. Very eerie. Still a very good song though.
14.Danger-Keep Away-5/5
This is the last song from the album. It's another one of Slipknot's slow songs. It remindes me of an old church. This is the perfect song to end this album with. I really love it. The part that says "I'd die right next to you in the end. That place in my mind. It's that space that you call mind" really gets me. And so does the next part of the song. It REALLY gets me. And I think that it's perfect that they opened the album with Prelude 3.0 and ended it with this song. It's perfect.
Over all, it's an amazing album. (To me anyways.) It's one of my all time favorite albums.
