Review Summary: Regression in the worst sense.
Out of any Slipknot record, .5: The Gray Chapter perhaps drew the most intrigue prior to its release date. Even the "maggots" who remained loyal through thick and thin were quite curious about how the album would sound, especially considering bassist Paul Gray's death and drummer Joey Jordison's departure. To their credit, Slipknot seemed legitimately serious about honoring their ex-bandmates' legacies, going as far as not letting the new session musicians use new masks for live shows just yet. But when longtime singer Corey Taylor said that .5 would sound like a cross between previous albums Iowa and Vol. 3: The Subliminal Verses, everything changed. The polarization between different camps of fans emerged, some liking the idea of a return to roots while others wanted the increased melody of later albums to stay prevalent. Well, .5 is now out... just in time for the band's huge festival Knotfest of course. What kind of musical journey are we in for? One that constantly tries to resurrect a brutally beaten horse.
About 90% of .5: The Gray Chapter sounds as if it's trying way too hard to recreate past glories, except with much blander riffs in the process. It's sad too, because opener "XIX" is a great way to introduce a genuinely creepy atmosphere to the album with its dark soundscapes and funeral-like tempo. Unfortunately, once Corey starts singing and spouting out high school-level lyricism, everything just crumbles. And just like that, the entire album soon crumbles into a pile of juvenile nu-metal angst amidst boring downtuned guitar riffs. A large chunk of the motifs here consist of a grand total of 4 notes: A, B-flat, B, and C, usually in some sort of uninspired succession. Songs like "Custer" and "Sarcastrophe" attempt to add some eerie guitar lines on top of the riffs to give some texture and melody, but often come off as flat and tired-sounding.
Also, this is what I mean by beating a horse: there's definitely much more of an emphasis on Iowa here than Vol. 3. While the melodic moments are always refreshing to hear in songs like "The One That Kills the Least" or "Killpop," the majority of .5 consists of ridiculously juvenile nu metal stupidity. If Slipknot were trying to resurrect their past, they could have done it in a more flattering or creative manner than playing a bunch of recycled and bland Iowa riffs. The Vol.3 moments sound quite lazily tied in to the experience as if they were an afterthought, and many of the weak Iowa-isms revolve around one thing in particular: those goddamn lyrics. The word "fuck" is used like candy in songs like "Custer," while "Lech" begins with an ever-tasteful line like "I know why Judas wept, motherfucker!" To be frank, the nu-metal angst of this album is what kills it. Not only does it feel forced, but it destroys years of attempted maturity in Slipknot's overall career. The progress made in the more somber and beautiful songs of All Hope is Gone or Vol. 3 feels like a waste when the worst aspects of Iowa and the self-titled are repeated ad nauseam.
Thankfully, there are two bright spots among this disaster: "The Devil & I" and "If Rain Is What You Want." Both songs are quite different, but show genuine effort and atmosphere at their best moments. The former is a melodic alternative metal song that channels All Hope is Gone's strongest offerings while the latter is a beautiful power ballad that masterfully combines brutality and melancholy. They really offer a glimpse of what the album could have been if Slipknot weren't so caught up with recreating their past and giving nostalgic listeners an incredibly boring nu-metal affair. On top of all this, Corey Taylor's vocals aren't nearly as strong as they were in their heyday, making the whole effort sound even more strained and forced. It's unfortunate that this is what 6 years have wrought, but I suppose it's time to wait for the next Slipknot record already.
