Listen to the Influence of Slipknot Music

Clearly, Slipknot merch and albums have a strong, solid following. This is despite the fact that the band responsible for them have figured in several controversies and issues. Many other bands have had their share of conflicts and issues but this group seems to have courted controversy from the very start.

It was in 1995 when the group was officially formed with Shawn Crahan and Paul Gray taking the lead. From the onset, the group already showed signs of disarray that would later become part of their contentious history. Unlike other bands, this one has had a total of thirteen members with eight currently still considered members before their vague hiatus. With too many members playing, there was always the possibility of differences and individuality looming to disrupt the internal harmony.

The band’s music was also initially labeled to be too off the mark with samples so complex that they could not even play it on stage. No record label would take the group in so the band decided to self produce its compositions with an initial cost that was reportedly pegged at $40,000.

In 1998, Roadrunner Records decided that the group was good enough to take a risk on and by 1999 a self-titled album, and some promotional goth clothing, was finally out. By the next year, the work was already platinum which was a first for Roadrunner. This quick success was followed in 2001 by Iowa and although this second release was considered great work as well, the band members were already at odds with each other. Their first hiatus was then announced.

The band came out again in 2004 with another release, Vol. 3: (The Subliminal Verses) but by 2005, the troubled band was on its second hiatus. By 2006, the band received a Grammy Award for Best Metal Performance. This was followed by a fourth release. All Hope is Gone by 2008. In 2009, a third hiatus was announced. Unfortunately, before a third reunion could be organized, Gray was found dead due to an overdose in 2010.

There doesn’t seem to be any strong indications of new Slipknot albums in production. This might possibly be because before they went on hiatus, several controversies have been pinned on the band members. The least significant of these centered on the appearances of band members on stage. As performers, each wore a mask and jumpsuit and had a number for an alias. This group standard has been regarded as a mere commercial stunt for the group to be able to draw more attention, build a wider fan base and generate more cash.

More serious controversies have been thrown at the group. Perhaps the most serious of these are the crimes that band fans may have perpetrated under the influence of the group’s songs. In other words, some sources claim that the aggressive songs of Slipknot were so psychologically suggestive that criminal acts were performed because of them. Even so, no legal actions have been taken against the band.

It’s hard to tell if Slipknot music truly has a psychologically hypnotic element to them. Since there aren’t any new albums out, there haven’t been any instances of truant behavior associated with listening to the group’s music.