Back in 1999, there were whispers of a new band arriving on the Metal scene: highly aggressive, with identities concealed behind monstrous masks, and consisting of nine members. Unheard of at the time for any Metal band, the band also had three percussionists, a sampler, and a turntablist. Nonetheless, it prompted many to ask: Who are these guys? Cloaked in mystery, they made an appearance in May 1999 at Ozzfest, and soon the masses learned about Slipknot.
A rise to fame that was slow and steady, Slipknot were, by and large, considered underground for much of 1999, even after releasing their now iconic self-titled debut album that June. Signed on to the well-established Metal leaning label Roadrunner Records, the debut album slowly crept into the CD players of many seeking something fresh and exciting, and by early 2000, it seemed Slipknot was the topic of conversation around every Metal fan’s friend circle. Anchored by the single “Wait and Bleed,” which helped bring the band into more mainstream light, Slipknot soon became one of the fastest-selling debut Metal albums not only for Roadrunner, but ever.
Truly astounding: the other aspect of Slipknot that added intrigue was that, for the first few years of their public fame, no one knew who they were behind the masks. A feat few bands have ever accomplished for very long, especially in a more modern era of the internet with social media, this made Slipknot feel mystical, only adding to the wildly unconventional music they were making. Something select media and listeners may have called Nu Metal; it was easy to see their sound was more Death and Thrash Metal-influenced, if you listened closely. Matched with an evident knack for theatricals, there was a Horror film aesthetic throughout the soundscape of 1999’s Slipknot.
With so many bold moments, there is no doubt many at the time turned to tracks like “(sic),” “Eyeless,” “Wait and Bleed,” “Surfacing,” “Spit It Out,” “Tattered & Torn,” and the killer “Me Inside.” Just some of the best of this album: what truly stood beyond the chaotic arrangements was Vocalist Corey Taylor’s (then known as #8) schizophrenic vocal attack, which went from screams and speedy rapping to highly emotional clean singing. Altogether, this debut album has since gone on to achieve three-times platinum status, is considered one of the best Modern Metal records, and acted as a bridge for Slipknot to become one of the biggest Metal bands in the world.
Still holding up twenty-five plus years later, it is now celebrated with special re-releases in 2025. A 25th anniversary celebration put together by Roadrunner Records, the releases emerged on September 5, 2025, in the form of a deluxe digital reissue, but more importantly, a limited-to-100 blood-filled self-titled LP vinyl copy via their secret site 742617000027.net. Something that sold out in seconds (crashing Slipknot’s website in the process) is the 6LP Box Set with blood-splattered vinyl (limited to 1899 copies), which also sold out in the blink of an eye. Do not worry, though, because if you missed out, you can pick up the release in a 2LP edition (in various limited-edition colors) or a 2CD set.
Giving you plenty of options, the boldest aspect of all formats is that it includes the original Slipknot album, as produced by Ross Robinson, plus a list of unreleased demos, alternative mixes, and live recordings. With the 6LP Box Set featuring most of these rare tracks, the CD and 2LP editions are no pushovers either.
Looking at the CD version closely, there are thirteen demos and alternative mixes, which include a cool demo of “Wait and Bleed,” plus non-album tracks like “Snap,” “Interloper,” and the fan-loved “Purity” (which was not on the original release of the album, and was only available via the 2002 DVD Disasterpieces until the band put it on the 10th anniversary album reissue).
So, anyway you slice it, investing in one of these 25th anniversary editions of Slipknot is a no-brainer to dig into some cool rarities. That is why Cryptic Rock gives this new release 5 out of 5 stars.
){kind=link}
No comment