Slipknot (1999)
Artist: Slipknot
Type: Studio album (1st)
Released: June 29, 1999
Label: Roadrunner Records
Genre: Nu metal • Alternative metal • Groove metal
Length: 60:26
Producer: Ross Robinson
Slipknot is the debut studio album by American heavy metal band Slipknot. The album introduced their aggressive, chaotic style to the world, combining nu-metal riffs, growled vocals, percussion layers, and their signature masked image. It quickly became an iconic release in the late ’90s metal scene.
📦 Cover Art & Design
🎨 Design Highlights
-
🔥 Red & Black Grunge Imagery: The cover features the nine masked band members in a menacing group shot over a smoky, red-tinted background.
-
📸 Photography by Dean Karr.
-
😈 Iconic Masked Theme: The masks, a central band identity, were designed to be unsettling and anonymous, emphasizing unity and persona over individuality.
-
🖌️ Typography is jagged and chaotic, matching the band’s aggressive musical style.
The artwork helped define Slipknot’s brand — visually intense, dark, and immediately recognizable.
🎵 Tracklist
-
(sic)
-
Eyeless
-
Wait and Bleed
-
Surfacing
-
Spit It Out
-
Tattered & Torn
-
Me Inside
-
Liberate
-
Prosthetics
-
No Life
-
Diluted
-
Only One
-
Scissors
👥 Band Lineup (Debut Era)
-
Corey Taylor – Lead vocals
-
Mick Thomson – Guitar
-
Jim Root – Guitar
-
Paul Gray – Bass
-
Joey Jordison – Drums
-
Shawn Crahan – Percussion, backing vocals
-
Chris Fehn – Percussion, backing vocals
-
Craig Jones – Samples, keyboards
-
Sid Wilson – Turntables, samples
🎶 Top Tracks
⭐ Wait and Bleed
The breakout single; combines melodic vocals with intense screaming and heavy riffs.
⭐ (sic)
Aggressive opener that sets the album’s chaotic tone.
⭐ Spit It Out
Fast-paced, frantic, and a live favorite.
⭐ Eyeless
Heavy, rhythmic, and showcases layered percussion and guitars.
📈 Commercial Performance & Grossing
-
🥇 Peaked at #51 on the US Billboard 200
-
💿 Certified 2× Platinum (U.S.)
-
🌍 Estimated worldwide sales: 2.5+ million copies
-
⚡ The album gained momentum through heavy MTV and radio airplay for singles like Wait and Bleed.
🏆 Awards & Recognition
-
Grammy nomination: Wait and Bleed for Best Metal Performance (2001)
-
Considered one of the most influential debut metal albums of the 1990s
-
Helped cement the nu-metal movement and Slipknot’s global fanbase
🎤 Fun Facts & Trivia
-
🤘 The band members adopted numbers (0–8) for anonymity and branding.
-
😷 Each member wore a custom mask — some designed themselves — becoming a key part of the band’s identity.
-
🎬 Music videos for Wait and Bleed and Spit It Out gained heavy rotation on MTV.
-
🥁 Joey Jordison’s double-kick drum style became a defining element of the album.
🤯 Did You Know?
-
Slipknot’s chaotic live performances and theatrical masks started before the album’s release and contributed heavily to its cult status.
-
The album was produced by Ross Robinson, who was known as the “Godfather of Nu Metal” and also worked with Korn and Limp Bizkit.
-
Corey Taylor wrote many lyrics while the band was living together in Des Moines, Iowa, often reflecting personal anger and frustration.
🔥 Slipknot — Complete Band Article
🎤 Band Biography
Slipknot is an American heavy metal band formed in 1995 in Des Moines, Iowa, United States. They are famous for their intensely aggressive music, chaotic live shows, and distinctive image featuring numbered members wearing custom masks and jumpsuits. Their sound fuses nu metal, alternative metal, groove, and extreme metal influences, and they’ve become one of the most influential metal acts of the past three decades.
The band began when percussionist Shawn “Clown” Crahan, drummer Joey Jordison, and bassist Paul Gray started working together. After a self‑released early album (Mate. Feed. Kill. Repeat.) in 1996, they recruited vocalist Corey Taylor, guitarists (including Jim Root), and other musicians to complete the lineup that would break worldwide.
Slipknot’s self‑titled major‑label debut in 1999 was a commercial and critical success, spawning hits and building a massive global fanbase. Their second album, Iowa (2001), further established them as a leading metal force. Over the years they’ve continued to evolve sonically while remaining iconic for their theatrical presence and commitment to metal’s intensity.
👥 Members & Bios
🔥 Current Lineup
Corey Taylor (#8) — Lead vocals
Powerhouse singer known for his rage‑filled delivery and melodic range. Also fronted the rock band Stone Sour.
Shawn “Clown” Crahan (#6) — Percussion, backing vocals
Founding member and creative visionary behind much of the band’s imagery and intensity.
Jim Root (#4) — Guitar
Lead guitarist who brought a technical and heavy edge to the band’s sound.
Mick Thomson (#7) — Guitar
Second guitarist providing chunky riffs and brutal harmonies.
Sid Wilson (#0) — Turntables
Electronic and noise textures from live scratches and effects.
Craig “133” Jones (#5) — Samples & keyboards
Adds atmospherics and layered industrial textures.
Alessandro Venturella — Bass
Filled in after the death of Paul Gray; maintains the rhythmic foundation.
Jay Weinberg — Drums
Energetic and powerful drummer, joining after Joey Jordison’s departure.
Michael Pfaff — Percussion
Rounds out the band’s massive percussion section.
(Members are often referred to by their numbers onstage.)
🔹 Former Members
-
Paul Gray (#2) — Bassist and founding force (deceased)
-
Joey Jordison (#1) — Drummer and co‑founder (deceased)
-
Anders Colsefni, Donnie Steele, Josh Brainard, Chris Fehn, and others contributed in early or transitional phases.
📀 Discography
📌 Studio Albums
-
Mate. Feed. Kill. Repeat. (1996) — early underground release
-
Slipknot (1999) — breakthrough debut
-
Iowa (2001) — darker and heavier
-
Vol. 3: (The Subliminal Verses) (2004) — more experimental
-
All Hope Is Gone (2008) — mainstream metal success
-
.5: The Gray Chapter (2014) — tribute to Paul Gray
-
We Are Not Your Kind (2019) — critically acclaimed No. 1 album
-
The End, So Far (2022) — continued evolution
🎤 Live & other releases: Live at MSG (2023 live album documenting their 2009 Madison Square Garden show), numerous videos, EPs, and singles.
🌟 Most Popular Songs
Some of Slipknot’s best‑known tracks — frequent fan favorites and live staples — include:
-
Wait and Bleed
-
Psychosocial
-
Duality
-
Before I Forget
-
Snuff (notable ballad with high chart placement)
-
Spit It Out
-
Left Behind
-
Sulfur
-
My Plague
-
The Nameless
🎤 Notable Concerts, Tours & Appearances
🔥 World Tours
-
The Subliminal Verses World Tour (2004–2005): Massive global tour supporting Vol. 3, with over 230 shows around the world.
-
All Hope Is Gone World Tour: Included their historic 2009 performance at Madison Square Garden, later released as a live album.
🎪 Knotfest
Slipknot launched their own music festival Knotfest, which expanded across the U.S., Japan, Mexico, and Europe — a celebration of heavy music featuring other major metal acts.
🏆 Awards & Recognition
-
Grammy winner for Best Metal Performance (“Before I Forget”)
-
Multiple nominations and major chart success worldwide.
🧠 Fun Facts & “Did You Know?”
🎭 Masks & Numbers: Each member wears a unique mask and has a number — the visual identity is central to Slipknot’s brand and live persona.
📍 Origin: They started in a place not known for metal — Des Moines, Iowa — yet became a global force from that humble beginning.
🎵 Experimentation: The 2019 album We Are Not Your Kind debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard 200, marking one of their most acclaimed releases.
🎤 Ballad Hit: “Snuff” became one of the band’s highest‑charting singles and is known for its emotional depth — rare in their catalog.
📆 Anniversary Deluxe: Their self‑titled debut is being reissued in a deluxe edition with demos and rare recordings in 2025 — celebrating its decades‑long impact.
🎵 Influence: Their aggressive blend of styles helped shape metal in the late 1990s and 2000s, influencing many bands across genres.
📌 Summary
-
Formed: 1995 in Des Moines, Iowa, USA
-
Known for: Masks, intense live shows, heavy music, deep fan culture
-
Major albums: Slipknot, Iowa, Vol. 3: (The Subliminal Verses), We Are Not Your Kind
-
Popular songs: Wait and Bleed, Psychosocial, Duality, Snuff
-
Notable: Grammy winner, global tours, founder of Knotfest
