Slipknot
5: the gray chapter

After a full 6 years since their last album, here come "Slipknot" with this new "5: The Gray Chapter". Following the death of bassist "Paul Gray" (after whom the album is named) and the departure of one of the founding members (Joey Jordison), critics and fans expected an imminent breakup, but that was not the case. People's disbelief began to linger in the air, raising the question of what this new "Platter" could be like, and in response, the band immediately declared that they had created a cross between "Iowa" and "Vol.4," therefore aggressive and raw but with melodic components. The compromise seemed good and, to date, I can assert that the promises have been fulfilled.

The first track that stands out is certainly "Sarcastrophe," a fast and "groovy" piece, clearly "Slipknot" in style, followed by the excellent "AOV," perhaps the best track of the album for this writer: brutal and fast from the start, it captures attention about halfway through the song thanks to a suggestive melodic passage. "The Devil In" is the track from which they drew the single: perhaps too much stemming from "Stone Sour" (along with "Killpop), but alas, it will be a problem encountered a bit throughout the album. "Skeptic" is a rather linear track, with its good lyrics dedicated to the late bassist. The album seems to pick up excellently with "Custer," an explosive track that will be devastating, especially live. Last mention for perhaps the most representative song of the album: "The Negative One," from which we can appreciate the catchy and fast riffs of overwhelming force, peppered with brief industrial inserts.

All in all, this is a well-crafted work, certainly better than the questionable "All Hope Is Gone," but it's undeniable that the glory days are now distant.
"5: The Gray Chapter" encapsulates what "Slipknot" are in 2014, namely a band with good compositional skills that rolled up its sleeves (out of passion? For money? Who knows) crafting a more than pleasant album.

The rating hovers between 3 and 3 and a half points; I can't bring myself to give more to this work which, nevertheless, will almost certainly win the hearts of the "Maggots."