Slipknot - Go. BUY. THE. TICKET.
Slipknot is an American heavy metal band known for its aggressive style, dark imagery, and intense live performances. Formed in Des Moines, Iowa, in 1995, the band quickly gained a reputation for their chaotic energy and masked personas, which added a mysterious and theatrical element to their music. Their sound is characterized by a blend of nu-metal, alternative metal, and industrial influences, featuring a mix of heavy guitar riffs, pounding drums, and aggressive vocals.
The band's lineup includes nine members, each with a distinct mask and identity, contributing to the group's unique stage presence. Slipknot's music often explores themes of anger, alienation, and inner turmoil, resonating with fans around the world. Their debut self-titled album, released in 1999, catapulted them into the mainstream, followed by a series of successful albums like Iowa, Vol. 3: (The Subliminal Verses), and We Are Not Your Kind.
Over the years, Slipknot has become one of the most influential and enduring bands in the metal genre, known for pushing boundaries and delivering a visceral, uncompromising sound that has left a lasting impact on the music industry.
Slipknot's self-titled debut album, released in 1999, was a commercial and critical success, introducing the world to their brutal sound and dark lyrical themes. Songs like "Wait and Bleed" and "Spit It Out" became anthems for a generation of fans who felt disillusioned and disconnected from mainstream culture. The album's success was followed by Iowa in 2001, which took the band's intensity to new heights, both musically and emotionally. Iowa was a darker, heavier album, reflecting the inner struggles and tensions within the band, but it resonated deeply with their fanbase, solidifying their status as metal icons.
1999 is very significant as Slipknot is currently on their “Here Comes The Pain" 25th Anniversary Tour. This tour is a celebration of Slipknot's enduring legacy and influence in the world of heavy metal. Marking a quarter-century since the band first burst onto the scene, this tour is a nod to the band's roots and a tribute to the fans who have supported them over the years. Speaking with a member of Slipknot’s crew at the concert they wanted to bring the whole tour back to 1999. No pyro and strip it down. She spoke of the rawness that this tour has been and will be. No click tracks being used. Just pure talent and feeding off the energy of each other. She stated “Eloy (Casagrande) has elevated the whole band” with his drumming abilities and performances. She said that he breaks 4-5 drumsticks a song. That’s intensity. This made me so excited to see them and the anticiaption was skyrocketing to see these 9 guys rock out.
But first, we had to get to the supporting acts opening up this historic tour at the Xfinity Center. We love this venue and have obviously become very familiar with the venue attending many shows for reviews and coverage. If you do not know about Xfinity Center it’s an outdoor amphitheater located in Mansfield, Massachusetts. It's one of the premier concert venues in New England, hosting a wide range of performances from some of the biggest names in music, as well as other entertainment events. Opened in 1986 as the Great Woods Center for the Performing Arts, the venue has undergone several name changes over the years, including Tweeter Center and Comcast Center, before becoming the Xfinity Center. The venue can accommodate around 19,900 people, with 7,000 seats under the pavilion and the remaining 12,900 on the lawn area, providing options for both covered and open-air seating.
First up we had Swedish metal-heads, Orbit Culture. The band was formed in 2013 and has released several albums and EPs, establishing a growing fanbase within the metal community. If you're into bands like Gojira, At the Gates, or In Flames, Orbit Culture might be right up your alley. The band came out hot and heavy. Not too many times have I seen opening acts stimulate the crowd like they did. They had the mosh pit warming up and boy did those rambunctious mothers need the pregame for what was about to come.
Up next on the ticket was Knocked Loose, a powerhouse in the modern hardcore scene, hailing from Oldham County, Kentucky. Since their formation in 2013, the band has made a name for themselves with a ferocious blend of hardcore punk, metalcore, and beatdown elements. Their music consists of blistering riffs, crushing breakdowns, and the unmistakable, high-pitched screams of vocalist Bryan Garris. Known for their unrelenting energy and raw emotion. I had a little bit of anticipation for Knocked Loose. My best friend told me about them a couple years ago and I casually listened. I ramped up their playlists this week leading up to the show. The breakdowns are incredible. This was a perfect pairing with Slipknot as it appeared the most people were fans of both. The mosh pits were insane for Knocked Loose. The honestly blew me away. I found myself rocking out…hard. The captivated me from the jump and I held on for the whole show. I couldn’t believe the crowd though, that had me in awe. I love people watching and I found myself noticing the vibe of the crowd and it was just pure intensity. If Orbit Culture didn’t loosen up all the fans then Knocked Loose surely kicked the crap out of them. As Garris ended his set he reminded the crowd who was up next and whom they all were waiting for…Slipknot
Normally we tell you at the end if you should buy the ticket or skip… Right off the bat…BUY.THE.TICKET. It’s real simple. I could end this review right now and you would know exactly how I felt. I was literally blown off my feet. I started the show in the barricaded photographing the first 3 songs for this review. I have never had that much anxiety while shooting. It was good anxiety. The severe intensity of the music was almost life-altering. The emotions of the music literally pierced my skin and changed my body chemistry. This is about as good of a an experience as it can get. It was euphoric, captivating, and devastating (in an amazing way). Slipknot is a metal juggernaut and this tour is proving that their dominance in this genre cannot be matched by any other act. The build up before Slipknot hit the stage coming off of Knocked Loose was so obvious. People were screaming for more of any music. The crowd was rowdy and ready to go. You could have brought out Taylor Swift to this crowd at that point would erupted in a wall of death. The staging was fairly simple and that was exactly what they wanted it to be. We were headed back to 1999. The band’s performance was a relentless assault on the senses, with each member contributing to the chaos in their own way.
Corey Taylor’s vocals were raw and visceral, capturing the angst and aggression that defined the band’s sound. The dual percussion of Shawn “Clown” Crahan and Michael Pfaff, combined with Eloy Casagrande’s machine-gun drumming, created a wall of sound that was both punishing and exhilarating. Meanwhile, the guitar work of Jim Root and Mick Thomson, alongside Alessandro Venturella’s thunderous bass, provided the backbone for the band’s onslaught. At times, it felt less like a concert and more like a ritual, with the band and the crowd feeding off each other’s energy. Slipknot’s stage presence was a spectacle in itself. The nine members, all clad in their eerie jumpsuits and grotesque masks, moved across the stage with an almost anarchic energy. The visual of three drummers pounding away in unison was just mind-blowing to me. This was the best concert of the year and I am still debating if it’s a top 5 of all time. It was that good. It was that raw. It was that powerful. The setlist was a brutal selection of tracks from their debut album, with songs like "Wait and Bleed," "Spit It Out," and "Surfacing" standing out as highlights. Each track was delivered with an intensity that matched the raw production of the album, if not exceeding it. I loved hearing “Wait and Bleed”. I have been rocking that song since high school and I am finally in heaven that I was able to hear it live. I think my ears are still ringing with that song still bouncing off my ear drums.
The show had moments of pure catharsis, encapsulating the essence of what Slipknot was all about in those early days: unfiltered aggression and a deep connection with their fans. As chaotic and mind-altering as the show was it was a therapeutic session as well, a walk through the history of everyone’s lives that lived through these songs during periods of our lives when we were going through our issues. These songs helped millions of people. Attending this tour was the circle of healing coming full circle all through the love of music. The band’s live shows were a perfect reflection of the anger and disillusionment of a generation, delivered with a level of intensity that was unmatched in 1999. For those who witnessed Slipknot in 1999, it was clear that they were not just another metal band—they were a movement, one that would go on to redefine what heavy music could be. 1999 marked the birth of a legacy, one that would only grow more powerful in the years to come. We cannot stress enough that you have to see Slipknot live. I regret never going before. I honestly say this from the heart. Go see this band live. If this music is your jam you will not be disappointed. It is impossible to be disappointed. BUY. THE. TICKET. for everyone you know! Keep on rocking Slipknot, see you again.
Click HERE to see more photos from this show!
Upcoming Shows