Slipknot - We Are Not Your Kind -2019- -
Released on August 9, 2019, via Roadrunner Records, We Are Not Your Kind
On "Solway Firth," Taylor delivers a terrifyingly venomous vocal performance, culminating in the chilling refrain, "I haven't smiled in years." The track acts as a perfect bookend to the album, capturing a sense of exhaustion and unyielding rage.
Another interlude, but this one is sinister. Distorted, gargled voices over a minimalist drum pattern. It leads directly into...
One of the standout aspects of "We Are Not Your Kind" is its production. Recorded with producer Greg Fidelman, the album boasts a clear, punchy sound that perfectly captures the band's live energy. The mix is well-balanced, with every instrument given room to breathe and shine.
The album opens with a 29-second electronic ambient piece. It sounds like a dying spaceship signaling for help. No percussion, no screams—just an eerie, looped melody. It is a fake-out, lulling the listener into false security before the sledgehammer drops. Slipknot - We Are Not Your Kind -2019-
The title itself— We Are Not Your Kind —is a reclamation of identity. It functions as both a rallying cry for the band's fan base (the Maggots) and a middle finger to a judgmental society. In "Nero Forte" and "Critical Darling," Taylor explores the exhaustion of performing for others, delivered with a vocal performance that seamlessly shifts from haunting melodies to throat-tearing roars. A Return to Form and a Leap Forward
We Are Not Your Kind turns inward. Lyrically the album is a mix of anger, alienation, grief and defiance. Corey Taylor’s vocal performance ranges from venomous screams to weary confession; there’s vulnerability beneath the rancor. Recurring ideas include identity, rejection, manipulation, and the struggle to reclaim agency. The title itself reads as a collective insult and a boundary: an insistence on autonomy and difference.
As the band continues to tour and promote the album, it's clear that Slipknot remain a major force in heavy music, and that their influence will be felt for years to come. If you're a fan of heavy music, or just looking for an album that will challenge your assumptions and inspire your individuality, then "We Are Not Your Kind" is an essential listen.
: The band aimed for "Iowa levels of heavy" while simultaneously embracing their most experimental side. Songs like "Spiders" and "My Pain" introduced avant-garde, almost cinematic elements that contrasted with the "hooligan riffola" of tracks like "Nero Forte". Released on August 9, 2019, via Roadrunner Records,
To support the album, Slipknot embarked on the , a 29‑city North American tour featuring Volbeat, Gojira, and Behemoth. This diverse line‑up, which spanned black metal, progressive metal, and European metal, was hailed by Corey Taylor as a powerful representation of metal’s breadth and unity.
For fans of the band's classic sound, tracks like "Nero Forte" and "Red Flag" delivered pure, syncopated aggression. "Nero Forte" features some of the catchiest percussion hooks and rapid-fire vocal deliveries of Taylor’s career, instantly solidifying it as a modern live staple. Lyrical Themes: The War Within and Without
“Unsainted,” “Nero Forte,” “Solway Firth,” “Spiders” Rating: 9/10
We Are Not Your Kind was officially released on , via Roadrunner Records. The promotional campaign included four singles: It leads directly into
Tracks like "Nero Forte" and "Critical Darling" showcase the band’s unique ability to blend punishing, down-tuned riffs with massive, anthemic choruses.
: A central figure wearing a distorted, Tom Savini-style mask—similar to Corey Taylor’s 2019 look—emerging from a thick, ink-black or deep-blue void. Symbolic Texture
Mid-tempo and sludgy. A critique of toxic positivity and self-help culture. The breakdown is pure Iowan fury: Why do I deserve it? / The consequence is I am free.
