Where were you when Slipknot’s groundbreaking self-titled debut album was released on an unsuspecting public on June 29th, 1999? It’s one of the first metal albums that any millennial or Gen Y+Z member listens to. For many (myself included), this was one of the heaviest records I’d ever heard at the time. And even though it was promoted as a nu-metal record, Slipknot’s influences were far more than that – the industrial metal of Fear Factory/Prong and the punishing groove metal of Pantera’s middle period loomed larger here than anything. While the band had released the Mate. Feed. Kill. Repeat. album in 1996, the self-titled album was their true debut. Vocalist Corey Taylor is ferocious here on all counts, but his sense of occasional melody also helped the band stand out.
Simply put, Slipknot’s debut record is one of the heaviest albums ever put to tape. It really does borderline on death metal at times. But there’s enough melody (an aspect of their sound that would be touched on greatly in future albums) on songs like “Wait And Bleed” and even “Spit It Out” to make the album somewhat accessible to newer fans who might not be used to something this abrasive. Because let’s be honest, the mainstream hadn’t seen or heard an album, or even a band this heavy since Pantera’s Far Beyond Driven in 1994. And maybe the album is a bit long. But there really isn’t much filler here – electronic and industrial tracks like “Me Inside” are interesting experiments, to say the least. In fact, they border on unsettling, and contribute heavily to the music’s overall vibe.
You can argue that maybe sophomore album Iowa is an even better work that expands on all that Slipknot does well, but at the same time, Iowa was an expected quantity. The world was ready for it. But nobody, and I mean nobody, was quite ready for this landmark debut album. It remains an important stepping stone in the history of metal. And if you’re going to place it in the category of nu-metal, the album belongs near, or possibly at the top.
