Slipknot's Corey Taylor: "People Have Always Tried To Push Us Into The Nu-Metal Thing"

Despite not really fitting into that mould, Slipknot have long been associated with the nu-metal explosion of the late '90s. Sure, their game-changing debut album was released amid nu-metal's mainstream success, but in reality they were so much more than that. Their visceral, destructive blend of industrial, metal, hip-hop and all-out aggression was something that hadn't been heard before.

Speaking to The Fader about Slipknot's unique sound and their influence on new artists like Vein and Code Orange, vocalist Corey Taylor admits he never really considered The Knot as inspirational.

"It’s something that we've never really thought about until it started happening, because we've always kind of been an island unto ourselves," says Corey. "All these artists who we've inspired, it was almost accidental because we were just trying to do our own thing.

"We're still almost regarded with disdain by the metal pantheon, which is fine. I don't give a fuck. I'm here for them [points to the stadium]. So, at one point it's gratifying that people are quoting us as inspiration, but at the same time it hasn't changed anything ‘cause people still hate us.

"People have always tried to push us into the nu-metal thing. They've also tried to include us in with the American wave of heavy metal because of how aggressive we were. I mean, we've had some blatant hip-hop, not even the fucking nu-metal side, but blatant hip-hop."

READ THIS: The inside story of Slipknot's All Hope Is Gone

Corey goes on to discuss the line 'I'm counting all the killers' that appears on the opening and closing tracks to Slipknot's new album We Are Not Your Kind.

"You'd have to ask Clown. A lot of the intros and a lot of these songs come from his mind," says Corey. "It's also what gives every album its colour. This album, man, is a stark gunmetal. Whereas Iowa is the deepest black you could ever even think of. The first album is red, obviously. But then you have Vol. 3 which is like a blue. All Hope Is Gone is like a dirty green. And then .5 is more of a subdued grey.

"The 'killers' line is about standing on the precipice of change in your life. Realising that when you're all by yourself and that you're in a horrible fucking place in your life, you can count all the things that are holding you down. Not even anchors, but just fucking bullets coming at you. And you can either charge through it and try to get to safety or you can just let them fucking kill you. Which one feels more righteous?"

Slipknot are currently touring the world in support of their latest album We Are Not Your Kind, which reached #1 in both the UK and the US. Catch them at a date below.

Slipknot world tour 2019/2020

August

27 Mansfield, MA @ The Xfinity Center
28 Wantagh, NY @ Northwell Health at Jones Beach Theater
30 Holmdel, NJ @ PNC Bank Arts Center
31 Camden, NJ @ BB&T Pavilion

September

1 Bristow, VA @ Jiffy Lube Live
3 Alpharetta, GA @ Ameris Bank Amphitheatre
4 Tampa, FL @ MIDFLORIDA Credit Union Amphitheatre
6 Austin, TX @ Austin 360 Amphitheater
7 Dallas, TX @ Dos Equis Pavilion
8 The Woodlands, TX @ The Cynthia Woods Mitchell Pavilion

October

17 Perth, AUS @ Optus Stadium
20 Adelaide, AUS @ Adelaide Oval
22 Melbourne, AUS @ Marvel Stadium
24 Melbourne, AUS @ Marvel Stadium
26 Sydney, AUS @ ANZ Stadium
29 Brisbane, AUS @ QSAC
31 Auckland, NZ @ Mt. Smart Stadium

November

2 Auckland, NZ @ Mt. Smart Stadium
30 Mexico City, Parque Deportivo Oceanía @ Knotfest

December

6 Bogota, Colombia @ Knotfest

January 2020

14 Dublin, 3Arena
16 Manchester, Arena
17 Newcastle, Utilita Arena
18 Glasgow, The SSE Hydro
20 Sheffield, FlyDSA Arena
21 Nottingham, Motorpoint Arena
22 Cardiff, Motorpoint Arena
24 Birmingham, Arena
25 London, O2 Arena

READ THIS: How Slipknot changed my life