**Clown Unveils The Inspiration Behind Slipknot’s Long Lost Album**
Corey Taylor has hinted that Slipknot’s long-awaited album, “Look Outside Your Window,” might finally see the light of day next year. This quasi-mythical LP was recorded by Taylor, Sid Wilson, Jim Root, and Shawn ‘Clown’ Crahan during the turbulent studio sessions for Slipknot’s fourth studio album, “All Hope Is Gone,” which was recorded in 2008. Since then, the album has been shelved, with its release becoming a topic of speculation and anticipation among fans, known as Maggots.
The album is said to be far more experimental than Slipknot’s usual fare, with Taylor previously describing it as having “much more of a Radiohead vibe.” Over the years, various members of Slipknot have teased its release, adding fuel to the speculative flames. Clown once suggested it would arrive during Christmas of 2019, but the band decided not to interfere with their August 2019 album, “We Are Not Your Kind.” Earlier this year, Clown hinted it could come out in 2023, but that hasn’t happened.
In a recent interview with NME, Taylor provided the most concrete suggestion yet that the album will be released in 2024. He explained how he is partly responsible for its long delay, saying, “It’s actually funny that you bring that up. I was talking to Clown about it the other day and he goes, ‘One of the reasons it hasn’t come out is because you keep putting shit out which keeps conflicting with when I want to release it!’ I was like, Fuck dude, why didn’t you tell me? He says, ‘Fuck, Taylor – you just got too much shit!’ It’s sounding like he’s got a release date that he can finally lock-in and I have promised him that I won’t release anything that will ruin that. I think it’s going to be next year – finally, man!”
The anticipation for “Look Outside Your Window” has been building for over a decade and a half. Fans have been eager to hear this experimental side of Slipknot, which promises to be a departure from their usual heavy metal sound. Clown has described the album as “an amazing body of work,” adding, “You will never hear another Corey Taylor like this. The music and the words … It’s one of the best things I’ve ever done in my life.”
In the meantime, Slipknot has kept fans engaged with new releases and surprises. On June 9th, the band surprise-released a new six-track project, the “Adderall EP.” This EP features three versions of “Adderall,” the experimental opening track from Slipknot’s 2022 album, “The End, So Far.” The EP includes a version with “no intro,” a demo version, and an instrumental take. Additionally, it features three more instrumentals: the minute-long “Death March,” a 25-second cut called “Red or Redder,” and a longer outro titled “Hard to Be Here.”
Clown commented on the EP, saying, “Deconstructing to continuously pave the way for evolution. At this point in the program, nothing is safe.” The release of the “Adderall EP” came at the end of a wild week for Slipknot, which included drummer Jay Weinberg unveiling a new mask, Clown announcing an indefinite hiatus from the band’s live lineup due to his wife’s health issues, and the sudden departure of longtime sampler and keyboardist Craig “133” Jones.
The band’s cryptic and unpredictable nature has kept fans on their toes. Early on June 8th, Slipknot posted eerie teasers leading fans to the website youcantkillme.com, where the disturbing music video for a new song called “Death March” was available for viewing. This led to rumors of the “Adderall EP,” which were soon confirmed.
The “Adderall EP” does not include Slipknot’s February 2023 single “Bone Church,” which felt like an unused B-side to “The End, So Far.” According to Clown, “Bone Church” was actually conceived way back in 2014 during the sessions for “.5: The Gray Chapter.” The “Adderall EP” is Slipknot’s first non-single release of 2023, but it might not be their last. As Clown teased earlier this year, the long-lost “Radiohead vibe” album, “Look Outside Your Window,” could finally be released in 2024.
Slipknot’s Shawn Crahan, better known as The Clown, has also been busy with his side project, The Black Dots Of Death. The band’s debut album, “Ever Since We Were Children,” is set to be released on February 28. Crahan has described the band as “a rebirth, a midlife second coming.” The tracklisting for “Ever Since We Were Children” includes songs like “S.A.T.A.N,” “Destroy Anything,” “Standing Alone,” “Lower Than Dirt,” “Everyone Can Kill,” “I Am Lost,” “The Hunt Is Over,” “Uncertainty,” and “Been Gone So Long.”
As Slipknot continues to evolve and surprise their fans, the anticipation for “Look Outside Your Window” remains high. With Corey Taylor and Clown finally aligning their schedules, it seems that 2024 could be the year that this long-lost album is finally unveiled.
Source: NME, Slipknot Official Announcements
