Six Things We Learned From The New Slipknot Video

After unveiling brand new song The Negative One via their website on Friday, Slipknot dropped the official video onto us yesterday. But what did we learn from the creepy-as-hell video? Well...

They Love A Tease

“Good news everyone, there’s a new Slipknot video!” was the edited pre-watershed cry heard across the Hammer office at 6pm yesterday. As we rushed to our screens to see what the Knot’s new masks look like or even find out who the new drummer is, it was not to be. They’re still holding out on us the cheeky gits. That being said, the song is still a bloody belter.

Goats Are Back

Or should that be ‘Baaaaaack’? No, because that’s rubbish. Nevertheless the iconic farm animal often associated Slipknot makes a welcome appearance – albeit in a coffin. Admittedly the goat hasn’t really been seen since the Iowa album cover and briefly in the Left Behind video, so perhaps this means they’re returning to their darker roots? Or are mad for goat’s cheese.

They’re Keeping It Creepy

It’s no secret that Clown’s creative mind has long left the realm of sunshine and rainbows, and now firmly resides in the darkest corners of a disease-ridden abyss. As such, the video for The Negative One looks like a montage from a horror flick in which a woman descends into madness after finding her goat husband dead (or something). We’re guessing there’s a deeper meaning there…

Metaphors Are Awesome

As we just said above, there’s obviously something deeper going on in the video. The juxtaposition between a woman painted wholly in black and another dressed solely in white ain’t a coincidence – could one of these women represent The Negative One? Also, the dead goat in a coffin being dressed in beads and flowers – what does that mean? Are the old Slipknot dead? Are we witnessing the rebirth? Or are two ladies of interesting attire just having a laugh with a dead goat? Hmm…

Someone Has A Mouth Fixation

Speaking of the women in the video, a lot of attention is directed towards their mouths. Whether it’s the Joker-esque smudged lipstick of the girl in white (who spits baked bean juice everywhere), or the woman in black who won’t stop stroking her face and pulling her lips down – somebody, somewhere likes a bit of tooth and gum.

They Haven’t Paid The Electricity Bill

If there’s one thing you notice about the The Negative One video, it’s that it’s dark. There’s a lot of blues and blacks keeping the corners dark and rooms shrouded in mystery. There’s so many candles lying about it’s like holding a séance during a 100th birthday celebration. The only electric light comes from a strip light that illuminates a makeshift Saw set. Surely someone could have found a lamp somewhere?

_Corey Taylor has recently announced a new single is coming soon. Find out here. _

Luke Morton joined Metal Hammer as Online Editor in 2014, having previously worked as News Editor at popular (but now sadly defunct) alternative lifestyle magazine, Front. As well as helming the Metal Hammer website for the four years that followed, Luke also helped relaunch the Metal Hammer podcast in early 2018, producing, scripting and presenting the relaunched show during its early days. He also wrote regular features for the magazine, including a 2018 cover feature for his very favourite band in the world, Slipknot, discussing their turbulent 2008 album, All Hope Is Gone.