Taylor hails Root’s Slipknot writing

Corey Taylor has hailed Jim Root’s writing for the next Slipknot album as “killer” – even though the pair hit rough ground when he was kicked out of Stone Sour.

Root spoke earlier this week of the moment when he realised their other band was going to continue without him. He admitted he’d felt hurt, angry and depressed – but that he eventually realised it was for the best. It also left him more time to concentrate on writing for .5: The Gray Chapter.

Taylor recently told Metal Hammer the situation “led to confrontation, to put it nicely,” but adds: “It flared up and then it was gone – because we knew we had this project to work on.”

Now the frontman tells 105.1rocks (via Blabbermouth): “Jim came up with some killer stuff. I brought in some stuff, Clown brought some killer atmospheric stuff. I think we all really stepped up to the challenge.”

The frontman says Slipknot didn’t feel any pressure to make their first album without bassist Paul Gray, but adds: “It was more emotional than stressful – filling the shoes of Paul was heavy-duty. He was such an integral part of the songwriting and had such a great ear for it.

“We knew we were all going to have to step in and fill those shoes. I thought we did a great job.”

.5: The Gray Chapter is released on October 21 via Roadrunner. Slipknot are the cover stars of the current edition of Metal Hammer, on sale now.

Not only is one-time online news editor Martin an established rock journalist and drummer, but he’s also penned several books on music history, including SAHB Story: The Tale of the Sensational Alex Harvey Band, a band he once managed, and the best-selling Apollo Memories about the history of the legendary and infamous Glasgow Apollo. Martin has written for Classic Rock and Prog and at one time had written more articles for Louder than anyone else (we think he's second now). He’s appeared on TV and when not delving intro all things music, can be found travelling along the UK’s vast canal network.