This week I've chosen to review the 4th studio album from Slipknot, All Hope is Gone. I opted for the special extras package when comes in a digipak and includes not only the album, but three bonus tracks and a DVD that features a sort of 'documentary' of the making of this album. Oh, and lest I forget, you also receive a 40 page booklet with all the lyrics! For me, that sweetened the deal immensely because I rarely feel band's focus enough on the lyrics, an element of songs that is crucial for me.nnThe artwork of the album itself and the booklet stand out. Clearly, the band put a good deal of effort into producing a product that offers plenty of food for the mind. I watched the documentary before listening to the CD itself and I feel that gave me a bit more insight into the songs. It's definitely great to get a peek into their recording process, especially since they created this album in their home state of Iowa as opposed to their normal studio in Los Angeles. All 9 members of Slipknot worked together to write the songs this time and the album feels much, much different from their previous efforts. While not all of the members enjoyed the creation process, I think they've put together a fan pleaser, for sure.nnRight off the bat the CD sucks you in. The opening track, .execute., reminded me of a scratchy CB or radio broadcast from some wartorn spot on the globe. The kind of broadcast you wonder if you should be allowed to listen in on. When you read the lyrics to this track you'll see it's something of a manifesto from the band regarding the state of our world today. It's invigorating and drags you straight into Gematria (The Killing Name) where you know beyond the shadow of a doubt that it's Slipknot you're listening to.nnGive me a minute and I'll change your mind. Give me a bullet and I'll change your life.nnThat refrain rings through Gematria and what I was most struck by is that the vocals not only on this song, but throughout the album are much easier to understand that I remember them being on older albums. This second track stands as probably my favorite of the disc. Next comes Sulfur, an exceptionally dynamic song that blends together powerful melodic vocals with the ripping snarl we've come to love from this band. nnSome of the songs like Dead Memories and Snuff are slower, softer songs that reminded me of something from Alice in Chains. Others like Butcher's Hook or This Cold Black emphasized the more speed/thrash metal angle. Psychosocial and All Hope is Gone are clearly intended as radio-friendly work but I never got the feeling the band compromised their sound for the sake of reaching a wider audience, though I know a few people do feel that way.nnTo my ears, the power of Gematria and the otherworldly vibe of Gehenna made them the tracks I enjoyed most, but it wasn't easy picking favorites. Out of the total tracks offered only a couple didn't quite meet my tastes. nnI have to be honest here, Slipknot's not always been a band I enjoy playing 24/7 even though I dig what they're about and the sheer brutality of their shock and awe style. That's left me to think of them as a once in a while band, meaning I pull out their albums when a certain mood strikes. This album has changed that perception of them. I believe these guys poured their souls into this album and it's one of the finest harder albums (whether you want to call it metal, alternative rock or whatever) out there today. If you've ever liked ANY Slipknot material, you'll find plenty to like here. If you held Slipknot to be too heavy you might still enjoy the songs they're offering. Check Youtube for videos because I'm willing to bet that if you enjoy a heavier sound, All Hope is Gone offers the exact opposite of its title - for heavy music, that is!n
Related Songs
Slipknot! - Grateful Dead
All Hope Is Gone - Alter Bridge
All Hope Is Gone - Slipknot
Slipknot - Grateful Dead
Burn The Pages - Sia
2nd String Mathmagician/LaGuardia by Corpslight...
Hope Is Gone - Moby
When All Hope Is Gone - Tiago Iorc
Crash & Burn - Vanilla Ice
Crash & Burn - Vanilla Ice
Slipknot (Hangknot, Slipknot) - Woody Guthrie
Crash And Burn - Vanilla Ice
Slipknot - Slipknot
Slipknot - Poor Old Lu
The Hope Is Gone - Angelus Apatrida
Hangknot, Slipknot - Woody Guthrie
All Hope Is Pleading - Mourning Beloveth
All Hope Is Lost - Enforce
Liberate (Bananas) - Slipknot
Car Bomb - Disturbed
Requiem - James Lynn Strait
All Hope - ACE OF BASE
all gone, all gone - Palace Songs
Heavy Years - Chris Mills
Hope Is... - Killswitch Engage
All Pain Is Gone - Combichrist
All Love Is Gone - Avec Tristesse
When All Is Gone - Aaron Embry
Love Is All Gone - IBU
Pack Your Bowls - Kottonmouth Kings
Pack Ur Bowls - Kottonmouth Kings
Earthly Diamond - Uniform Motion
Vivid Still Beating - All Gone Dead
Orchids in Ruin - All Gone Dead
The Holy City of Karbala - All Gone Dead
Just 80 Miles West - All Gone Dead
Sunday Went Mute - All Gone Dead
Cedric Krane - All Gone Dead
Newspeak (Room 101) - All Gone Dead
The Aftertaste - All Gone Dead
Within But Not Before - All Gone Dead
Capitalist, fascist, democracy, LIBERATION...
Skritch āNā Skrill - All Gone Dead
Hope Is Gone, Here's New Law - Crystal Viper
Pimps Of Prom - Smosh
Sad Songs (say So Much) - Elton John
Bondallica - Bonde Do Role
Feed My Head - Dio
Drop Me - Amanda Palmer
Copernicus - Allen-Lande
All Around the World [*] - James Morrison
All Around The World - James Morrison
Slipknot (Hang Knot) - Woody Guthrie
Eyeless (Slipknot cover) - Bring Me the Horizon
Slave - Spiritual Front
Sorry - The Paddingtons
Organ Song - The Boxer Rebellion
All Gone - Jim Guthrie
All Gone - Agathocles
All Gone - Act Fast
All Gone - Agathocles
All Gone - Black Water Rising
Futile Existence - Mirthless Duration
Rock & Roll Nigga - Tech N9ne
Heads You Win, Tails You Lose - Abandon All Hope
The Book of Crossroads [Instrumental]...
Mind Surrender - Abandon All Hope
Heads You Win, Tails You Lose - Abandon All Hope
Hope, Vol.2 - Apocalyptica
Pain - Saturday Night Shakedown
Metal Legion 2 - Poser Executioner
Hope - Thirsty Merc
Open My Eyes (The Vanguard Project Remix)...
What Is Gone Is Gone - Caroline Fenn
The Desperate Things You Made Me Do...
Chaoticide - Gunmetal Soul
Yesterday's Gone - Bernard Fanning
Like Weeds - His Hero Is Gone
Concrete Cage - His Hero Is Gone
Abandoned - His Hero Is Gone
Thieves - His Hero Is Gone
The end result of 11 months in the mental hospital...
Voluntary amputation - His Hero Is Gone
Anthem of the undesirables - His Hero Is Gone
Scalor - His Hero Is Gone
Hand that feeds - His Hero Is Gone
Rain dance - His Hero Is Gone
Abandon All Hope - Meriwether
All My Hope - Hillsong United
Abandon All Hope - Aesop Rock
All Hope Aside - With Honor
All Hope Aside - A Wilhelm Scream
Abandon All Hope - Aesop Rock
Abandon All Hope - Vader
All My Hope - Hillsong
All My Hope - Crowder
Hip Hip Hooray [Instrumental] - Gone
Yummy, Yummy, Yummy [Instrumental] - Gone
More and More [Instrumental] - Gone
The Smallest Man - Nasum
Knot - Mal Webb
To Wish Impossible Things - Cure, The
All My Time Is Gone - Fun Lovin' Criminals
All that Shit Is Gone - Carolina Liar
All We Have is Gone - These Green Eyes
All We Are Is Gone - Flickerstick
All The Love Is Gone - 54-40
All My Love Is Gone - Lyle Lovett
All The Good Is Gone - Jerry Lee Lewis
All I Got Is Gone - Arthur Big Boy Crudup
All That Wine Is Gone - Big Jay McNeely
All Your Love is Gone - Boxed In
All Your Love Is Gone - The Doors
All I Am Is Gone - Jamie Lynn Spears
Impermanence - Othon Mataragas
Bet You Anything - xikidi
Buried Dreams - Carcass
Hope Vol. 2 - Apocalyptica Feat. Matthias Sayer
Hope Vol.2 - Apocalyptica
Hope - Apocalyptica
Home Is Where You Hang Yourself - Every Time I Die
Nothing Left To Bleed - Dead End
Black Cat - Temple Of The Dog
Black Cat (aka Bellshit) - Soundgarden
Black Cat - Chris Cornell
Get The Point - My Morning Jacket
Hope Child - Hockey Night
Suffocating Thugs - Castrum (Ukraine)
Music Box - Andy Duguid
Believe - Armchair Cynics
Guillotine - Urbandub
When Hope Is All You Have - Spoken
There Is Hope - Safemode
Hope is Big - Deer Tick
There Is Hope - Zoo Brazil
There Is Hope - Number One Gun
hope is war - Life in Your Way
Hope Is Erupting - Citipointe Live
There Is Hope - First Floor Power
Hope Is Misery - Walk Through Fire
Hope Is Rising - Downhere
Hope Is Dawning - Aaron Keyes
Hope Is Glory - Beautiful Mayhem
Hope Is Calling - Bellarive
Hope Is Erupting - Citipointe.Live
Hope - The Immigrants
Hope Child - Free Energy
Hope Child - Free Energy
There Is Still A Dream - Aaron Neville
I Hope She Dies - Barnes & Barnes
Descending Winters - Swallow The Sun
If You Don't Know By Now - Eagle Eye Cherry
Don't Know By Now - Eagle Eye Cherry
Slow Animals - The Strokes
Slow Animals - Strokes
Gone For Good (EP) - Blue Giant
Always - Gone Baby Gone
The Best Day (Of Our Lives) - Gone Baby Gone
Life Story - Gone Baby Gone
More - Gone Baby Gone
3000 Miles - Gone Baby Gone
The Ballad of Johnny Cade - Gone Baby Gone
Nightmare - Gone Baby Gone
There Is Still a Dream - Rachael Lampa
To Wish Impossible Things - Cure
To Wish Impossible Things - The Cure
Hold On - B*Witched
There Is Still a Dream [Duet] - Aaron Neville
There Is Still a Dream - Aaron Neville
There Is Still A Dream (Duet) (feat. Rachael Lampa...
There Is Stil A Dream - Rachael Lampa
Pray for Him - Billy Gilman
The Storm Before The Calm - Dekapitator
In The Morning - Kelis
Of Downfall and Decline - Orden Ogan
Lost - Deine Lakaien
Centrifugal Motion - Harper Blynn
Move Along [Live from Tournado]...
Move Along - The All-American Rejects
Move Along - The Voice
Rain - Amanda Somerville
The Rope - Bettie Serveert
Head For The Hills - Griffin House
Holding On - East 17
Nights Too Cold To Sleep Alone - Cady Groves
The Christmas Hope - New Song
Hope - John Frusciante
Happiness - Will Young
Is This Love - Pludo
Fix Me - Leona Lewis
Lost Life - Meliah Rage
Gilligan - Deep Time
Gone - Phish
High Hope - Maarja
Evening Wind - Uli Jon Roth
Hope - Cloudscape
Dear John - No Doubt
All The Believers Are Gone - Nikki Flores
Me And You On The Big Screen - Lanemeyer
Dead Planet - Adept