Slipknot - Vol. 3 (The Subliminal Verses)
a review by Bryan Mack
Released May 25, 2004, the latest album from the 9 masked men of Slipknot hasn't failed in its mission to amaze me. I have posted the lyrics here. You may read them all you'd like, I will have sound clips to accompany the lyrics shortly. Each track is discussed individually below with a specific link to its lyrics.
A few weeks or months ago, Mr. Matthew Renze and I were having a discussion as to which albums play as one big song instead of unrelated individual songs. The album just flows together. The only groups we could think of that flow like that are Pink Floyd and Radiohead. On May 25, 2004 - Slipknot joined that duo with The Subliminal Verses. This album is just amazing, it shows the maturity the band has gained, the musical talent they have retained, and the song writing capability that only improves with each album, and furthermore, with each song.
Now don't get me wrong, on Slipknot and Iowa, there are phenomenal albums with phenomenal lyrics. They had gained a spot as my favorite group of all time due to these albums. This album, however, has reached a whole new level. There is no more swearing to get the point across, they no longer seem angry, they are growing up. No longer do you hear Corey randomly screaming "FUCK" or something for no reason. They are able to get their point across using more powerful words than swearing. They have incorporated new instruments in their music making. There is still the sounds of kegs getting hammered on with a baseball bat, and there's still the heavy guitar and triple drums, but who ever thought Slipknot would use a cello on their album? Who thought Slipknot could make me cry because a song is so emotional? I sure as hell didn't, but they have.
Everyone interprets music differently. I'm sure what I get out of this album isn't what the band put into it, but that doesn't matter. The bottom line is that I can relate to what they're saying. As I listen to their lyrics, I think of specific things in my life I have done, am doing, or see and feel the need to do in my future. It feels great knowing someone can put my thoughts into their songs. But not only are they words, the way they are sang, screamed, or spoken seems to again perfectly match the way I would like to express these songs. It's just amazing.
Normally when I get an album, I first find 2 or 3 songs I like and listen to them over and over. I've had a hard time not starting this album at Prelude 3.0 and not ending after Danger - Keep Away. This whole album is insane. Fact: I drove 700 miles from Carroll, Iowa to Westminster, Colorado on Sunday - this CD didn't leave my cd player, and the fast-forward button or rewind button wasn't touched. I listened to this album about 11 times straight through on my drive home. I bought the album last Tuesday (the 25th of May), it is now June 2 - 8 days later, and it's been playing constantly on my winamp player both at home and at work, only to have the volume turned off when I leave that particular computer. I can't get enough of it, it's just amazing.
Let's get the negatives out of the way first. I'm upset that there isn't a 10+ minute instrumental (or close to instrumental) at the end of the album as they did with the songs Iowa and SciSSorS at the end of their first two albums. I loved those long songs, they're great. I also don't like the song placement of Pulse of the Maggots, I don't understand how it fits in its place when everything else slides so perfectly in its right spot.
That's it for negative criticism. This is a love album. From song #1 to song #14, the songs are about love. Finding love. Losing love. Hanging onto love. Trying to restore love. Having unrequited love. Thriving to love. Hoping to be loved. That's every song to me. There are slow songs on this album that the person who hates even the slightest touch of metal would adore. There are heavy songs for those of us who love double-bass and triple drums. There's singing, there's talking, there's rapping, there's screaming. There's songs to hold a lighter to. There's songs to sing along to. There's songs to throw somebody on the ground to. There's feelings of desperation, hope, despair, helplessness, and most often - unconditional love. It's so strange, past Slipknot albums are about deciet, lies, hatred, jealousy, etc. All negative feelings...the way I used to be. This is such a positive album, it shows all of the emotions you can feel and the negative ones don't win in the end. On songs such as The Virus of Life, you are lead to believe the singer is psychotically obsessed, it's just not true. Corey says things we all think, but then we realize not to act upon them. The beginning of the album there is no hope, but by the end, we've decided that we're going to do everything we can to try to get what we want. If we fail, we fail, but it's better to fail after trying your hardest than to give up.
I will give you my analysis of each song, and I am going to try to keep this as unattached from myself as possible (as I wrote a VERY personal review to this already that I decided not to post) but I'm not sure I can do that...we'll see:
#1: Prelude 3.0 Lyrics
This song is about regret. As he sings, he regrets that he didn't try. He
doesn't know why she doesn't want him, but he never cared to ask, and now he regrets not
trying and it's too late.
As for the music, this song has a slow, dreary sound to it. It has slow drums and a
dreary, wavy electric guitar sound. Corey sings as if he's weak and hurting.
#2: The Blister Exists Lyrics
Why was hope lost? It doesn't seem to be anybody's fault, but someone is living in
the past and ignoring the present. All that is presented is ignored as they can't
see past something that is over and done with. This is a one-way street, someone is
"dying to feel this" (this meaning love?) and the other person won't
give it a chance, we don't know why. The character of the song claims to be
"uneven" - he knows what he wants, he knows what is right, he knows he can't
have it.
Musically, this is a hardcore song. It's got triple guitar going and at least double drums, I can't tell if there's 2 or 3 drummers on this track. Corey screams the chorus like he's angry that someone won't understand or see something his way. The words "I am all but what am I?" are ingenius and sung will full emotion. People who don't like metal probably won't like this song very much.
#3: Three Nil Lyrics
Helplessness and a loss of respect is happening now. With lyrics such as "Maybe
I'm looking in the wrong direction", "Every promise I made I'm recinding",
and "Cry for help" just shows that somebody is in pain. Lost and helpless,
needing to try something new as everything tried in the past hasn't worked. The
chorus is great, it's saying it's not yet time for change, and there's no desperation --
there's hope. Near the end of the song, realization sets in that it's time to get
help. If the person I'm striving for is lying to themselves just to con their mind
into thinking something, I have no hope - that's the only time to give up. Until
then, help is needed from others.
Musically this is another hard song. There is some cool sampling and guitar talent in this song. Corey seems to just wail out as helplessness is the worst feeling in the world.
#4: Duality Lyrics
I will evaluate this first hand, as if I wrote it and am singing it. The pain has
set in so terribly that it'd feel better to shove my fingers deep into my eye sockets than
to feel the pain in my heart. I've done everything to try to stop the pain,
screaming, crying, hurting, seeking help - nothing helps. I start to beat myself up
and tell myself it's my fault, and that helps temporarily. "My future seems
like one big past." I don't want to live in the past anymore, I need to stop
this pain or the rest of my life is pointless. "Put me back together or
separate the skin from bone." Again - amazing lyrics - stop this pain or kill
me, I can't live with it. I was lying to myself for awhile, and doing that was my
own fault, that's what "hard way" means in the phrase "I found out the hard
way nothing is what it seems." This song is great, it helps release the pain,
by singing and screaming this song, some of my pain is gone - it helps me to "put me
back together" instead of separating the skin from bone.
Musically this is the most mainstream song, which is probably why they chose it as the second single of the album (assuming you classify Pulse as a single?). It has a similar sound as Wait and Bleed (which strangely was also track #4 on their first album, and was their biggest hit to date). Corey sings and screams and deeply raps on this song, it's very cool. They shot the video at an abandoned house in Des Moines using locals as extras in the video, you can download it from www.slipknot1.com.
#5: Opium of the People Lyrics
Don't ever half-assed do anything, go all the way. "Fill your lungs 'till it
makes you cough"..it's like saying jump in the water with both feet, love like you've
never loved, try harder than you can imagine, or, as the lyrics continue to say, "The
only way is all the way". This song has fantastic lyrics, "Take another
shot to stay the same." It's like falling off the horse and getting back on
again. Since I've obviously been using somebody as an example for this whole album,
let's do a thing instead. Let's use snowboarding as an example here. The first
few times I tried to ride on a flat rail on my board, I fell flat on my face. Never
could make it across one of those damn rails. If you approach a rail on your board
slowly, you will not make it across, you have to go hard and fast. Even when you do
go hard and fast, you'll fall sometimes. But if you don't, you've got no chance.
Ah fuck it, let's use love again. If you don't love someone as hard as you
can, you'll never experience the most it has to offer. You'll get hurt, but try
again. If you give up, you will never win.
Musically this isn't as heavy as a normal Slipknot song, but it's definatley hard. Corey's doing some sort of scream/rap during the verses, and the chorus is sang wonderfully. "I won't give another soul to you." is just sang in a melochany manner. This is one of those songs that sends a shiver up my back. It's just going and going, then suddenly with about a minute left in the song, the guitar picks up and hits a steady rhythm instead of this "stop and go" style it had been using, and I just smile as a shiver shoots up my back.
#6: Circle Lyrics
Life is a pattern, a circle. I start over and gain ground only to end up back at the
beginning again. In this pattern we carry all the past circles with us. We
remember our past and learn from our mistakes. I just want to be at the place of my
circle when I was happy last time around the loop. I've had things before, but I've
never needed them back more than I do now. I have a feeling that I know how things
will turn out, but I can't be too sure.
This is a very slow song, it is an acoustic guitar or two accompanied with a cello. It never really picks up. Corey shows you the power and ability his voice has to sing instead of screaming. I hear no drums in this song, I'm pretty sure it's only guitar and cello.
#7: Welcome Lyrics
My feelings are molded by others. If I hate you, it's because of what you've done.
If I love you, it's because of how you are. If I want to kill you, it's
because you make me want to kill you. If I want to be with you forever, it's because
of what you do and how you come across to me. I can't control any of this.
This song focuses on somebody I never want to see again. If I act like I like you
even though I can't stand you, I hate myself. I hate it when I cannot act like I
feel, but it happens and I cannot control it. Luckily my mind is in check, "I
will save you from my sins." I know I can't act on my hatred, because I am
smart and think before I act, you will not be hurt, I will just walk away.
This is by far the hardest song on this album. Very heavy guitar, very heavy drumming, screaming hardcore. If you didn't like Slipknot before this album, you will hate this song. If you liked them and are one of the idiots running around right now saying "Slipknot sold out on Vol.3" - you will love this song. If you like this album more than the others, this'll bring back memories of Slipknot's first album.
#8: Vermilion Lyrics
This is part one of a two part song about losing someone you love and desiring that person
so badly. For those of you that don't know (I had to look it up), the word Vermilion
means something along the line of "red pigment". Red is often used to
show love. "She's the only one that makes me sad." "I get
nervous." - he loves her so much he can't talk to her. He doesn't get hurt
except when she makes it happen.
While I'm amazingly impressed with the lyrics, the music of this song isn't that impressive. It's like a moderate rock song, guitar and drums are going kinda hard, Corey is singing - but not melodically or in a screaming manner, someplace between.
#9: Pulse of the Maggots Lyrics
I don't like the placement of this song, I think it should have gone as a hidden track or
been released separate from the album, but maybe that's because I can't figure out what it
means to me. "Maggot" has always been the term for a fan of Slipknot.
Pulse means the life of or the voice. I think this means they make music for
their fans, they speak our thoughts. I have thought of this song as a tribute to the
fans since day one, but some of the lyrics point back to the overall motif of this entire
album. "And if I lose, AT LEAST I TRIED!" Damn right, I'm so happy I
tried. Maybe I'll continue to try, who knows. I haven't given up yet and I
won't give up hope, but I haven't sat back and said "I should have said this" or
"I should have done that." I've done what my heart told me to do since day
one. Back to being a fan tribute, "We are the bitter bucolic" - I again
didn't know what "bucolic" meant, it's people from the countryside.
Sticking to the roots of Iowa, where all the members of Slipknot and I were raised as
children.
Early 90's guitar solos, screaming hardcore, hardcore mosh pits - that's the mood this song will embed in your mind.
#10: Before I Forget Lyrics
I feel alone. "I am a world before I am a man." I care about others
more than I care about myself. I am a giver. I feel great about being this
way, but as a result of putting others before me, I suffer a lot.
This is atypical of a Slipknot song, it's not overly heavy and it's not very soft. I really don't know how to describe it.
#11: Vermilion Pt. 2 Lyrics
The second part of the Vermilion series about losing love. We didn't really know in
Part 1 that he lost his love, but it's clear as day now. She is all he thinks of,
you don't have to be a genius to figure that out as he says "She is everything to
me." Apparently this love is one-sided, as he calls it an "Unrequited
dream". For those of you that don't know, "unrequited" means
something along the lines of "not given back in the same way". He loves
her and dreams of her, but she doesn't know he exists, either that or forgot he existed.
Without her, he doesn't know what to do and he hates that it's the one he loves
that's making him sad as she used to make him happy, and still does when she doesn't hurt
or ignore him. He cries as he hopes, but he knows "I won't let this build up
inside me." -- I will try to move on and not let this keep me miserable for too long.
This is another very slow song, with I'm thinking two acoustic guitars and I can't tell if this is a cello or a bass guitar, also there very well may be a violin in this song. Piano finishes the song. Corey sings wonderfully in this song. As a testimonail from a non-slipknot fan who I will keep anonymous, I received this email about this song when I posted it for MP3 of the day: "Hey thanks for the great new MP3 today.. I love it!!!"
#12: The Nameless Lyrics
The singer is almost schitzophrenic, he says something then screams something else a
second later that contradicts himself. Does he hate or love? Does he want to
freeze or move on? What the hell is going one? Confusion. Chaos is
erupting everywhere on this song, then comes the chorus - "I never wanted anybody
more than I wanted you." Imagine that, a girl is causing this confusion.
She's causing screaming rage, she's causing confusion, she's causing hope, she's inspiring
me to be my best, she's bringing out the best and the worst in me at the same time.
As soon as I'm confused, I think of her by singing the chorus and everything seems fine
for awhile, as the piano kicks in and Corey sings as if he's in a temple or something,
then confusion and reality sets back in with heavy drumming and sheer terror. This
song is the best of both worlds.
This is a top 5 song in my mind of all the Slipknot songs. It's so powerful. We go from double bass guitar, to triple drums, to piano and singing. This song is incredible.
#13: The Virus of Life Lyrics
This is a deep and dark song, it reminds me of the song Iowa from the album with
that same name. There's almost an obsessive love going on here, which he refers to
as a virus. A virus is unwanted but someone has to live with it without having a say
in the matter. This is like a silent unharmful virus that has the potential to break
out and create horrible results, but something's keeping it under control, barely.
He's attached this "virus" to somebody. He's praising this person, calling
her "amazing" and "sublime", yet he can't stand the thought of her
being with someone else, so he plagues her like a virus. He talks to himself and
tells himself it's not right to do.
Pretty hardcore song, you'll have trouble understanding Corey. The full lyrics aren't printed in the album so I took the liberty of listening over and over until I completely heard every word, they're above. Hard yet slow guitar. Screaming with voice-over distortion.
#14: Danger - Keep Away Lyrics
This song is the whole reason I think this cd flows so well together. What a way to
end an album than the last stanza of these lyrics. It's the complete opposite from Prelude
(track 1). In the first song, the character of the album regretted what he didn't
do, what he didn't say. The album is concluded by saying, "I won't let you walk
away without hearing what I have to say." Wonderful, amazing, no regrets.
The door is open at the end of the album. After all the thoughts and options
were weighted through his head throughout the album, he decided to get everything out into
the air and let fate take over, just as on duality when he says "Now all I
do is live with so much fate." That was almost a foreshadowing of what was
going to happen at the end. He put it out of his hands. Possibly not ready to
move one, but he tried his hardest. "What if I never saw you again? I'd die
right next to you in the end." I'll always be there if you need me.
The album ends on a slow note with no guitar, a little drum, and wonderful singing.
RECAP: Songs mean different things to everyone. I in no way, shape, or form am saying this is what the songs actually mean, I'm saying that's what they mean to ME! I encourage you to get your own meaning from these songs. I want you to realize I don't agree with a lot of things said on this album and I don't think a lot of things said on here - but there are several points where I couldn't agree more. It's quite obvious I agree with every word of Vermilion Pt. 2, Danger - Keep Away, Prelude 3.0, and Duality. Other songs have their high points and low points. But all in all, I give this album 9 3/4 stars out of 10. A masterpiece. Go buy it.