All photos by Patrick Larsen Holseth
Seven years after their last visit to the Norwegian capital, heavyweights Slipknot still deliver the goods! Six years after their previous release, followed by a hiatus, the death of one member, and the departure of another, Slipknot released what many refer to as their comeback album, .5: The Gray Chapter, last year. Though it’s arguably not an instant Slipknot classic, the album was well received.
This evenings setlist was in many ways a “best of” setlist and only four songs off the new album made the cut. That was probably a wise choice. The crowd wanted the old stuff even though they responded well to the new songs.
They were off to a good start with “Sarcastrophe” from the new album before continuing with “The Heretic Anthem” and “My Plague” from 2001’s IOWA. The first single off the new album, “The Devil In I,” fit the set surprisingly well. As did “Custer” that closed the set before the encores. The crowd’s favorite moment was arguably when vocalist Corey Taylor asked everyone to sit down on the floor during “Spit It Out” off their self-titled 1999 release. Everyone in the crowd of approximately 7000 people sat down and when Taylor gave the signal, everyone jumped up. “Many have tried to copy this,” he said, “but this is the original!”
To talk about a Slipknot show without mentioning the stage show is preposterous. It’s almost as important as the music itself. The stage was set up in perfect symmetry, with one percussionist and a DJ on each side. All of them were placed on elevated stage areas that hoisted them into the air at times, and the percussionists spun around while in the air. There were pyrotechnics and a great light show. While Craig Jones mostly stayed behind his keyboard and turntable, Sid Wilson would at times abandon his to run around on stage and jump from the various ledges. Alistair Lawrence of Kerrang! once said that “[…] the choreographed chaos is too multifaceted to fully describe,” and that is certainly still true.
Corey Taylor is one of the greatest front men of today’s Metal scene. He has a great voice and manages to connect with the crowd all the way through the set, even when he utters clichés like “it’s great to be back in one of my favorite cities.” However, when he thanks the fans for making them the band that they are, you can tell that he really means it and the crowd responds positively to that.
The band emerged in the late 90s with lyrics about darkness, nihilism, anger, disaffection, love, misanthropy and psychosis. While the lyrics, music and style hit home with an entire generation 15 years ago, the lyrics might not be as relevant as they once were. What’s true now is that they’ve got fans from the ages of 18 to 50. The band has matured a lot and is now in many ways a skilled Heavy Metal machine that gives the fans what they want and puts on a hell of a show.
After bass player Paul Gray died and drummer Joey Jordison was kicked out, Slipknot hasn’t taken in new members on a permanent basis. Alessandro Venturella (bass) and Jay Weinberg (drums) are touring members. Venturella stands in the back, plays his stuff flawlessly and isn’t noticeable if you don’t take into account the frets on his bass that glows in the dark. Weinberg does his best to fill the gap that Jordison left in the band but unfortunately, he fails. His playing feels a bit uninspired. However, the two percussionists Shawn Crahan and Chris Fehn does their best to help him and the battery section really stands out because of this. It’s like a ridiculous amount of drums all the time but it sounds fantastic!
The encore consisted of old classics with the aggressive “People = Shit” off IOWA enclosed by “(sic)” and “Surfacing” off their debut album. The only thing missing in this set was arguably “Wait And Bleed,” but it didn’t matter. Slipknot delivered the goods and then some. Even if you’re not into their music the show itself is worth the cost of the ticket. They’re THAT good.
Setlist
Sarcastrophe / The Heretic Anthem / My Plague / The Devil In I / Psychosocial / The Negative One / Disasterpiece / Opium Of The People / Dead Memories / Before I Forget / Duality / The Blister Exists / Spit It Out / Custer
Encore: (sic) / People = Shit / Surfacing
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