Clown Reveals the Theme of Slipknot’s New Album

Maggots would probably like to know that Slipknot keggist and Minister of Propaganda, Shawn “Clown” Crahan, has given Billboard some details regarding the theme of Slipknot’s new album. Those maggots shouldn’t get too excited, though, as Clown gave those details in Clown-speak… which is to say, they don’t make a heckuva lotta sense.

You know you’re in for a head-scratcher of a quote when Clown begins thusly:

“What I can tell you is I’ve known all the words all the time, so I’ve been able to paint the dream world and the nightmare in my mind.”

Somehow, though, Clown manages to get even, well, Clownier:

“Conceptually, [Clown] adds, the album ‘breaks down to…good vs. evil, or in this sense, evil vs. good. It’s about being a human being and experiencing what you have in correlating it to this world. This world is ugly and it’s supposed to be, and it has to be in order for art to lead to grandness and beauty.’”

Alright. Phew! So much to unpack here. Where to begin? These are my questions based on Clown’s statements:

1. Clown has known what words the whole time? I think he’s speaking metaphorically and basically means to say “I’ve always understood the message we were trying to convey with this album,” but he mixes his metaphors three times in one sentence, alternately referencing these mystery words, the act of painting, and dreaming, so it’s hard to say for sure.
2. To what period of time does “the whole time” refer? The creation of the album? The creation of the universe? Just Clown’s life?
3. When he says “I’ve been able to paint the dream world and the nightmare in my mind,” does he mean, like, he was able to paint a portrait of the dream and nightmare worlds that exist within his mind, or that he was able to paint those actual worlds the way one would paint a room? I think it’s the former, but you never know with this guy.
4. What is the difference between ‘good vs. evil’ and ‘evil vs. good’? Isn’t that like saying ‘The album is about 2 + 4, or in this sense, 4 + 2’?
5. What the fuck does “It’s about being a human being and experiencing what you have in correlating it to this world” mean? Do you think he meant “in correlation to this world”?
6. Am I the only one who thinks the sentence “This world is ugly and it’s supposed to be, and it has to be in order for art to lead to grandness and beauty” makes sufficient sense to suggest that someone who isn’t Clown said it?

We have time to ponder these issues, as the new ‘Knot won’t be out until 2019. In the meantime, there’s a tenth anniversary edition of All Hope is Gone coming out December 7.