SLIPKNOT READYING FUTURE AS A LEGACY BAND

Ah, the good ol’ days.

Slipknot have released four whole studio albums over the course of the past thirteen years, so you know what that means: it’s time for a greatest hits album! Yup yup. The band is now ready to repackage old shit for fans who are either too stupid or too lovestruck to care that they already own all the songs on the release, or are otherwise willing to pay whatever for a couple of new and/or previously unreleased tracks. In the old days, I think greatest hits albums were also intended to act as a gateway for new fans, but that’s a fairly ridiculous concept in 2012: between digital outlets like iTunes that allow consumers to purchase individual tracks, streaming services such as Spotify, and illegal downloading, people can easily compile their own greatest hits collection.

Greatest hits albums: the stupidest thing ever, now rendered even stupider by advancements in technology. Gotta love it.

So why is the band actually readying one of these pieces of poo? The answer is actually pretty simple: while they’ve apparently begun to demo new material for their next album, Corey Taylor is already committed to spending the latter half of 2012 with Stone Sour. That means that Slipknot won’t even be able to enter the studio until 2013. Assuming they get the album out that same year, it will have been half a decade since their last album, All Hope is Gone, was released. In metal years, that’s an eternity. Bands have entire careers that don’t last that long. I mean, it’s hard for me to believe the world is just gonna forget about a group as massive as Slipknot, but on some level, I understand the concern.

And on top of all of this, the greatest hits package is said to be coming out in July… just in time for the band to headline this year’s Mayhem Fest. Not a coincidence at all.

And, hey, it’s an easy win for Roadrunner, right? All they have to do is re-package some shit they already have. It’s pretty much the safest investment ever.

So. The thing is apparently going to be called Antennas to Hell (a title which already dates the release — do kids now have any concept of, or use for, antennas?) and will be released July 17. Two teaser videos for it have already been released, both of which are below. Presumably there are going to be seven more of these, but don’t expect me to keep posting them — they’re really not all that exciting.

This year’s Rockstar Energy Drink Mayhem Festival will also feature Slayer, Anthrax, As I Lay Dying, The Devil Wears Prada, Whitechapel, and High on Fire. Get dates here, and enter for a chance to win VIP tickets here.

-AR