Slipknot guitarist Jim Root recently warned fans about the band’s upcoming album, stating they should not expect another Iowa record, in a post shared on Instagram.
Root shared a video from the studio confirming that the band is working on their new album and that he will be spending the rest of the year recording.
“Closer. This is where I’ll spend the rest of the year,” Root wrote. “With these amps and a few various guitars that I’ll put up later. This will also set a course for the new rack/rig that Brad Clifford will be subjected to! Because as you know by now… We’re about to get real busy.”
In the comment section, a fan asked Root to write the heaviest riffs possible, comparing the potential of the new album to Metallica’s Black Album and asking for “evil, scary, disgusting, groove, intros, breakdowns.”
“Thank you! A very important thing for us at this time is to not ‘repeat’ ourselves,” Root responded. “It’s gonna hurt some feelings. We’re really experimenting with different approaches… don’t expect another ‘Iowa’ or ‘self titled’ record. We’ve been there. The vibe feels honest and true to me. It’s uneasy and reminds me of recording in the earlier days. I’m not saying that means it will translate to the type of music we’re creating or the sound/production of it.”
Root also discussed the production style of the new material, comparing it to their earlier and later records.
“The early records had the vibe. You can’t miss that with Ross. But they always sounded ‘LoFi’ to me,” Root continued. “And some of the later records felt/sounded ‘over produced’ … like. Too many layers of guitar etc. we don’t need that. Me and mick. L and R and then a few 3rd tracks and maybe solos. That’s it. And of the 16 amps I vetted to record with. Matt and I chose the most pissed off sounding one. Not necessarily the ‘best’ sounding one. The most exciting sounding… liveliest etc. we did track on the floor live with Eloy. We hadn’t done that in a long time for various reasons. Everything is analog and played. All the pieces that need to be there are there.”
The comments offer the clearest picture yet of a record that has been taking shape for well over a year, and they place the new material in a specific spot within the band’s catalog.
The upcoming album is being treated as Slipknot’s eighth studio record and follows 2022’s The End, So Far. Root stated that the band is deliberately avoiding a repeat of Iowa (2001) or the self-titled debut (1999), and is instead “experimenting” with new approaches.
The sessions themselves have reportedly taken on a distinct character. Root said the current atmosphere feels “uneasy,” and that Slipknot have been tracking live on the studio floor with drummer Eloy Casagrande, something the band had not done in a long time. A separate report noted that the band has been jamming in a church to capture a more “garage band” vibe while Shawn “Clown” Crahan shapes the arrangements.
The record also marks a lineup milestone. It is the first full-length Slipknot album with Casagrande, who joined in 2024 after leaving Sepultura, and it is being made with producer Matt Wallace, known for his work with Faith No More. Root has previously spoken warmly about working with the new drummer.
“There’s a new life with this stuff,” Root said of the current sessions. Meanwhile, the band’s recent standalone single “Arsenal” will not appear on the album. Root confirmed that the surprise track was “not really representative” of the material the band is working on, describing it as “a tune we could quickly get out there while we work on the rest of the record.”
The band continues to work on the upcoming record, with more updates expected as recording progresses.
