Just a few weeks after the announcement of their upcoming seventh album, and a new single, Slipknot are back already with ‘Yen’, another teaser of what’s to come in ‘The End, So Far’.

Right off the bat, the song opens in a very dark and ambient sound-field that sounds incredibly similar to something that could be found on Iowa, holding to the expectation the band has set in their claim that this upcoming album is to be a blend of ‘Iowa’ and ‘Volume 3: The Subliminal Verses’. The two previous singles were far more aggressive, closer to traditional groove/nu metal that Slipknot has honed over the years. As the song progresses, however, grows appear absent, instead replaced with more somber melodies and highlighting harmonies. The chorus is especially a highlight in this track, the melodies feeling very impactful against the subtler instrumentation punched by blasting drums. Once the bridge hits, the growls finally make their appearance, but only briefly to properly counter the melodies from before. Still, it doesn’t feel beatdown-y or aggressive, instead the growls are used in a tasteful, emotional way, feeling extremely fitting to the progression of the song. The song then repeats the final chorus to wrap up the package nicely, and though it follows a somewhat-conventional structure, the entirety of the track sounds uniquely constructed. That could perhaps be credited to its more unconventional sound for modern Slipknot, who arguably have been a little lenient on fan-service, but regardless of its origin the strangeness of it all is extremely welcomed.

‘Yen’ is a wonderful addition to the list of tasters for the upcoming album. It gives a totally different feel to the two previous singles, who leaned more on the heavier side of things. Don’t be mistaken however, this song is heavy, still, though more emotionally than conventionally. Regardless, there’s plenty for new listeners and Slipknot fans alike, and serves as more feed for the excitement leading up to the album’s release.

Author: Nicholas Gaudet

Music producer and writer from Dieppe, Canada.