SLIPKNOT DEBUT AT #1 WITH .5: THE GRAY CHAPTER -

Saturday, April 20, 2024

SLIPKNOT DEBUT AT #1 WITH .5: THE GRAY CHAPTER

Rock band SLIPKNOT return to the top of the SoundScan/Billboard 200 with the explosive chart debut of their acclaimed new album. .5: The Gray Chapter – the GRAMMY® Award-winning rock juggernaut’s fifth studio album and first since 2008’s RIAA platinum certified chart-topper, All Hope Is Gone – has entered the chart at #1 with sales in excess of 131,000 albums, making it the highest debut for a rock record this year. Furthermore, the album has made a stunning impact worldwide with #1 debuts in Japan, Australia, Canada, Russia and Switzerland as well as Top 5 debuts in the United Kingdom, Germany, Ireland, Austria, New Zealand, Mexico, Denmark and Finland.

The news comes as Slipknot prepares to embark on their highly anticipated “Prepare For Hell” world tour. The North American trek – which features special guests Korn and King 810 – kicks off tonight at El Paso’s El Paso County Coliseum and then travels through early December (see attached itinerary). Early next year, the “Prepare For Hell” tour hits European shores. For complete details and ticket information, please visit www.slipknot1.com.

Along with its massive popular success, .5: The Gray Chapter has also drawn unprecedented critical applause. “The most multi-dimensional album of (Slipknot’s) nearly 20-year career,” raved Rolling Stone, while Alternative Press enthused, “The 14 songs that make up the band’s full-fledged return to the heavy music scene are reflective, more emotional than ever before, and the best balance of Slipknot’s melodic and demonic sides to date.” “A headbanging odyssey,” exclaimed Billboard, “from its gnashing guitar squalls to singer Corey Taylor’s final deranged laugh.” “There is little evidence that Slipknot’s focus has wavered or their sonic scalpel blunted,” noted The Guardian, adding, “.5: The Gray Chapter is every bit as warped and explosive as previous (Slipknot) records.” Perhaps Revolver summed it up best: “Another great Slipknot record has emerged.”

“The Devil In I,” the blockbuster new single from .5: The Gray Chapter, is rapidly proving a multi-format rock radio smash, coming in this week at #2 on the Active Rock airplay chart, behind only The Foo Fighters. In addition, the track’s companion video – directed by M. Shawn Crahan – is an online sensation quickly approaching 10 million individual views at Slipknot’s official YouTube channel, www.youtube.com/watch?v=XEEasR7hVhA.

This past weekend saw Slipknot make their much-anticipated US live return at their own KNOTFEST, a monumental three-day metal and heavy music destination festival held at San Bernardino, California’s San Manuel Amphitheater & Campgrounds. Powered by Rockstar Energy Drink and curated by Slipknot themselves, KNOTFEST saw the band headlining the Main Stage on both Saturday and Sunday evenings, giving fans their first live taste of new songs off .5: The Gray Chapter and a first look at their jaw-dropping new stage set, pyrotechnics and live show, which is now touring the world. A live webcast of both of the band’s sets drew over 3 million viewers. KNOTFEST hits Japan November 15 and 16.

In other news, last week saw Slipknot frontman Corey Taylor celebrate the arrival of .5: The Gray Chapter with an appearance on the Emmy®-nominated web series, Larry King Now. The one-on-one interview – which saw Taylor and King discuss the evolution of Slipknot as well as the process behind creating their new album – can be streamed now at www.ora.tv/larrykingnow and http://www.hulu.com/larry-king-now.

Slipknot emerged at the tail end of the Twentieth Century and quickly established itself as the most enigmatic, provocative, and aggressive collective of the modern era. 1999’s SLIPKNOT stands as a true milestone, named by Metal Hammer as the “Best Debut of the Last 25 Years.” The album fast earned 2x RIAA platinum certification, with each of Slipknot’s following releases – including 4 video albums – all receiving additional platinum certifications in the US and around the globe. All told, the band has 11 platinum and 38 gold record certifications worldwide.

For more, please log on to www.slipknot1.com, www.facebook.com/slipknot, twitter.com/slipknot (@slipknot), instagram.com/slipknot, www.youtube.com/slipknot, and www.roadrunnerrecords.com.

(TOUR ITINERARY ATTACHED)

SLIPKNOT

PREPARE FOR HELL TOUR: NORTH AMERICA 2014

W/Special Guests KORN and KING 810

OCTOBER

29 El Paso, TX El Paso County Coliseum

31 Dallas, TX Gexa Energy Pavilion

NOVEMBER

1 Corpus Christi, TX American Bank Center

2 San Antonio, TX AT&T Center

4 Little Rock, AR Verizon Arena

5 Oklahoma City, OK Chesapeake Energy Arena