Hope isn’t gone for Slipknot fans

Des Moines, Iowa, band Slipknot has turned plenty of heads since arriving on the metal scene in 1999. The band’s self-titled debut went platinum, largely due to the success of the song “Wait and Bleed.” The band is notorious for donning a multitude of masks on stage, which has arguably helped them garner some fame. All Hope Is Gone is the band’s fourth studio album and first since 2004’s release of Vol. 3 (The Subliminal Verses).

The first single and probably the heaviest track on the album is the title track “All Hope Is Gone.” Fans of the band’s previous work are sure to enjoy this smashing, in-your-face number. Joey Jordison’s drums sound like a machine gun playing at a frenetic pace driven by his double bass pedal.

Lead singer Corey Taylor howls through the verses with an extreme level of vigor. The guitar work on this piece is fresh and very heavy. This number is sure to be a big mosh song at their concerts.

The heavy, but infectious “Psychosocial” is sure to be noticed this year on rock radio, and could become a personal favorite of Slipknot fans. The gritty piece starts off with grinding riffs and pissed-at-the-world vocals, before Taylor’s voice belts out a melodic chorus that is somewhat redolent of the aforementioned “Wait and Bleed,” as well as their other previous hit “Left Behind.”

Just as he did in Stone Sour, Taylor once again shows that he can do more with his voice than sound like Satan rising from hell to scream at the world. Although the verses and bridge are a force to be reckoned with, the sincere melody of the chorus carries the song to a new level.

The band explores their softer side with “Snuff,” a slower heartfelt ballad near the end of the disc. A few tracks on the release sound similar (“Dead Memories” and “Vendetta”) while others seem to just fail to deliver (“Butcher’s Hook”).

All Hope Is Lost shows Slipknot staying fairly close to what they’ve done on their last few albums. For many of their fans, this is likely a good thing. All things considered, this release will likely match the success of their previous releases.