It's a vibe thing. For me, Not Long For This World sounds bigger, more like a conclusion; I would have swapped the two but that may just be a personal thing. Solway Firth feels to me like it's supposed to have an epilogue. This is part of what I mean when I say Gray Chapter feels better structured as an album (If Rain is What You Want follows on perfectly from Negative One and clearly ends the album) even if overall WAYNK definitely has the stronger songs.
lol my biggest problem with the gray chapter is its sequencing, record is exhausting to get through and is real soft in the middle
"solway firth" is just a big fuckin victory lap that also restates the themes of the record, it makes you want to start the album all over again
Yea having properly gone through this a second time with good speakers, very very happy. And Solway Firth is absolutely a fantastic way to end the album, good on them for making it the closer.
there's some cool stuff sequencing-wise on Gray Chapter, like "Goodbye" into "Nomadic" is super sweet for example, but yeah that album is absolutely a slog overall. WANYK feels like their shortest album even though it isn't
Never thought an album released two-decades in would be a gateway album for me, but WANYK has done that for me - right from the Kimmel performance to pretty much playing this on repeat all week. Was never a fan of Slipknot, but I am now. Spiders is a real grower - kind of reminds me of RX Bandits and Brand New a bit. Strange music week for me too, since I’ve bounced between WANYK and the new Clairo - couldn’t be any more different, but both have that “I want to start it all over again!” as soon as I reach the last track.
yeah starting to think this is their best album now, lmao. I used to stan hard for Vol. 3, still think it's a fantastic move into accessibility that maintained experimentation, but the mastering and some of Corey's harshes and some of the tracklist drags that one down. I can't really think of anything at all I'd change about WANYK (except give us all those b-sides, pls Clown) also I've listened to more Slipknot over the past week than I have in 10+ years, it's crazy how revitalised they feel now
ok so after many many listens... this is my top five, without question: 1. Not Long for This World 2. A Liar's Funeral 3. Solway Firth 4. Spiders 5. Nero Forte
Only thing about this I would nitpick really is I prefer Corey's more savage, guttural vocals ala Iowa and that's partly what makes that album my favorite but it's also been 18 years since that album and he still sounds great here so that's really just a silly nitpick on my part
I'd say we're pretty close on this, lol. just gonna rank em all cos fuck it that's where I am: A Liar's Funeral Orphan Solway Firth What's Next/Spiders Not Long For This World Insert Coin/Unsainted My Pain Red Flag Nero Forte Critical Darling Birth of the Cruel (Death Because of Death I guess)
The sign of a good album when there are lots of different opinions on best songs. This one has dominated my listening for the last week
Every time I listen I pick up a different performance. Currently it's the vocals. 45 years old and Corey's killing it more than he has for fifteen years.
The sludgy-ness of Spiders gives me QOTSA vibes, and I love it. They really did a great job with this