At this time we still have been no clue as to the identity of Slipknot’s and something I think many might have overlooked was the whole mask situation for the newcomers, at least I know it went over my head. Would they be getting their own or donning the masks of the members they’d be replacing? Vocalist Corey Taylor has filled in those blanks in an interview with Full Metal Jackie saying:
“We wanted to make something that still looked unified but still stayed with the spirit of what the band is all about. Instead of trying to find something that was individualistic, we designed — well, Clown designed a mask that the drummer and the bass player will both wear. On one hand they get a mask but at the same time, it’s not the individual mask that we in the band use.
We knew that any attempt to do anything like that might be taken as disrespectful, but at the same time it’s part of the way of moving, getting past the hardest steps, which is just moving on. So, we decided that we would come up with a mask that works for both the bassist and the drummer and that’s what they’ll wear on stage.”
I wonder if this might be a sort of initiation thing for the new members. This is the first time in at least 15 years since the band have had to replace anyone. Though I’m sure it would have been nice to let them design their own masks it seems like the band don’t see it that way. Maybe it’s something that they will earn in time after truly becoming a member in the band. It must be hard for the band to bring in new people after it being the same guys for so long. Hopefully those masks are really cool, we’ll know soon enough when they premiere the video for “The Devil In I”. .5: The Gray Chapter will be released October 21st through Roadrunner.