The forthcoming “Long May You Die” was confirmed by the band on social media
After a dominate performance at Welcome to Rockville in Florida over the weekend, Slipknot are continuing to unleash excellent news to their fans. The band confirmed Wednesday that a new single is on the way. The forthcoming “Long May You Die” will be the band’s first piece of material with new drummer, Eloy Casagrande.
Fans have been speculating about the song, and Slipknot took to social media to confirm the rumors, captioning the photo: “Slipknot fans are talking amongst themselves about ‘Long May You Die’ being a new song written during the recent recording sessions.”
“Your right. You’re absolutely right,” Slipknot answered.
Slipknot have been very busy lately. A few weeks ago, they destroyed a barbecue joint in Souther California in front of 850 people, and headlined Sick New World in Las Vegas in front of a much larger crowd. This summer, the storied metal band are embarking on a full North American tour commemorating the release of their watershed debut album. After festival another appearance at Sonic Temple (Ohio), the headlining tour kicks off on August 6 at the Ruoff Music Center in Noblesville, Indiana. Very special guests for the trek will be Knocked Loose, along with Orbit Culture and VENDED on select dates.
Slipknot have also confirmed Knotfest Iowa. Set for September 21 in Des Moines, Iowa, this year’s event will be held at Waterworks Park, which is adjacent to downtown Des Moines where Slipknot played in 2000 on the legendary Tattoo the Earth tour. This year’s lineup boasts Rammstein frontman Till Lindemann as part of his first-ever North American solo tour, Knocked Loose, hardcore legends Hatebreed, metalcore influencers Poison The Well, GWAR, Des Moines natives VENDED, in addition to Dying Wish, Zulu, Twin Temple, Holy Wars, Swollen Teeth and Spine & Dose.
Slipknot are approaching this 25th anniversary by making the conscious decision to connect to fans as closely as possible, in a similar way to how they encountered Slipknot all those years ago. “Every time I’ve walked on stage, it’s never been about how many people have been there because my culture, the maggots, always show up,” says founding member Shawn “clown” Crahan with a smile.
“But as we’ve grown as a band, we have had fewer and fewer of those intimate, personal moments, trading them for massive ones. So we’re gonna make it more personal on the anniversary, but how remains to be seen. Just get ready to have your face kicked in. Because we just do what we do, spread that maggot culture – that disease. And you’ve been infected.”
Slipknot are bigger than ever. Those who witnessed those early days could justifiably have thought the band would never last this long – most artists that debut with such a burning intensity and a complete disregard for the existing paradigm, cannot last. But Slipknot’s unapologetic ferocity spoke to an entire generation, and quicker than anyone outside the band expected, they were also speaking FOR that generation. Now generations in, Slipknot’s message, songs and art resonate even more powerfully. This is where it all began.
Knotfest Iowa will also debut a revamped Knotfest Museum celebrating Slipknot’s 25-year career. A staple at Knotfests all over the world, the ante is upped this year – the Museum Experience will feature a jaw-dropping collection of artifacts from the band’s history, making this a can’t miss opportunity for fans. Tickets are strictly limited.
Knotfest Iowa isn’t just a music festival; it’s a pilgrimage to the heart of where Slipknot’s legacy began. Since launching in 2012, the festival has surged into a fully immersive multi-stage event that offers unparalleled experiences across the globe including Mexico, Japan, United Kingdom, France, Finland, Australia and across South America. Additionally, Knotfest has since spun off into a successful entertainment media hub – Knotfest.com, which became a juggernaut of its own making, giving a platform to young freethinkers and like-minded artists. All of these achievements have helped Slipknot claim their rightful seat as pioneers and thought leaders, establishing them as a generational talent.
Slipknot’s performance last week at Pappy and Harriett’s in Pioneertown, California was the polar opposite of the band’s headlining gig in front of tens of thousands of people at Sick New World. It was a throwback in many ways: from playing an intimate venue like the ones they cut their teeth 25 years ago, to donning their original masks and signature red jumpsuits that made them metal sensations, it felt like being in a time capsule.
While many details of the show felt old, one thing was new – their drummer. While the band has not officially announced their new stickman since the departure of Jay Weinberg last November, internet sleuths have deduced that there’s a strong possibility that former Sepultura drummer Eloy Casagrande is now sitting behind the kit for Slipknot.
Slipknot kicked things off with “People = Shit” from their seminal sophomore effort, Iowa. From there, it was a barrage of career-spanning hits including “Before I Forget,” “Psychosocial,” “Custer,” “The Devil In I,” “Wait and Bleed,” “Vermilion,” and more. They kept it old school, pulling tracks from every album in their catalog except their latest, 2022’s The End, So Far. They played the most songs (five) from their iconic 1999 self-titled debut.
Released on June 29, 1999, Slipknot came out in the thick of a hard rock renaissance. Filled with hits like “Wait and Bleed,” “Spit It Out,” “Surfacing,” and more, the album peaked at No. 51 on the Billboard 200 and No. 3 on the UK’s Rock & Metal Albums chart. From the get-go, Slipknot announced their arrival by kicking the door down with the opening track, “(sic),” an absolutely brutal assault that would set the tone for a career extending over two decades, filled with chart-topping albums, sold out tours, and massive festival headlining slots.
“We loved what we did with the first record but we didn’t even know if there was gonna be anything after that,” recalls guitarist Jim Root. “We just wanted people to hear it. Selling out of records and shows, having successful tours– those are goals for any band. But the dream scenario in some ways, came true for us.”
Last June, the band released their Adderall EP. The collection features three versions of the single from their last album, The End, So Far. The record also contains three previously unreleased demos – “Red or Redder,” “Hard to Be Here,” and “Death March” which appears to be a slowed-down version of “Adderall” in reverse. The band also revealed a video for “Memories,” a rough demo of “Adderall.”
Subsequently, Slipknot parted ways with keyboardist Craig Jones. Jones had been a member of the band for nearly three decades. Slipknot confirmed the news on their official social media.
“To our fans, Slipknot is announcing that we have parted ways with Craig Jones,” the band said in a statement. “We wish jones all the best for the future.”
Jones joined Slipknot in 1996 after the departure of guitarist Donnie Steele. His time on guitar was short-lived, as he quickly moved to keyboards and sampling. Slipknot brought in Mick Thomson to take over guitar duties.
Last November, Slipknot dismissed long-time drummer Jay Weinberg in a shocking announcement.
“We would like to thank Jay Weinberg for his dedication and passion over the last ten years. No one can ever replace Joey Jordison’s original sound, style, or energy, but Jay honored Joey’s parts and contributed to the lat three albums and we, the band, and the fans appreciate it. But as ever, Slipknot is intent on evolving. The band has decided to make a creative decision, and to part ways with Jay. We wish Jay all the best and are very excited for what the future holds.”
Slipknot are returning to Europe and the UK next December for a headlining arena tour. The run begins on 5 December in Amsterdam, Netherlands, with stops in Germany, Switzerland, France, and more. Very special guests for the trek w