“The End, So Far” is the latest release from the metal band Slipknot since the original drummer Joey Jordison passed away about a year ago. 

The band has been around for 25 years and despite having the words “the end” in the title, the band said this is not the final album but a beginning of a new era.  

The album gets off to a start with the song called “Adderall,” which is very different from their usual sound. It seemed more of a calmer song compared to their others. The second song, “The Dying Song (Time To Sing),” switches back to more generic Slipknot style which does not really stand out much apart from its catchy chorus and music video.  

After that comes “The Chapeltown Rag” which has their signature aggressive style. The song is based off of a true story of a serial killer and how the publicity threw the case off track. The album then switches from a song about a killer to a dark ballad, “Yen.”  

I enjoy that Slipknot included an occasional ballad. I personally think they did better with “Vermillion Pt. 1 and 2” and “Snuff.” The recent ballad was alright but did not carry the same emotion as the songs mentioned off their other albums.  

After that comes “Hive Mind,” which really kicks into some of the old roots of Slipknot and has some killer drums and riffs. Then comes the song “Warranty” that seems like an experimental song from one of their earlier albums but has a great bridge.  

Following that is “Medicine For The Dead.” This song has an innovative sound with a constantly changing rhythm that flowed together with the mixing of vocals. After that comes “Acidic,” a song that has a blues sound to it and a great tension built by the vocals and great instrumentals throughout the song. The incredible guitar and bass add to the song’s vibes.  

Then comes “Heirloom,” a song with some solid drumming but it reminded me a lot of Stone Sour, the lead singer Corey Taylor’s other band. He is the lead vocalist and featured a great guitar solo. Then onto a faster and upbeat song “H377,” which has an earlier 2000s era of Slipknot to it.  

“De Sade” is a song that has melodic vibes but cuts to an intense song with some classic metal style guitar solos that really seal and separate the pacing of the song. Finally comes “Finale,” the concluding song to the album which has a majorly different style compared to their other songs as Slipknot uses some features seen in classic 80s band styles. Overall, the song is a great finale to the album and allowed Taylor to showcase softer, emotional vocals.  

I say the last half of the album is better than the first, but I suggest you should find out which is your favorite and give it a listen.  

If you only listen to one song, I’d have to recommend my personal favorites “Medicine For The Dead,” “Acidic,” or “Finale.”