The Negative One

Last updated
"The Negative One"
Slipknot - The Negative One single cover.jpg
Single by Slipknot
from the album .5: The Gray Chapter
ReleasedAugust 1, 2014
Genre Nu metal [1]
Length5:27
Label Roadrunner
Songwriter(s)
Producer(s)
Slipknot singles chronology
"Snuff"
(2009)
"The Negative One"
(2014)
"The Devil in I"
(2014)
Music video
"The Negative One" on YouTube

"The Negative One" is a song by American heavy metal band Slipknot. Released on August 1, 2014, it was the band's first new song since the death of bassist Paul Gray in 2010 and the 2013 firing of drummer Joey Jordison. An accompanying music video premiered on Slipknot's official website on August 5, 2014; however, no band members were featured. [2] Vocalist Corey Taylor told BBC Radio 1 that he saw the song as more of a "gift to the fans" than a regular single though it was still released as a digital single on iTunes and many other digital music retailers. [3]

Contents

Reception

The song was nominated for the Grammy Award for Best Metal Performance in 2015. [4]

Background

Before the release of this single, on February 27, 2014, all of the band's social media outlets were blacked out with no reason given. [5] Later on, the band released small few second teasers for the new album each day, which turned out to be clips from the official video along with samples from the song. [6]

Musical style

"The Negative One" returns to a more aggressive and chaotic sound, similar to the sound of Iowa and the self-titled debut album. Among others, it contains double-bass attacks and stomping percussion strikes combined with fast riffs, shrieking samples, and continuous aggressive shouting and screaming by Corey Taylor. The drumming was compared to the style of Lamb of God's Chris Adler, which led some to the question if he was the new drummer for Slipknot, although Adler said the rumor was incorrect. [7]

Music video

The video was released on the band's official website via a private YouTube link after a countdown on their official site timed out on August 5. The next day, the video was made publicly available. Directed by Shawn Crahan, the music video features two women performing various acts along with props paying homage to some of Slipknot's earlier work. It does not feature any of the band members.

This was the band's first NSFW video on YouTube and must have an account with 18+ years of age to watch. The video was whitelisted when first released, but now the link is public. However, age verification is still required.

As of August 2024, the song has 29 million views on YouTube.

Track listing

Digital download
No.TitleLength
1."The Negative One"5:26
UK promotional single
No.TitleLength
1."The Negative One" (album version)5:27
2."The Negative One" (clean version)5:26

Personnel

Charts

Chart performance for "The Negative One"
Chart (2014)Peak
position
Australia (ARIA) [8] 76
Canada Digital Songs ( Billboard ) [9] 70
Scotland (OCC) [10] 51
UK Singles (OCC) [11] 71
UK Rock & Metal (OCC) [12] 1
US Hot Rock & Alternative Songs ( Billboard ) [13] 21
US Mainstream Rock ( Billboard ) [14] 33

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Slipknot (band)</span> American heavy metal band

Slipknot is an American heavy metal band formed in Des Moines, Iowa, in 1995 by percussionist Shawn Crahan, former vocalist Anders Colsefni and bassist Paul Gray. After several lineup changes in its early years, the band settled on nine members for more than a decade: Crahan, Gray, Joey Jordison, Craig Jones, Mick Thomson, Corey Taylor, Sid Wilson, Chris Fehn, and Jim Root. Slipknot is well known for its attention-grabbing image, aggressive style of music, and energetic and chaotic live shows.

<i>Iowa</i> (album) 2001 studio album by Slipknot

Iowa is the second studio album by American heavy metal band Slipknot. Produced by the band and Ross Robinson, it was released on August 28, 2001, by Roadrunner Records. The title derives from the band's home state, Iowa, which members have stated is one of their greatest sources of inspiration. With much anticipation for the album following the success of their 1999 self-titled debut, pressures on the band were high. Their relationships with each other suffered and this was later described as the darkest time of their career. It was also the first full album to feature guitarist Jim Root after only appearing on one song from their previous album. Despite troubles within the band and with Iowa's development, Slipknot promoted it for almost a year.

<i>Slipknot</i> (album) 1999 studio album by Slipknot

Slipknot is the debut studio album by American heavy metal band Slipknot. It was released on June 29, 1999, by Roadrunner Records, following a demo containing a few of the songs which had previously been released in 1998. Later, it was reissued in December 1999 with a slightly-altered track listing and mastering as the result of a lawsuit. It was the first release by the band to be produced by Ross Robinson, who sought to refine Slipknot's sound rather than alter the group's musical direction. This is the only album to feature original guitarist Josh Brainard who left at the end of recording in late 1998 while the band was taking a brief break. Jim Root, who recorded two tracks at this point, would appear full time on subsequent albums starting with their next album Iowa.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Corey Taylor</span> American musician

Corey Todd Taylor is an American musician, songwriter, author and actor. He is the lead vocalist of the heavy metal band Slipknot, in which he is designated #8, as well as the lead vocalist, guitarist, lyricist, and sole continuous member of the rock band Stone Sour.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Vended</span> American nu metal band

Vended is an American heavy metal band from Des Moines, Iowa, founded in 2018. The band features two members who are sons of members of Slipknot: singer Griffin Taylor is the son of Corey Taylor, and drummer Simon Crahan is the son of Shawn "Clown" Crahan. They are joined by bassist Jeremiah Pugh, and guitarists Cole Epseland and Connor Grodzicki. Vended released the EP What Is It//Kill It in 2021, as well as several stand-alone singles.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Shawn Crahan</span> American percussionist

Michael Shawn Crahan, more commonly known by his stage persona "Clown", is an American musician. He is the co-founder and one of the percussionists for heavy metal band Slipknot, in which he is designated #6. Crahan helped form Slipknot in 1995 alongside bassist Paul Gray and former vocalist Anders Colsefni. Crahan is the longest-serving and only remaining original member of Slipknot, and also has extensive involvement with Slipknot's media production and music videos. Outside Slipknot, Crahan had two side project bands called To My Surprise and Dirty Little Rabbits. Aside from his musical activity, he also directed the 2016 action thriller film Officer Downe.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Slipknot discography</span>

The American heavy metal band Slipknot has released seven studio albums, three live albums, two compilation albums, one demo album, one EP, twenty-eight singles, five video albums and thirty-three music videos. Formed in Des Moines, Iowa in 1995, Slipknot originally featured vocalist and percussionist Anders Colsefni, guitarists Donnie Steele and Josh "Gnar" Brainard, bassist Paul Gray, drummer Joey Jordison, and percussionist and backing vocalist Shawn "Clown" Crahan. The original lineup released its first album Mate. Feed. Kill. Repeat. in 1996, before undergoing a number of lineup changes over the next few years.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Spit It Out (Slipknot song)</span> 2000 single by Slipknot

"Spit It Out" is a song by American heavy metal band Slipknot, released as the second and final single from the band's 1999 self-titled debut album.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Psychosocial (song)</span> 2008 song by Slipknot

"Psychosocial" is a song by American heavy metal band Slipknot. Released as the second single from the band's fourth studio album, All Hope Is Gone (2008). The song entered airplay on June 26, 2008 and was originally planned for release as a digital single on July 1 but was delayed and released on July 7. Slipknot performed "Psychosocial" live for the first time on July 9, 2008, at the White River Amphitheatre in Auburn, Washington. In 2008, the song was featured on the soundtrack to Marvel's Punisher: War Zone.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Snuff (song)</span> 2009 single by Slipknot

"Snuff" is a song by American heavy metal band Slipknot. Released on September 28, 2009, as the fifth and final single from their fourth album, All Hope Is Gone, the song charted at number two on the Billboard Hot Mainstream Rock Tracks chart, their highest chart placement to date, surpassing "Dead Memories".

<span class="mw-page-title-main">The Devil in I</span> 2014 single by Slipknot

"The Devil in I" is a song by American heavy metal band Slipknot. Released as a single from the band's fifth album, .5: The Gray Chapter (2014). It is the second single for the album and the first to be released to radio and music channels, with the previous single "The Negative One" being a digital only single.

<i>.5: The Gray Chapter</i> 2014 studio album by Slipknot

.5: The Gray Chapter is the fifth studio album by American heavy metal band Slipknot, released on October 17, 2014, by Roadrunner Records. It was the first studio album by the band in six years and the first not to feature original founding members bassist Paul Gray and drummer Joey Jordison due to the death of Gray in 2010, and Jordison being fired from the band in late 2013, as well as the only Slipknot album to feature original guitarist Donnie Steele on bass, although the tracks he played on are unknown, and the first Slipknot album to have Alessandro Venturella on bass and Jay Weinberg on drums. The album includes six singles and has received commercial success and acclaiming reviews. A standard and deluxe edition of the album was released. It is also the band's final studio album to feature their longtime percussionist Chris Fehn before his dismissal from the band due to a lawsuit in March 2019.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Killpop</span> 2015 single by Slipknot

"Killpop" is a single by American heavy metal band Slipknot for their fifth major label studio album .5: The Gray Chapter.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Left Behind (Slipknot song)</span> 2001 single by Slipknot

"Left Behind" is a song by American heavy metal band Slipknot. Released as the lead single from the band's second album, Iowa (2001) on October 29, 2001. It was produced by Ross Robinson. The single reached number 30 on the Billboard Mainstream Rock chart, number 24 on the UK Singles Chart and number 5 on the UK Rock & Metal Singles Chart. It was also nominated for the Grammy Award for Best Metal Performance in 2002.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">All Out Life</span> 2018 single by Slipknot

"All Out Life" is a song by American heavy metal band Slipknot, released as an independent single on October 31, 2018, by Roadrunner Records. It was the band's first single in nearly three years, following "Goodbye". It is the final release to feature longtime percussionist and backing vocalist Chris Fehn before his dismissal from the band in March the following year.

<i>We Are Not Your Kind</i> 2019 studio album by Slipknot

We Are Not Your Kind is the sixth studio album by American heavy metal band Slipknot. Recorded at EastWest Studios in Hollywood, California with co-producer Greg Fidelman, it was released on August 9, 2019, by Roadrunner Records. The title is taken from a lyric in the song "All Out Life", which was released as a standalone single in 2018 and features as a bonus track on the Japanese edition of the album. We Are Not Your Kind is the only Slipknot album to be recorded as an eight-member band, as their former percussionist Chris Fehn was fired from the band in March 2019 after suing the group for alleged unpaid royalties.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Solway Firth (song)</span> 2019 single by Slipknot

"Solway Firth" is a song by American heavy metal band Slipknot. Produced by Greg Fidelman, it was released on July 22, 2019, as the second single from their sixth album, We Are Not Your Kind. The song's music video was directed by the band's percussionist Shawn "Clown" Crahan and features footage from the Amazon Prime Video series The Boys. The track peaked at number 8 on the US Billboard Hot Rock Songs chart and number 14 on the UK Rock & Metal Singles Chart.

Look Outside Your Window is an upcoming studio album recorded by four members of the American band Slipknot. The material was written and recorded concurrently with the sessions for the band's fourth studio album All Hope Is Gone (2008). However, its emphasis on experimentation and a more melodic rock style kept it classified as a separate body of work from Slipknot's aggressive heavy metal sound. The album was scheduled for release during the latter half of the band's We Are Not Your Kind touring cycle, which was delayed until 2021 due to the COVID-19 pandemic. After a three-year delay, vocalist Corey Taylor announced in August 2023 the album will likely be released in 2024.

<i>The End, So Far</i> 2022 studio album by Slipknot

The End, So Far is the seventh studio album by American heavy metal band Slipknot. It was released on September 30, 2022, through Roadrunner Records. This is the band's final album to be released through Roadrunner, whom the band signed with in 1998. It is the first studio album to feature percussionist Michael Pfaff, who joined the band in 2019 and is their final studio album to feature sampler and keyboardist Craig Jones and drummer Jay Weinberg before their respective departures in June and November 2023.

<i>Adderall</i> (EP) 2023 EP by Slipknot

Adderall is a song by the by American heavy metal band Slipknot from their 7th studio album The End, So Far (2022), as well as being released as the band's first extended play (EP) on June 9, 2023, by Roadrunner Records. The EP features six variations on the song.

References

  1. ".5: The Gray Chapter by Slipknot". MetalStorm.
  2. Daisy Wyatt (2014-03-19). "Slipknot unveil first new song in six years 'The Negative One' – News – Music" . The Independent. Archived from the original on 2022-06-18. Retrieved 2014-08-07.
  3. "Slipknot To Film Video For New Single 'The Devil In I'". Blabbermouth.net. 2014-08-05. Retrieved 2014-08-07.
  4. "SLIPKNOT, ANTHRAX, MASTODON, MOTÖRHEAD Among GRAMMY AWARDS Nominees". MTV. 2014-12-05. Retrieved 2014-12-06.
  5. "Slipknot baffle fans with blackout | General News". Hollywood.com. 2014-02-28. Retrieved 2014-08-07.
  6. "Slipknot Continue Album Tease With Cryptic Written Message". Loudwire.com. 2014-07-31. Retrieved 2014-08-07.
  7. "Lamb of God's Chris Adler Addresses Rumors That He Played on Slipknot's 'The Negative One'". Loudwire. 13 August 2014. Retrieved 9 September 2014.
  8. "Taylor Swift Shake It Off Tops ARIA Singles". Noise11. August 30, 2014. Retrieved November 6, 2023.
  9. "Slipknot Chart History (Canada Digital Song Sales)". Billboard . Retrieved February 26, 2022.
  10. "Official Scottish Singles Sales Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. August 10, 2014. Retrieved February 26, 2022.
  11. "Official Singles Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. August 10, 2014. Retrieved February 26, 2022.
  12. "Official Rock & Metal Singles Chart Top 40". Official Charts Company. August 10, 2014. Retrieved February 26, 2022.
  13. "Slipknot Chart History (Hot Rock & Alternative Songs)". Billboard . Retrieved February 26, 2022.
  14. "Slipknot Chart History (Mainstream Rock Airplay)". Billboard . Retrieved February 26, 2022.