After over a decade of missed release dates and speculation, the long-shelved ‘Slipknot‘ album “Look Outside Your Window” is finally a reality. While not an official entry in the Slipknot canon — it is being released under the Look Outside Your Window moniker — its ties to the Iowan masked metallers are undeniable. Recorded in a separate makeshift studio during the sessions for Slipknot‘s 2008 album “All Hope Is Gone“, this 10-song outing was a creative outlet for Slipknot‘s vocalist Corey Taylor, guitarist Jim Root, percussionist M. Shawn “Clown” Crahan and DJ Sid Wilson.
While officially scheduled for a release this Saturday, April 18th, as part of a Record Store Day promotion, copies of the vinyl release of the album have already made their way into the hands of fans, and thus the internet. Thus far tentative rumors have the album arriving via other formats in June, though there’s yet to be any official confirmation on that.
However, it’s clear that this experimental record largely falls outside the confines of what one would expect on a Slipknot record, instead traversing experimental and often melodic rock soundscapes. Crahan recently gave a new interview spelling out the history of the album, which has taken on a near mythological status among the band’s fans over the years.
Speaking with Rolling Stone, Crahan was first asked about the name of the band/album came about. His response can be found below:
“One night, we were sitting in the studio, and we looked out and saw some eyeshine on the tree in front of the window. It was pretty high up in the air, probably most definitely a raccoon looking in at us. But we started imagining cryptic mothmen, and Jim called the second song ‘Moth.’ By the end of it, Jim was walking away, and he said, ‘Always look outside your window.’ It just meant so much, and I just kept saying it over and over again. It just really solidifies who we were, what we were doing, the conversations we were having between writing and having to go down and contemplate [Slipknot], which is huge.”
Crahan was also asked what influenced the “vibe” of the music they created for the record:
“Well, Jim and I love particular music that’s not heavy. The alternative movement started when I was 19 or 20 years old, around college. So I was growing up with the greatest albums, like [Soundgarden’s] ‘Louder Than Love‘ or [The Smashing Pumpkins’] ‘Gish‘ or Pearl Jam’s first album, anything from Sub Pop. But then I’m an old punk rocker, too. I like Big Black/Steve Albini stuff. I like real aggressive stuff like Scratch Acid and Killdozer. And with Jim, we both love Radiohead. All this different stuff fed my moods.
So the mood you hear is Jim and I constantly wanting to make this music we love that makes us happy to hear. That music is a lot artier.”
When pointed out by Rolling Stone that the album features a lot of melancholy, Crahan replied:
“Yeah. The album doesn’t make me cry, but it hurts. There are a lot of things that make me stop and look at myself and my life. Some of our brothers are gone. So that album ended up being a real good timestamp on other emotions … because [in Slipknot] we’re just nine human beings deciding to share our time together.”
When asked if more material remains from those sessions, Crahan did confirm a few extra tracks exist, though they aren’t entirely complete:
“I could probably get another five songs [out of the sessions] but they wouldn’t be so complete as these. And Corey would have to sing all of them. There is one song that didn’t make it, but it was heavier, more like a Neurosis thing. I don’t know why it didn’t mix in; it felt a little out of place and intentional. Eventually, it’ll come out.
As for the constant delays and whether or not he feels this album final arriving closes a chapter for him, Crahan offered:
“Yes, it is definitely closing a chapter in that maybe it should have come out a long time ago, but Slipknot always stopped the forward motion of it because we’d be in an album cycle and releasing it would have disrupted both things. So I finally put my foot down, and everybody’s like, ‘It’s about time.’
I love this album so much. I know people are going to love it and I’ve accepted that it’s going to get confused [with Slipknot]. But it’ll also open up the next generation of ‘Look Outside Your Window‘.”
Crahan was also quizzed if he thinks the band will ever perform this material live, an idea which he revealed he was open to:
“We as a unit of four people, at least some of us, had always said that there would be no reason we couldn’t play this live. Someone would have to play bass if we were playing live; Jim’s not going to play bass and guitar at the same time. So what will be fun for me is getting a real intricate band together to give it to people if they ever actually request it. It could very well be one, two, three special shows. I’m going to wait until someone calls me and goes, ‘Today’s the day, we have a demand.'”
A product of its time, “Look Outside Your Window” features a pair of guest appearances from Lacuna Coil vocalist Cristina Scabbia, who was in a relationship with Root at the time of the sessions. You can find more about this record over at Rolling Stone.
