Slipknot’s covered-up faces are integral to their myth.
From fucked up, skin-peeling botched surgery to eerie, blank expressions, the masks of the Iowa ninesome have showcased some of the most horrifying imagery in modern metal – a visual accompaniment to their horror-first take on hard rock.
The brainwave of the ever-creepy Clown, the masks came about as the band prepared for their first show: Halloween night, 1995. After some reluctance, the group accepted Clown’s decision to wear the eerie, wide-grin mask and donned facial coverings of their own. Combining that headwear with featureless boiler-suits, an iconic image was born.
- Read more: A love letter to Slipknot’s Dicknose
The masks each member of Slipknot wears evolve with every album, usually getting more intricate (and gory), and are often thought of as an extension of their personalities. Now, with Corey Taylor teasing the next era of Slipknot – and seemingly working with horror SFX mastermind Tom Savini on his 2019 visage – we’ve charted a course through the various masks of Slipknot, to prepare for their long-awaited return this summer.
The post That Slipknot style – the evolution of the fright masks through the ages appeared first on NME.