They are one of the most successful and popular bands in the metal genre, and their concerts have given them a reputation matched by few other bands as an absolute must-see live.
Ironically, the masks have gone on to become one of Slipknot's defining traits, with a large aspect of each album era being how the mask of each member changes in appearance, reflecting their change as a person. The members were presented as products, with masks instead of pretty faces, coveralls instead of trendy fashion, and numbers instead of names. These elements were designed as a way to emphasize the importance of the band's music as opposed to their identities and a response to the commercial practices of the music industry at the time. The band is also known for their distinct image, with members wearing individual masks and matching jumpsuits, and also going by a number from 0 to 8. 3 onwards showing explicit influence from alternative metal and rock. While they had always incorporated melodies into their music, notably through Taylor singing instead of screaming or rapping, their early style gave way to more experimentation firmly based in melody, with all of their output from Vol. The band's sound began as a mix of nu metal with shades of industrial metal and experimental music, with the darkness being complemented by the band's energy and lead vocalist Corey Taylor's catchy songwriting. Formed in 1995, the band went through small lineup changes before settling on the 9-man roster that would stick for over a decade.
Slipknot is a metal band from Des Moines, Iowa known for their image, eight members (formerly nine), and chaotic live performances.