If you look at Slipknot's studio album discography, the wait between each album since the 1999 self-titled has been longer than the last. The extended break between 2008's All Hope Is Gone and 2014's .5: The Gray Chapter is understandable, considering the death of bassist Paul Gray, so I'm not entirely sure that wait was totally intentional.
Regardless! It doesn't look like we'll have to wait eight years between records this time around, considering guitarist Jim Root says he's already working on new material for a follow-up to .5: The Gray Chapter. According to an interview done by The Des Moines Register, Root is working on a new record, but for strange reasons.
“We haven’t been able to do two albums back to back since our first one and ‘Iowa‘. We’re at a point in our career where the band is on top of its game. If we take two years or however long away, who knows if we could come back? Someone might decide they want to direct or write or other bands’ projects might take priority. I plan for the best and expect the worst. I started writing again today. Hopefully the songs will be on a new Slipknot record. If not, I’ll find something else to do with them.”
I wonder why he'd say he's afraid of people bailing to do other stuff? Is there some underlying tension with Corey Taylor being in Stone Sour? Maybe other guys are looking to move on as well? It's exciting to hear about a new record already, but the reason is a little unnerving.
