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List Price: $24.98 | | Label: Roadrunner Records
Salesrank: 9644
Released: August 26, 2008 |
| Our Price: $13.82 |
| Used Price: $11.84 |
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| Media: Audio CD |
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Editorial Review:
Special Edition includes bonus tracks and a DVD featuring the making of All Hope Is Gone. After over 5 million albums sold in the US, Slipknot returns with their most powerful
statement yet - All Hope Is Gone. Filled with the fury people have come to expect from
Slipknot as well as some extraordinary surprises, this album is the culmination of the
band' s 9 unique members, three platinum albums and their 10 year journey at the top
of the Hard Rock genre. Kicked off by the powerful crescendo that is Execute and
Gematria (The Killing Name) and ending with the blistering track All Hope Is Gone
- the album is a cohesive statement about the world today and truly cements the
band as one of Rock' s heavyweights. The lead single Psychosocial will propel the new
album to match and exceed the success of the last album, Vol 3: Subliminal Verses
which produced numerous Top 20 songs at Rock radio including a Top 5 track at Active and
Modern Rock radio.
All Hope Is Gone (Special Edition CD/DVD) Reviews:
Incredible! 
2009-11-18 - For a band with only that is still relatively young, there sure is a lot of history behind the name Slipknot. This Des Moines, Iowa-based eight-piece released a first full-length in 1999, and this very angsty and aggressive eponymous debut was soon successful (it would go on two become certified Double Platinum in the U.S. and spawn two hit singles), so they quickly followed it up with an even more brutal affair in 2001. But the plan backfired because "Iowa" was not more successful than the debut -- in fact, it was substantially less. (It only sold about half as many units, and met with a fairly mixed critical response.) On top of this, at the time, frontman Corey Taylor was actively trying to fight off alcoholism, and several of his peers were battling drug addiction. So, Slipknot decided to take an important hiatus. Then, after spending a disappointingly long time to time to rest, soul-search, dabble with side-project (i.e. Stone Sour, The Murderdolls, To My Surprise), and revamp/think of new ideas, they finally mounted a comeback with "Vol. 3 (The Subliminal Verses)" three years later. Unfortunately, many "maggots" (a.k.a. devout followers) felt disgusted and even betrayed by the 2004 offering since it was not nearly as brutal as anything they had heard before. Some also think of it as being a somewhat phoned-in effort, with its almost blatant attempt at pop appeal with the inclusion of acoustic guitars, slower tempos, more tuneful vocals (including good cop/bad cop parts), less profanity, and even the occasional ballad (!). But on the other hand, many listeners loved the new record, and couldn't get enough of it. In addition, the album opened many new doors by converting an unquantifiable number of non-fans, and shifting over a million copies in just one year's time. Indeed, if nothing else, everyone can at least agree that "Vol. 3" acted as was the divider in a complete polarization of the group's fan base.
And now, Slipknot again find themselves at a crossroads. The boys have heard all of the positive and negative feedback from last time, and they have once again taken a break away from music, management, and each other. And when considering this hiatus was even longer, it shouldn't be surprising to hear rumors galore about the band splitting-up any day now. One can't help but wonder that if that really is the case, what will this final release sound like? Which side of the fence will it be on -- go back the sheer heaviness of the early days, or continue down the newer material's more commercially accessible path? Well, a good band would find it too easy to go the heavy-way and dig up only moderately challenging material from several years ago; and a good band would find it too predictable to just cash-in on the success of a recent release. So, Slipknot do not do either one. True, at first glance, "All Hope Is Gone" appears to continue down the path of the latter of the two, since it begins with some pretty heavy stuff and eventually segues into more docile territory. However, do not be mislead -- there is a whole lot more to this record than what one might initially think. See, the more it plays, the more it becomes apparent that more than a few delicious curveballs are wisely thrown into the mix. (All of which are well-placed, too, and none of which will anybody ever see coming.) The result is a very unique and memorable contrast. Plus, even the old-school-esque tunes do not sound dated because an inescapable sense of urgency and new life has been breathed into them. (Much of this hour-long playing-time is living proof that Corey and the gang are still as mosh-pit-friendly as ever.) Thus, "AHOG" never sounds even remotely monotonous, half-baked, or like a plain rehash of past glories. It is simultaneously comfortable and unpredictable, brutal and beautiful, complex and catchy, epic and always over-too-soon.
".execute." kicks things off with a bunch of loud, static-y, cluttered-sounding white noise, and no, there isn't much more to this track (which becomes almost cacophonous by its end) than that, but it is the perfect lead-in to song number two. "Gematria (The Killing Name)" is a brutal, blistering, and wholly engaging riff-fest filled with frothing intensity, excellent, inventive, razor-sharp thrash riffage, dizzying, jackhammer percussion, tight, punishing rhythms, great, deep grooves, huge breakdowns, and a good guitar solo duel. Suffice it to say, it is a dark, dense, and Slayer-worthy death-tinged thrasher, and one heckuva opening punch. "Sulfur" begins on a surprisingly slow, and dare-I-say-doomy note, with foreboding feedback and drum patterns, and some of turntablist Sid Wilson's fluid scratching. Things suddenly get kicked up a notch whenever booming power chords and Joey Jordison's slamming thrash beats enter the fray, but with verses that consist of somewhat restrained tempos and gnawing guitars, and choruses that are soaring and soulfully-sung, "Sulfur" manages to be equally fast, slow, heavy, and melodic.
With definite industrial metal leanings, electronic undertones, and a rhythmic, stomping rhythm reminiscent of vintage Rammstein, "Psychosocial" is clearly the first curveball to be found here. Really emotional vocals, lyrics that won't soon be forgotten, smart, stop-start time signatures, diverse drum fills, and crunching bass lines abound here, too. The chorus is also killer, and comes in two parts: Open, sing-songy sections, and a nasty, visceral, hardcore-style shout-along. "Dead Memories" is obviously the album's lead single, thanks to its use of galloping, dance-floor-ready beats, and ginormous, catchy choruses that are filled with soaring melodies, and heavenly harmonies. A few good, blazing guitar solos crop up here, as well. Back on the bludgeoning side, "Vendetta" is highlighted by with an excellent, Kataklysm-style drum solo, and a deluge of mind-boggling drumming (including tons of thunderous and hyperfast blast beats), brutal riffs, blood-pumping tempos, and rabid vocals. The song is extreme enough to bring Morbid Angel to mind, but there are just enough solid melodies and groove-oriented breakdowns present to break up its samey-soundingness and make sure things never get too out-of-control. Following that, "Butcher's Hook" features another deft and bouncy (if brief) drum intro, and visceral bellows not unlike Hatebreed's Jamey Jasta.
"Gehenma" is a highly intelligent and experimental piece with numerous unexpected peaks, valleys, twists, breaks, and tempo-changes. Sometimes it opts for a doomy sound with heavy, sludgy guitars, and sometimes it opts to lean more towards the industrial metal line. It does not need any specific song-structure and is not a snug fit for any one genre, but at least the listener can always count on it retaining plenty of hummable groove and melodic hooks. Meanwhile, Taylor splits his time between ominous, spoken-word vocals, accomplished, upper-register singing, and nasty, blood-curdling growls, and some nice guitar melodies also help to make the arrangements even more dynamic (and they do so without sounding watered down). Although not quite as epic in scope, "This Cold Black" is similarly commendable for its breadth and terrifically slow-burning tone. Following a creepy intro composed of minimalistic noise, doomy atmospheres, and humming bass notes, it slowly but surely gains momentum over the next four-plus minutes, and ultimately snowballs into a pulsating attack of fiery, machine-gun riffing, pounding drums, and being capped off with couple of ripping solos.
The strong, cast-iron guitar licks, impeccable trapkit battery, and lumbering, Meshuggah-inspired rhythms behind "Wherein Lies Continue" more or less pick up where its predecessor left off. It is also noteworthy for offsetting dissonant music with wailing clean backing vocals, and to excellent effect. "Snuff" comes next, and many people may be quick to write this song off, but they would be foolish to do so. Yes, it is a predictable, token ballad, and the kind that is frequently heard on modern rock radio. That doesn't mean it isn't a big standout track, though, quite possibly the highpoint of the album, and one of the best things in Slipknot's whole discography. This " gorgeous, ambient, sweet (though not sappy), and insanely infectious acoustic strummer is saturated with strong hooks, siren-like harmonies, very impressive singing, and poetic lyrics. Finally, back on familiar ground once gain, the title song is very ripping cut of almost pure thrash, and is backed by buzzsaw picking, a blazing solo, catchy DJ scratches, and precise drumming.
True, some "maggots" probably won't be content with another new release unless it's, well, a re-issue of anything from the "Mate Feed Kill Repeat" (a 1996 EP) -- "Iowa" era. But let's be honest here: This is improvement. Absolutely nobody can call this band just bunch of guys dressed up in masks and red jumpsuits anymore. They have mastered the art of texture, mature songwriting, expansive vocals, and technical musicianship. In fact, they are truly firing-on-all-cylinders, and without question, have never sounded as strong as they do now. Plus, this album just might grow on you and/or reveal something new with additional listens. (All of which are reasons to hold out, uh, "hope" for the future, even amidst the aforementioned supposed break-up rumors.) Intense, original, intricate, rewarding, well-rounded, enthralling (seriously, it's like the audio equivalent of roller coaster!), and positively brilliant, "All Hope Is Gone" is Slipknot's masterpiece.
Good Modern Metal 
2009-10-09 - I'm not a huge Slipknot fan or a fan of nu-metal per se (whatever that is) but I have generally liked a few tracks on each of Slipknot's past albums, usually the more mellow ones. This album is easily their most accessible to date and I really dig most of it. SNUFF is the stand-out ballad and worth the price alone. As a fan of more traditional metal styles, I can say this is a good modern metal record for those who don't necessarily dig new stuff. I'm sure all the kids already own it!
Slipknot slips again 
2009-08-31 - I love the hard stuff and Slipknot can always be counted on to bring the pain. About half the songs on here are really hard, some even remind me of the first album. Some of the other songs on here don't belong on here and should probably be on Corey's other band Stone Sour albums. If you are looking for something hard that makes you want to destroy the world, then get Slipknot's first two albums. Sickness.
All Hope is Gone
2009-08-28 - I love Slipknot, but I'm very, horribly, angry they canceled their shows for Aug/Sep.
Not a great album, but it's not bad either.
Love it. Could be the best one yet.
2009-08-17 - Love it. It all builds off of their earlier work, but they've taken it to another level. This one and the first one are the two best SK albums in my opinion.
If you have the other ones and you like most of them you'll like this one too.
