February 23, 2001 12:58

CHEERS OF A CLOWN

Lead member Shawn 'The Clown' Crahan also promises a two-year tour...

Photo Gallery: Slipknot

SLIPKNOT's new album is "heavier, faster, more insane and more in-depth" than their 1999 debut 'SLIPKNOT', according to lead member SHAWN 'THE CLOWN' CRAHAN.

The band are readying the album, being produced again by nu-metal wunderkind Ross Robinson, for a summer release. Crahan told www.rollingstone.com that they went to work on it a month ago after taking a three-month break.

"We needed that break," he said. "Beyond physical and spiritual repair, we needed to reflect on last year. It was pretty insane."

The nine-piece have also moved into a new purpose-built basement to write and rehearse the record.

"I was able to buy a house this year - a bigger place for my kids and everybody," explained Crahan. "And I went ahead and made a band room. We decked it out and got it really tight. We like it really tight, you know. We've got to get in there and have it on. We used to practice in a giant warehouse, and it just wasn't happening. Now we've got two heat vents in the practice room and it gets hotter than hell. It's good practice for us to always be miserable when we play. We wear masks and coveralls -there is no getting comfortable in this career. We want complete uncomfortableness."

The album has 13 songs so far, and, though it does have a title, Crahan was reluctant to reveal it.

"The title sets the whole vibe for what we're doing and I can't do that yet," he said. "I will say that it is the overall vision of Slipknot: what we're trying to do, where we're from, where we're at right now. It's going to require the maggots to step the fuck up and be a little artistic and visionary themselves."

He also said that on completion, Slipknot plan on touring the album for two years.