S.

Arcs and circles and shapes and colors , madness and adrenaline and intensity and war, nine men on a stage every night, every day, pushing the chaos so far past the limit all the onlookers can do is scream and hold on for dear fucking life. Searing guitars and spit flying, drums that pummel and shrieks of melody, man-made noises that chill the blood and eighteen eyes that glare, daring you to join them, knowing you can't , smiling like a slash of insanity across their faces, reaching for what is only out of arms length : immorality. The heat is thick, the air heavy and moist, yet the energy keeps flowing like a circuit between the audience and the band, through the band back to the audience, a palpable cycle you can almost touch if you could keep your hands from shaking and your body from losing complete control.
This is Slipknot .
This is live in the eye of the storm.
This is where the myths are made.
In a world where the mentality seems to be ''work less yet earn more'', we have done everything we can to work harder and earn what we deserve, much to the chagrin of our so-called peers, yet to the delight of our fans, known affectionately as the Maggots.
But, let's go back in time two years ago...
In July of 2003, Slipknot convened in a dilapidated mansion in Hollywood Hills.
By January of 2004, we emerged with 'Vol. 3:(The Subliminal Verses)', an album that when released, would re-establish us as the premiere band in the world. And in March of 2004, we set out to remind the world of that by doing what we do best: taking it to the people, live and in full contact.
Around the world we went, from America to Europe, back to America, back to Europe, to Canada, to Asia, to Australia, back to America, back to Europe, then to South America, and finally America once more. Playing places we had never been before, sometimes embraced, other times banned, we toured the farthest reaches of everywhere, playing for as many people as would have us, delivering show after show after show of complete and utter sonic and visual lunacy. Some of us experienced renewed love for our craft. Others went too far and became injured, but played through the pain. Still others had to deal with the outside world while taking care of Maggots; the people who have helped us get so very far, and still help us stay there.
There were shows that unfortunately had to be done a few members short(none of which appear on this album), but our mantra has always been 'it's better to play than to cancel', so play we did, even if it sometimes felt odd or uncomfortable. The show must go on. It meant too much to the people  who were there.
The album you are holding contains blips from the nearly two years of brutal touring the band waded through, rejoicing, suffering, destroying, but most importantly  reconnecting as a unit, a family, an unstoppable force that will never be reckoned with, never be duplicated, but always envied. This is a tribute to the fans who made every show different, every show special, or more importantly VITAL, and made the band play like we always do - like our lives depended on it.
So many people wanted this to fail. So many people said this was over. So many people hedged bets and offered no condolences, trying to step over what they through was a shell waiting to die. Well, from then to now, those same people have changed their tune, even slapped a few backs in praise, backpedaling wildly to save face. If they had any sense at all they would have realized long ago what every Maggot knew then, knows now and will forever believe: YOU CANNOT KILL WHAT YOU DID NOT CREATE.
This album is dedicated to the families, friends and people who have worked tirelessly to make this band what it is today. Most importantly, this album is dedicated to the millions of Slipknot fans around the world, from Sweden to Singapore, from LA and NY to PA and TX, from London and Paris to Wolverhampton and Versailles, from Perth across to Melbourne, from Tokyo to Kyoto, from high in the Northwest Territories to the lower part of Rio de Janeiro, from around the world and back, back to a basement, a basement that held nine men from nine different lives, nine different tastes but one all-encompassing goal, a basement in the middle of nowhere, from DES MOINES, IOWA.
Slipknot thanks you. Whether you like us or not, we thank you from the bottom of our hearts.It's been 10 years. Here's looking forward to 10 more.


                                                                                                                              -Slipknot.