9th August 2019: The Day Slipknot Came Back Harder Than Ever
On 9th August 2019, Slipknot released We Are Not Your Kind — their sixth studio album and, by almost any measure, their most critically acclaimed record since Iowa in 2001. Seven years on, it stands as proof that one of heavy metal's most important bands had not only survived the chaos of the preceding decade but emerged from it with something genuinely new to say.
The album debuted at No. 1 in the UK, the US, Australia, and Ireland. It was the band's third consecutive UK number one. Critics who had written off Slipknot as a nostalgia act were forced to reconsider. And for the Maggots — the band's fiercely loyal fanbase — it was confirmation of something they'd always known: Slipknot are not done.
The Context: What Slipknot Had Been Through
To understand why We Are Not Your Kind hit so hard, you have to understand what preceded it. The years between The Gray Chapter (2014) and WANYK were among the most turbulent in the band's history.
Bassist Paul Gray had died in 2010. Drummer Joey Jordison — one of the band's founding members and arguably the most technically gifted drummer in metal — had departed in 2013 under circumstances that remained murky for years (he later revealed he had been suffering from transverse myelitis, a neurological condition that had affected his ability to play). Jordison died in July 2021, adding another layer of grief to the band's story.
Against this backdrop, We Are Not Your Kind was not just an album. It was a statement of survival — a band that had lost two of its founding members, weathered years of internal tension, and still managed to produce something that felt vital, angry, and genuinely new.
The Sound: What Made We Are Not Your Kind Different
We Are Not Your Kind is Slipknot's most sonically adventurous album. Produced by Greg Fidelman (who had worked with Metallica and Black Sabbath), it pushed the band into territory they hadn't explored before — longer song structures, more atmospheric passages, unconventional time signatures, and a willingness to sit in discomfort rather than resolve it.
The album opens with Insert Coin, a brief ambient intro that gives way to Unsainted — the lead single, which features a children's choir alongside Corey Taylor's most melodically ambitious vocal performance in years. It was a bold, counterintuitive choice that paid off completely: Unsainted became one of the band's most-streamed songs and won a Grammy for Best Metal Performance.
Elsewhere, tracks like Nero Forte, Birth of the Cruel, and Critical Darling showed a band operating at the peak of their technical abilities. My Pain and Not Long for This World demonstrated a willingness to explore vulnerability and melody that earlier Slipknot records had kept at arm's length. And Solway Firth — the closing track — is one of the most devastating songs in the band's catalogue: a slow-building, nine-minute meditation on loss that ends the album on a note of genuine emotional weight.
The 20th Anniversary Connection: We Are Not Your Kind and the Self-Titled Legacy
The release of We Are Not Your Kind in 2019 coincided with the 20th anniversary of Slipknot's self-titled debut album — the record that introduced the world to nine masked musicians from Des Moines, Iowa, and changed heavy music forever. The band marked the anniversary with special merchandise and live performances, creating a moment that connected the band's past and present in a way that felt genuinely meaningful.
Two of the products in our range directly reference this anniversary — the 20th Anniversary Tattered & Torn T-shirt and the 20th Anniversary Don't Ever Judge Me T-shirt — making them particularly resonant pieces for fans who experienced both moments simultaneously.
Seven Years On: Why We Are Not Your Kind Still Matters
In 2026, We Are Not Your Kind sounds as good as it did on release — possibly better. Albums that are genuinely ahead of their time tend to reveal more of themselves with each listen, and WANYK is that kind of record.
Its influence on the wave of heavy music that followed it is audible. The willingness to combine extreme heaviness with genuine melodic ambition — to not choose between brutality and beauty — has become a template for a generation of bands. And Corey Taylor's vocal performance across the album remains one of the most technically impressive and emotionally honest in modern metal.
The album also marked a turning point in how Slipknot were perceived by the wider music press. The Grammy win for Unsainted was significant not just as an award but as a signal: this was a band that the mainstream could no longer dismiss as a novelty or a nostalgia act. They were, and remain, one of the most important bands in heavy music.
What Comes Next: The End So Far and Beyond
Slipknot followed We Are Not Your Kind with The End, So Far in 2022 — another UK number one, and another album that divided and delighted in equal measure. Its more experimental, atmospheric approach divided some fans but demonstrated that the band had no intention of retreating to safer ground.
With the band continuing to tour and the question of new music always present, the Slipknot story is far from over. We Are Not Your Kind remains the high-water mark of their recent output — the album that proved they still had something essential to say.
Read our full guide to The End, So Far: Slipknot – The End So Far (2022): A New Era Begins →
Shop Official Slipknot Merch UK
We stock a full range of official Slipknot merchandise at Wonderhaul — all officially licensed, fast UK delivery.
We Are Not Your Kind Merch
Slipknot: We Are Not Your Kind Masks Back Patch
A large woven back patch featuring the iconic WANYK masks artwork. The Slipknot We Are Not Your Kind Masks Back Patch is officially licensed — the definitive statement piece for fans of the album.
Slipknot: We Are Not Your Kind Stencil Standard Patch
The Slipknot WANYK Stencil Patch — officially licensed, woven, sew-on. Perfect for jackets, bags, or anywhere you want to fly the flag.
Slipknot: We Are Not Your Kind Embroidered Wristband
The Slipknot WANYK Embroidered Wristband — officially licensed, retail pack. A great accessory piece and ideal gift for any Slipknot fan.
Slipknot: We Are Not Your Kind Glitch Group Unisex T-Shirt (Black)
The Slipknot WANYK Glitch Group T-shirt — officially licensed, back print, one of the most striking designs in the WANYK range.
Slipknot: We Are Not Your Kind Group Photo Unisex T-Shirt (Black)
The full nine in WANYK-era masks. The Slipknot WANYK Group Photo T-shirt is officially licensed with back print.
Slipknot: We Are Not Your Kind Back Hit Unisex T-Shirt (Black)
Shop the Slipknot WANYK Back Hit T-shirt →
Slipknot: We Are Not Your Kind Red Patch Unisex T-Shirt (Black)
Shop the Slipknot WANYK Red Patch T-shirt →
Slipknot: We Are Not Your Kind Logo Unisex T-Shirt (Black)
Shop the Slipknot WANYK Logo T-shirt →
Slipknot: We Are Not Your Kind White Splatter Unisex T-Shirt (Black)
Shop the Slipknot WANYK White Splatter T-shirt →
Slipknot: We Are Not Your Kind Orange Unisex T-Shirt (Black)
Shop the Slipknot WANYK Orange T-shirt →
Slipknot: 20th Anniversary Tattered & Torn Unisex T-Shirt (Black)
Marking the 20th anniversary of the self-titled debut. The Slipknot 20th Anniversary Tattered & Torn T-shirt is officially licensed with a back print.
Slipknot: 20th Anniversary Don't Ever Judge Me Unisex T-Shirt (Red)
A bold red colourway with back and sleeve print. The Slipknot Don't Ever