Anders Colsefni harnesses the raw Slipknot energy
THE 12-DATE ANTIPODEAN Numetal Mayhem tour promises ANDERS COLSEFNI, Slipknot’s original vocalist/co-founder, will perform Mate. Feed. Kill. Repeat. – the band’s self-distributed debut record, released on Halloween in 1996 – from start to finish. Then, ex-Mushroomhead vocalist Waylon Reavis will play some classic tracks from his former band alongside hits from his current band, A Killer’s Confession.
Anders has dedicated these performances to his “fallen brothers”, late Slipknot members Joey Jordison and Paul Gray, and experiencing this set of songs live for the first time in 27 years is a thrilling prospect. As industrial clangs, hisses and werewolf howls set the scene, Anders’ masked-up backing band, dubbed The Feeders, promenade through the audience resembling a Halloween parade before launching into Mate. Feed. Kill. Repeat.’s opener, Slipknot. After shoving his way through the crowd to join the onstage action, Anders – his face stretched, distorted and gaffer-taped in place – immediately sparks mayhem by pummelling his stand-up kit, spewing forth blood-curdling yowls, clean singing and rapping as required.
Limber bass lines consistently bring the funk, particularly during Do Nothing/Bitchslap, with its ever-changing rhythms. Tattered & Torn’s metallic, carnivalesque riffs exhilarate as fog-machine smoke rolls ominously across this venue’s low ceiling. During the trancey, tribal closer Killers Are Quiet, Anders touches as many adoring outstretched hands as possible and is clearly feeling sentimental: “I love you guys, fuck yeah! You’re my family.”
Waylon Reavis triggers a nostalgic rush
MARTIN PHILBEY