For the first time since 2020’s “The End, So Far,” Slipknot are deep into writing a new album — and guitarist Jim Root just confirmed real details for the first time. Speaking on the Ride Bynd podcast, Root revealed the band is working with producer Matt Wallace, best known for his work with Faith No More, with roughly 50 song arrangements already taking shape. It’s the band’s first new material written around drummer Eloy Casagrande, and according to Root, it doesn’t sound like anything Slipknot has done before.
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Scott Penfold gives his honest take on today’s episode: why Eloy Casagrande might be the single biggest creative shot in the arm Slipknot has gotten in a decade, and what “sounds like nothing I’ve ever heard before” actually means coming from a guy who’s written riffs for this band for 25 years. Download the free Loaded Radio App on Apple iOS and Google Play to stream it live.
How Slipknot Is Actually Writing This Record
Loaded Radio has been tracking this album cycle since March, when Root first confirmed the band had paused touring entirely to focus on writing — six arrangements in hand at the time, with a stated goal of 20 to 25 before pre-production. That number has since roughly doubled. Root described the actual writing process as close to a garage-band jam session: two-hour sessions that yield three or four usable song ideas, with percussionist Clown arranging the raw material into finished structures. “It’s so organic and it’s so real,” Root said. “It’s almost frightening.”
Why Eloy Casagrande Changes Everything
The through-line in everything Root says about this album is Eloy Casagrande. The former Sepultura drummer officially joined Slipknot in April 2024, and this is the first full album written specifically around what he brings to the kit. Root’s praise for him borders on reverent: he compared Casagrande’s discipline to a martial arts master, and said his range of influences — from deep technical drumming to Police drummer Stewart Copeland-style feel — keeps pushing the material somewhere new. “I’m learning shit from him, too,” Root admitted.
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What It Actually Sounds Like
Slipknot spent much of the last two years leaning into nostalgia, touring behind the 25th anniversary of their 1999 self-titled debut. Root was direct about the new material not following that same path: “The new shit we’re writing does not sound like that at all. We’re not de-evolving into that sort of thing.” Instead, he described a record pulling in multiple directions at once — some of the fastest, most technical riffing he’s written, alongside genuinely melodic, almost Pink Floyd-adjacent clean passages. “This is the closest I’ve heard to the music that I can hear in my head that I can’t get out that I’ve ever been,” Root said. “And it’s exciting.”
The Lineup Question Nobody’s Answered Yet
One thing conspicuously unresolved: Slipknot still hasn’t officially named a permanent replacement for former sampler and keyboardist Craig Jones, who departed in 2023. The role has been filled live by an unidentified masked member, with fan speculation pointing toward Jeff Karnowski, a past collaborator of Clown’s from his pre-Slipknot project Dirty Little Rabbits — but nothing’s been confirmed. Whether that member factors into the new album’s writing process remains an open question heading into this next era.
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TL;DR
- Jim Root confirmed Slipknot has roughly 50 song arrangements in progress for their next album
- Producer is Matt Wallace, known for his work with Faith No More
- It’s the first Slipknot album written specifically around drummer Eloy Casagrande
- Root says the new material doesn’t resemble the band’s 1999 self-titled era at all
- No album title, tracklist, or release date has been announced
- Slipknot’s touring schedule remains empty, with the band’s full focus on writing
FAQ
Who is producing the new Slipknot album?
Matt Wallace, best known for his production work with Faith No More, is producing the sessions according to guitarist Jim Root.
How much new music does Slipknot have written?
Jim Root says the band has roughly 50 song arrangements in some stage of development as of July 2026.
Is this Slipknot’s first album with Eloy Casagrande?
Yes. This will be the first full Slipknot album written and recorded with drummer Eloy Casagrande, who joined the band in April 2024.
Will the new Slipknot album sound like their 1999 debut?
No. Root explicitly said the new material doesn’t resemble that era, despite the band’s recent 25th-anniversary tour behind the self-titled album.
Has Slipknot confirmed who replaced Craig Jones?
No. The role has been filled live by an unidentified masked member, with fan speculation centered on Jeff Karnowski, but the band has not officially confirmed his identity.
Fifty arrangements and counting — what era of Slipknot are you hoping this new album channels? Let us know in the comments. Follow Loaded Radio for daily rock and metal news.
The post Jim Root Says New Slipknot Music Already Has 50 Arrangements In The Works — And It Sounds Like Nothing They’ve Made Before appeared first on Loaded Radio.
