Everyone has their "I remember when this band was...." story. I remember when Slipknot were starving metal musicians who used the masks as a way to scare people and instill fear in the establishment. Now you can see how silly that is as Slipknot is almost as mainstream as Marylin Manson or Disturbed. The need for the masks is superfluous. Just perform without them.

Slipknot could be something more than a freakshow. But they continue to use the masks. Bah, that is beside the point, let's talk about the new album.

Billboard.com recently did an interview with Corey Taylor and he had this to say about the new album, due in stores August 12.

"It's going to rip your face off," Taylor told Billboard.com. "I don't think the world will be ready for this album."

Man, if that is true, I am going to have to wear a mask. He continued:

Lyrically, "Instead of bitching about what went wrong in my life, I'm bitching about what's wrong in life, period," Taylor said, noting that his vocals are much more melodic than before. "I got to the point where I was tired of pretending that I couldn't sing every time I made a Slipknot album, so this time I'm going all out."

I can't wait for the new masks to be revealed for this tour. I think it will be ex-Presidents.