Slipknot is an American alternative metal band formed in Des Moines, Iowa, … Read Full Bio ↴Slipknot is an American alternative metal band formed in Des Moines, Iowa, in 1995 by percussionist Shawn Crahan, drummer Joey Jordison and bassist Paul Gray. After several lineup changes in its early years, the band settled on nine members for more than a decade: Crahan, Jordison, Gray, Craig Jones, Mick Thomson, Corey Taylor, Sid Wilson, Chris Fehn, and Jim Root. Gray died on May 24, 2010, and was replaced during 2011–2014 by guitarist Donnie Steele. Jordison was dismissed from the band on December 12, 2013. Steele left during the recording sessions for .5: The Gray Chapter. The band found replacements in Alessandro Venturella on bass and Jay Weinberg on drums. After the departure of Jordison, as of December 2013 the only founding member in the current lineup is percussionist Crahan. Fehn was also dismissed from the band in March 2019 prior to the writing of We Are Not Your Kind and was replaced by Michael Pfaff.

Slipknot is well known for its attention-grabbing image, aggressive style of music, and energetic and chaotic live shows. The band rapidly rose to fame following the release of their eponymous debut album in 1999. The 2001 follow-up album, Iowa, although darker in tone, made the band more popular. After a brief hiatus, Slipknot returned in 2004 with Vol. 3: The Subliminal Verses, before going on another hiatus and returning in 2008 with its fourth album, All Hope Is Gone, which debuted at number one on the US Billboard 200 chart. After another long hiatus, Slipknot released its fifth studio album, .5: The Gray Chapter, in 2014. Their sixth studio album, We Are Not Your Kind, was released on August 9, 2019. Their seventh studio album, The End, So Far, was released on September 30, 2022. The band has released two live albums titled 9.0: Live and Day of the Gusano: Live in Mexico, a compilation album titled Antennas to Hell, and five live DVDs. The band has sold 30 million records worldwide.

Full Wikipedia article: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Slipknot_(band)

Studio albums
Slipknot (1999)
Iowa (2001)
Vol. 3: The Subliminal Verses (2004)
All Hope Is Gone (2008)
.5: The Gray Chapter (2014)
We Are Not Your Kind (2019)
The End, So Far (2022)

Despise
Slipknot Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

DESPISE!!!

Maze... psychopathic daze... I create this waste,
Back away from tangents on the verge of drastic ways
Can't escape this place, I deny my face...
Sweat gets in my eyes... I shout at all I despise!!!

HANDS ON MY FACE OVERBEARING I CAN'T GET OUT

HANDS ON MY FACE OVERBEARING I CAN'T GET OUT

Lost... ran at my own cost... hearing laughter, scoffed
Searching from the rush, detatched from such and such
Bleak, standing on my feet, listening incomplete
I am not a dog, but I'm the one you dog

HANDS ON MY FACE OVERBEARING I CAN'T GET OUT
HANDS ON MY FACE OVERBEARING I CAN'T GET OUT

NEVER EVER serated, I won't allow it
NEVER EVER serated, I won't allow it
NEVER EVER serated, I won't allow it
NEVER EVER serated, DESPISE!

My state of mind gets so one sided
My state of mind gets so one sided
My state of mind gets so one sided
My state of mind gets so one sided

DESPISE!!!
DESPISE!!!
DESPISE!!!
DESPISE!!!

Cut me-show me-enter-I am-
Willing and able and never any danger to myself
Knowledge in my pain, knowledge in my pain, or was my
Tolerance a phase?
Empathy, out of my way
I CANT DIE!!!
I CANT DIE!!!
I CANT DIE!!!
I CANT DIE!!!

NEVER EVER serated, I won't allow it
NEVER EVER serated, I won't allow it
NEVER EVER serated, I won't allow it
NEVER EVER serated, Despise!

My state of mind gets so one sided
My state of mind gets so one sided
My state of mind gets so one sided
My state of mind gets so one sided
My state of mind gets so one sided
My state of mind gets so one sided
My state of mind gets so one sided
My state of mind gets so one sided

DESPISE!!!
DESPISE!!!

DESPISE!!!
DESPISE!!!

Overall Meaning

The lyrics to Slipknot's song Despise are violent and chaotic, reflecting the state of mind of someone who is trapped in their own psyche. The song is filled with anger and frustration, with lead singer Corey Taylor shouting out against everything he despises. He creates a mental maze in which he is lost, detached from the world around him, and consumed by his own pain. The line "Hands on my face, overbearing, I can't get out" illustrates his feelings of being suffocated and trapped by his own thoughts.

Taylor's lyrics are filled with contradictory statements, reflecting the confusion and turmoil within his mind. He denies his own face, suggesting that he doesn't recognize himself anymore, and yet he shouts out against everything he despises. His state of mind becomes so one-sided that he cannot see any other perspective, and he becomes willing to enter dangerous situations, believing that he is invincible despite his pain.

The song is a powerful reflection of the mental health struggles that many people face, with its lyrics portraying the confusion, pain, and anger that can arise when someone feels trapped within their own mind.

Line by Line Meaning

Maze... psychopathic daze... I create this waste,
I feel trapped and overwhelmed by my own thoughts and emotions, ultimately causing me to act in destructive ways.

Back away from tangents on the verge of drastic ways
I try to avoid letting my negative emotions and behaviors escalate to dangerous levels.

Can't escape this place, I deny my face...
I feel stuck in my current mental state and struggle to be honest with myself about my feelings.

Sweat gets in my eyes... I shout at all I despise!!!
My anger and frustration with myself and the world around me has become overwhelming and causes me to lash out.

HANDS ON MY FACE OVERBEARING I CAN'T GET OUT
I feel suffocated by my own negative thoughts and emotions and struggle to break free from them.

Lost... ran at my own cost... hearing laughter, scoffed
I feel aimless and uncertain in my life, and the reactions of others to my struggles causes me to feel bitter and resentful.

Searching from the rush, detatched from such and such
I try to distract myself from my own pain by seeking out adrenaline rushes and disconnecting from my personal relationships.

Bleak, standing on my feet, listening incomplete
I feel empty and despairing, and struggle to find meaning or connection in my life.

I am not a dog, but I'm the one you dog
I refuse to be treated as a subordinate or inferior, even if I feel powerless in other areas of my life.

NEVER EVER serated, I won't allow it
I will not let myself be manipulated or controlled by others or succumb to self-destructive behaviors.

My state of mind gets so one sided
I become intensely focused on my negative emotions and thoughts, leading to a narrow and destructive worldview.

Cut me-show me-enter-I am- Willing and able and never any danger to myself
I am willing to confront my pain and face my demons, and will not let my struggles make me a danger to myself or others.

Knowledge in my pain, knowledge in my pain, or was my Tolerance a phase?
I wonder whether my pain is necessary for growth and learning, or if my previous acceptance of my situation was a mistake.

Empathy, out of my way
I push away the idea of connecting with others and their emotions in order to distance myself from my own pain.

I CANT DIE!!!
Although I may feel hopeless and overwhelmed, I will not give up or let my struggles consume me completely.

DESPISE!!!
I feel intense anger and hatred towards myself and the world around me.

Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: COREY TAYLOR, MICHAEL CRAHAN, MICHAEL SHAWN CRAHAN, NATHAN JORDISON, NATHAN J JORDISON, PAUL GRAY, PAUL D GRAY

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind

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