December 1st, 2014 
Matthew Leimkuehler 
Industrial metal was alive and well on the night before Thanksgiving in Kansas City, MO. Thousands gathered to embrace in the artful lack of contempt and refusal of conformity that is a Slipknot and KoRn show.
Thriving on a mixture of nostalgia and recent tracks — both bands light the arena on fire with their volatile and explosive brands of hard-hitting metal music. Both bands having evolved greatly in their tenure, there is no other way to describe such a setting: the Prepare for Hell Tour is a high-octane, no-bullshit metal show and fans of both acts wouldn’t want it any other way.
The show opened with the all-but-entertaining KING 810. Hailing from the self-proclaimed murder capitol of the world, Flint, Michigan, this band is heavy and violent. It’d be fitting to hop in a time machine and watch this act open for Slipknot if the band were supporting Iowa, but a decade and some change later and the band’s sound did not come off well in an arena.
KING 810 is the type of band a distraught lover of breakdowns should be introduced to in a club, on a bill next to some metal club heavyweights, a la The Acacia Strain. There’s no doubt this band could catch fire and propel to become the biggest act in its scene; however, one could make the argument its scene will never be in an arena setting.
Nu-metal curators KoRn were slated for the middle of the bill and played the more than fitting role of main support for Slipknot. One would think that a band with 21 years tenure in a genre so physically demanding would have lost a bit of their polish, but this is far from the case with last Wednesday’s KoRn set. Opening with “Twist,” before jumping into “Here to Stay” and “Right Now,” the band brought nothing but energy for its 11-song, 50-minute set.
“Shout out to all of the sexy lookin’ motherfuckers in the house tonight,” singer Jonathan Davis said to the crowd during the middle of KoRn’s provocative set.
Coming from an individual who has never been too attached to KoRn or the band’s music, the brilliance of Davis on stage is downright admirable. The man gets lost in the music. He makes the heaviest of breakdowns look almost spiritual on stage. He weaves and flows through the music — making it look like a near out-of-body experience. Davis’ stage appearance, mirrored with the band’s explosive set mixing songs old and new, made for a respectable and entertaining hour of live music.
Slipknot, the evening’s headliner, took the stage to deliver a set of 17 songs in just over an hour and a half. A Slipknot performance is a spectacle often times beyond words. The nine-member band ran, jumped, and virtually tore apart its two-level stage set up — which was fully equipped with a satanic head floating above the performers.
Flames exploded from all sections of the stage as the band performed fan-favorite numbers such as “The Heretic’s Anthem” and “Before I Forget.” The band created a set that mixed obscure numbers for diehard maggots, such as “Opium of the People” and “Surfacing,” as well as more mainstream Knot hits the likes of “Duality” and “Psychosocial.” The set had an incredible balance of songs between old tracks and songs off the band’s new, no. 1 Billboard record, .5: The Gray Chapter. Something was played for every Slipknot fan.
Frontman Corey Taylor’s control of the crowd was nothing short of impeccable. He was a General, leading his fans through a set of flames, breakdowns, and anti-societal lyricism.
“Is that fucking Kansas City I hear out there?” Taylor shouted to the crowd of thousands in the downtown arena. “Does that noise mean you motherfuckers are happy to see Slipknot back in KC? Are you ready?”
Taylor’s energy was matched only by the band that backed him. Guitarist Jim Root made his pragmatic form of metal look almost effortless as he ran from one side of the stage to the next, ripping through tracks like “The Devil In I” and “The Blister Exists.” Sid Wilson on turntables and Craig Jones on keyboards both jumped, flew, and were raised up on pillars looking out into the crowd during the set — thriving on the heat and energy of the audience.
The band closed with a three-song encore including “(sic),” “People=Shit” and “Surfacing.” The energy of the nostalgic and heavy numbers radiated through the crowd as the band tore through the last section of the set.
A Slipknot performance is a spectacle — it’s more than a metal show. It’s not purely about the music or purely about the flashy entertainment. It strikes a balance between the two that makes for one of the most addictive and unforgettable live shows on the planet. The Prepare for Hell Tour runs into 2015 and is a must-see for metal fans both young and old.
Review written by Matthew Leimkuehler
Photographs courtesy of Colt Coan.
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