After nearly two decades of anticipation, Slipknot’s elusive Look Outside Your Window album is finally one step closer to seeing the light of day. Percussionist Shawn “Clown” Crahan recently confirmed in an interview with Knotfest.com that the album has been turned over to management for release in 2025. However, Clown cautioned fans not to expect a traditional Slipknot album.
“It was never a Slipknot album,” Clown emphasized. “Not while it was happening, not while I’ve held onto it for ten years, and certainly not f—in’ when it comes out.”
A Long Road to Release
Look Outside Your Window was recorded during the same sessions as Slipknot’s 2008 album, All Hope Is Gone. Unlike the aggressive, metal-driven sound fans associate with Slipknot, the unreleased album has been described as experimental and atmospheric. Frontman Corey Taylor once likened it to having a “Radiohead vibe” and called it a more rock-oriented effort.
The lineup for Look Outside Your Window features Taylor, Clown, Sid Wilson, and Jim Root, who collaborated separately from the rest of the band during those marathon sessions. As Clown recalled, their group would work extended hours while other members focused on the heavier material for All Hope Is Gone.
“We’d see them before they’d see us,” Clown said. “We were already there jamming, and here’d come somebody down the road, and we’d be like, ‘F—er.’ It might be the producer [Dave Fortman], and then we’d shoot ball rockets at him. It was a lot of fun.”
Not “Slipknot”—And That’s the Point
Clown was adamant that fans understand this project was never intended to sound like Slipknot. “We just did what you should do. We made music,” he explained. “Now, if any of that music could have been Slipknot, it would have been brought down [to the studio]. But that’s not where Joey [Jordison] wanted to go. It’s not where Paul [Gray] wanted to go. It’s not where Corey wanted to go. It’s not where anyone wanted to go. We had All Hope Is Gone. So I just need people to know it’s not Slipknot at all, not even close.”
The lyrics reportedly reflect what was happening within the band during that time, but Clown kept the thematic details under wraps.
Mystique and Momentum
Over the years, Look Outside Your Window has built a mythic status among fans, fueled by teases from band members like guitarist Jim Root, who has joked about leaking the album to force its release. With the project now in the hands of management, its long-awaited debut feels more tangible than ever.
Meanwhile, Clown also confirmed that Slipknot would begin work on their next studio album later this year, keeping the momentum alive for one of metal’s most enduring acts.
For fans eager to hear Look Outside Your Window, Clown’s warning serves as a reminder to approach the record on its own terms. While it may not be the Slipknot they know, it promises a unique insight into the band’s creative evolution during a pivotal era.
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