Slipknot Talk New Album: Working with Producer Matt Wallace, Over 50 Riffs Already in the Works
Slipknot guitarist Jim Root confirmed in a July 2026 interview on the Ride Bynd Podcast, hosted by Ben Giese, that the band is working with producer Matt Wallace on a new album and has already accumulated at least 50 pieces of arranged material. It would mark the band's first studio album since 2022's The End So Far, according to NME.
Progress and creative direction
Root described the new material as sounding "like something I've never heard before, but there's a familiarity to it, like I've been listening to it my whole life," adding that the songs feel "very organic" and "just Slipknot."
On the volume of material, Root explained that the band builds up ideas through jamming and piecemeal recording before shaping them into full arrangements. "There's at least 50 arrangements, but I'm not saying they're all complete songs — they all still need work," he said.
For the writing process, the band is echoing the rolling approach used on 2019's We Are Not Your Kind: push one song forward, set it aside, move to another, then return to add new layers. Root compared the method to making a film.
For the live jam sessions, the band set up gear inside a church, with Root and new drummer Eloy Casagrande improvising together for up to two hours at a time. Member Clown monitored the sessions, signaling to Wallace — via raised hands or lighting cues — which passages were worth keeping. Wallace would then judge in real time whether a given section worked as a chorus, verse, or bridge.
Producer background and band updates
Producer Matt Wallace has previously worked on studio albums for Faith No More, Deftones, The Replacements, Maroon 5, and Train. Root spoke highly of Casagrande's addition to the band: "Getting to jam with that guy is truly an honor."
Casagrande said last fall that the band was "cooking up new music"; Root also confirmed earlier in 2025 that six arrangements were complete, despite having previously said his creative well felt nearly dry. No release date for the new album has been announced.