SLIPKNOT Members Look Back On Nearly Two Decades Of Trials, Tribulations, Victories And Tragedies (Video)

As they release their long-awaited fifth studio album, ".5: The Gray Chapter", the members of SLIPKNOT look back on the last four years since the passing of their co-founder and bass player Paul Gray, and at their nearly two decades of trials, tribulations, victories and tragedies as a band. Forget the headlines, look past the masks, and watch below as Corey Taylor, Mick Thomson, Jim Root, Chris Fehn and Shawn Crahan tell the story of SLIPKNOT.

SLIPKNOT's first new album in six years, ".5: The Gray Chapter" caps a very turbulent period for the masked rockers in which they dealt with the death of Paul Gray and the firing of drummer Joey Jordison, both longtime members and songwriters. Despite it all, singer Corey Taylor told The Pulse Of Radio he's proud of what the band has accomplished this time out. "The fact that we were able to kind of pull ourselves back up and not only go in and make a really good album, but make an exceptional album, in my opinion, I think it's a testament to just how talented this band is," he said. "It's a testament to how much passion we have for it. It's a testament to how much we're willing to fight to accomplish everything that we want to accomplish. I'm excited for people to hear this, because to me I think it's one of the best albums we've ever made."

Gray died in 2010 from a drug overdose, while Jordison was let go last December, just before SLIPKNOT began recording the new album.

Although the identities of their replacements have not been officially revealed, they are believed to be drummer Jay Weinberg and bassist Alessandro "Vman" Venturella.

Meanwhile, Taylor defended himself in a new interview with Britain's XFM Radio from accusations that he orchestrated both Jordison's dismissal from SLIPKNOT and the firing of the band's guitarist, Jim Root, from the band that Taylor and Root founded together, STONE SOUR.

Taylor, calling himself "one of the most hated dudes right now," explained, "That's the burden of being the frontman. [But] I'm not the boss. Trust me. I'm not the boss in either band. It's very much a committee. I help make decisions, but I don't make decisions. But that's the perception.”

SLIPKNOT will celebrate the arrival of the new disc this weekend with two headlining performances on Saturday (October 25) and Sunday (October 26) at its own Knotfest in San Bernardino, California, along with FIVE FINGER DEATH PUNCH, VOLBEAT, HELLYEAH, NOTHING MORE, ATREYU, IN THIS MOMENT, OF MICE & MEN and many more.

SLIPKNOT will head out on a headlining North American tour immediately following Knotfest, with special guests KORN.