Voliminal: Inside the Nine

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Voliminal: Inside the Nine is the third video album by American band Slipknot. Released December 5 2008 through Roadrunner Records, the 2-disc DVD set features an 84 minute movie created by band member Shawn "Clown" Crahan. The set also includes live perfomances, music videos from songs on the band's third studio album, and the first unmasked interviews with all of the band members.

The movie featured footage recorded from the recording of Vol. 3: (The Subliminal Verses) through the end of the 28-month tour in support of the album. The DVD was promoted on various websites for the weeks leading up to its limited theatrical release. Critical reception of the album was mixed, Dawn wrote the album has "a raw sound" calling it "an audible treat for thrash and speed metal fans".[1] However, Billboard would tell fans to "save your cash for the band's next tour".[2] Voliminal would be certified gold, platinum, and double platinum in Austrailia, the United States, and Canada respectively.

Conception and recording

The initial idea for the DVD came to percussionist Shawn Crahan, three weeks before the band entered The Mansion in 2003, were they would work on their third studio album Vol. 3: (The Subliminal Verses).[3] Crahan received help from the band's record label Roadrunner, who supplied them with tapes, camera cleaning equipment and also funds to hire people to operate the cameras when Crahan himself couldn't be behind the camera.[3] Recording began when Slipknot entered The Mansion and continued until they had finished touring in 2005, reportedly covering 28 months of the bands time together.[4] Crahan's intentions were to capture as many different Slipknot situations as he could, so when the opportunity to produce a DVD came, he would be in a position to begin work immediately.[3] During the period in which the footage was being shot, Crahan began making little tests of the footage and revealed them to his fellow band mates, judging their reactions to help him establish areas of interest from them.[3] The whole recording process reportedly produced over 300, 60-minute tapes of footage.[5]

Production and promotion

File:Voliminal-Corey.jpg
Throughout the 84 minute movie band members faces are blurred when they appear unmasked, this is to represent "an intrusion."

Similarly to the editing process of their previous DVD Disasterpieces, Crahan reportedly watched and analysed all of the footage recorded for the DVD.[5] However in contrast to Disasterpeices this DVD was intended to show a previously unseen side to the band. During an interview in 2006 guitarist Mick Thomson explained that with the DVD the band intended to "bring something new", he also went on to add "[there's] more backstage stuff, getting to see more inside stuff as opposed to just a concert performance."[6] Crahan explained how he wanted to allow the viewer in on more of their time instead of just their performance, recalling a moment when the band were in Australia. He included the footage in the film, explaining; "So I go down to Australia and I go ‘Jesus, there’s bats in the air.’ I’m going to film it and share it with you because it’s part of our lives together. But most bands and people don’t want to share that side of it and I think that’s wrong."[3] Throughout the movie whenever the band members appear unmasked, their faces are blurred, where as on the second disc, during the interviews, they are completely revealed.[4] When questioned on the subject during an interview on The Sauce in 2007, Crahan explained that when the band perform, the masks are always a part of their show and footage of them unmasked is blurred to represent this. Further adding; "We chose to blur it because, it's really an intrusion. [...] That's our safe place and I kind of broke the veil a little bit by grabbing a camera and trying to show everybody those kinds of things that go on."[7]

Prior to the release of the DVD, a promotional website was launched which featured two short teaser videos.[8] Also, for the five weeks prior to its release five short teaser videos were released through the Roadrunner Records website respectively.[9] The DVD was released on December 5 2006 and was premiered in 22 separate theatres across the United States.[10] Following the release of the DVD, a music video for the song "The Blister Exists" was released, the video featured footage from Voliminal: Inside the Nine and was of the same style as the movie.[11]

Reception

Critical reception of Voliminial was mixed. Dawn called the DVD "an audible treat for thrash and speed metal fans", he went on to compliment Joey Jordison, stating that he "structures his beats and percussions in a very traditional thrash set-up, almost as well as (dare I say it) the great Dave Lombardo of Slayer fame".[1] Utlimate Guitar called the DVD "behind-the-scene action in an unorthodox format, complete with choppy editing and absolutely no specific chronology". They would go on to state though the DVD "only gives partial attention to the music", "The best moment in the 2-disc collection comes during a chat with Corey Taylor, who shares his feelings about everything from his less-than-perfect relationship with his father to the obstacles that the band faced in its early days".[12] TuneLab wrote "Slipknot takes a unique approach to their latest film, as they turn what could have been a mundane video of live footage and band antics into a rather peculiar and extremely interesting movie". The "scatterbrained and choppy" style of Voliminal "[will cause] the viewer to feel like he or she is "outside looking in", rather than being truly involved with the band's happenings".[13] Reviewing for Blogcritics, Chris Beaumont wrote "[he] was enthralled and bored by the documentary". He went on to state, "the best part is watching them perform", despite the "audio is near unlistenable"; "these guys know their way around the stage...this shows the whole package".[14] Reviewing for Billboard, Christa Titus critisized the DVD writing it "randomly [strings] footage from concerts and the usual backstage antics with images of pigeons and overflowing toilets, then tossing in whatever visual effects struck M. Shawn Crahan's fancy while he edited it." She concluded "Save your cash for the band's next tour...that's where you'll get your money's worth".[2] Film School Reject's Cole Abaius wrote of the DVD, "[Except fans], probably no one else will purchase or enjoy this DVD". He added that with no narration, "the images are left to speak for themselves", only "some just don’t speak loudly enough".[15] Despite the mixed reviews, Voliminial was certified gold in Austrialia,[16] platinum in the United States,[17] and double platinum in Canada.[18] The album peaked at the 5th spot on Billboard's Music Video charts,[19] and remained on the chart for 10 weeks.[20]

Contents

The first disc of Voliminal: Inside The Nine is a 84 minute movie constructed of a mixture of live performance, backstage and studio footage.[21] The film was shot on handheld digital cameras and features rapid edits between footage which follows no chronological order.[22] Throughout the movie there is also nine "rabbit holes" which feature additional footage for each band member respectively.[22]

Interviews

The second disc includes interviews with all nine members of the band which are the first formal interviews of Slipknot to be released without their masks, excluding members appearances outside of Slipknot.[21]

Chart positions

Chart (2006) Peak chart position
United States 5[19]

Personnel

References

  1. ^ a b "Voliminal: Inside the Nine". Musicbox. 2007-04-08. Retrieved 2008-07-14.
  2. ^ a b Christa L. Titus. "Voliminal: Inside the Nine". News and Reviews. Billboard. Retrieved 2008-07-14.
  3. ^ a b c d e Seaver, Morley. "Slipknot interview". Caustic Truths. Retrieved 2008-07-15. {{cite web}}: Italic or bold markup not allowed in: |publisher= (help)
  4. ^ a b Shawn Crahan (Director) (2006). Voliminal: Inside the Nine (DVD). Roadrunner Records. {{cite AV media}}: |access-date= requires |url= (help)
  5. ^ a b Graff, Fary (2006-11-26). "Don't Call It A DVD: Slipknot Slaves Over Lavish Film". Billboard. Retrieved 2008-07-15. {{cite news}}: Italic or bold markup not allowed in: |publisher= (help)
  6. ^ "Slipknot set for next DVD release" (video). Artisan News Service. YouTube. 2007-05-06. Retrieved 2008-07-15. {{cite web}}: Italic or bold markup not allowed in: |publisher= (help)
  7. ^ "Shawn Crahan Interview". The Sauce. 2007-04-23. {{cite episode}}: Unknown parameter |serieslink= ignored (|series-link= suggested) (help)
  8. ^ "Slipknot". Roadrunner Records. Retrieved 2008-07-14. {{cite web}}: Italic or bold markup not allowed in: |publisher= (help); Text "Voliminal" ignored (help)
  9. ^ "Slipknot videos". Roadrunner Records. Retrieved 2008-07-14. {{cite web}}: Italic or bold markup not allowed in: |publisher= (help)
  10. ^ "Voliminal: Inside The Nine". Roadrunner Records. Retrieved 2008-07-14. {{cite web}}: Italic or bold markup not allowed in: |publisher= (help)
  11. ^ "Slipknot: New 'The Blister Exists' Video Available". Blabbermouth.net. 2007-01-10. Retrieved 2008-07-14.
  12. ^ UG Team (2007-02-05). "Voliminal: Inside The Nine Review". Ultimate Guitar. Retrieved 2008-07-14.
  13. ^ "Review: Slipknot - 'Voliminal: Inside the Nine'". TuneLab. 2007-01-01. Retrieved 2008-07-14.
  14. ^ Chris Beaumont (2006-12-10). "Slipknot - Voliminal: Inside the Nine". Music DVD Review. Blogcritics. Retrieved 2008-07-15.
  15. ^ Cole Abaius (2006-12-19). "Slipknot's Voliminal: Inside the Nine". DVD Reviews. FilmSchoolRejects. Retrieved 2008-07-14.
  16. ^ "ARIA Charts - Accreditations - 2007 DVD". ARIA. 2007-12-31. Retrieved 2008-07-14.
  17. ^ "Gold and Platinum database". Recording Industry Association of America. Retrieved 2008-01-25.
  18. ^ "Search for: Slipknot". Canadian Recording Industry Association. Retrieved 2008-06-14.
  19. ^ a b "Billboard Top Music Videos: Voliminal: Inside the Nine". Billboard. 2006-12-23. Retrieved 2008-02-07. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |date= (help); Italic or bold markup not allowed in: |publisher= (help)
  20. ^ "Voliminal: Inside The Nine". Billboard Comprehensive Music Videos. Billboard. 2007-02-24. Retrieved 2008-07-15.
  21. ^ a b "Slipknot: 'Voliminal: Inside The Nine' DVD Highlights Revealed". Blabbermouth.net. 2006-12-04. Retrieved 2008-06-14.
  22. ^ a b "Xmas DVD Pick Slipknot's Voliminal: Inside The Nine". Chartler.com. 2006-12-21. Retrieved 2008-06-14.

External links