Slipknot’s Jim Root says new single Arsenal isn’t the album lead as band continue work on next record

Slipknot guitarist Jim Root has clarified that Arsenal is not the lead single from the band’s next album, despite speculation following its release this week.

Speaking directly to fans online, Jim explained that the track was simply the first one they were able to finish.

Asked whether Arsenal was intended as the album’s main launch point, he replied to a fan in a since-deleted Instagram post: “No. This was just one that we could finish ‘sooner’ to get out there.”

Another user questioned how the band felt about negative reactions to the song. Jim didn’t hold back, saying: “It depends on the commenter, really. I mean, what’s their band doing? And Arsenal was a tune we could quickly get out there while we work on the rest of the record. It’s not really representative of the other tunes.”

That lines up with the current state of the album, which appears far from complete. Jim recently shared photos confirming Slipknot are still tracking new material.

The Before I Forget hitmakers recruited Matt Wallace as producer for the project, who is known for his work with Faith No More and Maroon 5.

Earlier this summer, Jim revealed they had around 50 arrangements in progress, though not all were finished.

Jim also opened up about the creative direction of the record, describing a return to a more raw, live-room approach.

He told the RIDE BYND podcast: “I mean, you know, it’s Slipknot, so we’re going to have a sound.

“But at the same time, having Eloy in the band is like such an honor to be able to jam with that guy.”

He explained that instead of building songs digitally, the band have been jamming together in a church to capture a “garage band sort of vibe”. “

Jim spilled: “Now we’re going to a church, we’re setting up Eloy, I’m setting up, you know, a guitar rig, and we’re just jamming for like two hours… Clown will be in the room… and he’ll throw his arm up, or he’ll hit the light, and that’s a cue to our producer like, that’s a part.”

Jim added that the album’s direction is still wide open and hinted that it’s not too far from prog rock legends Pink Floyd: “I couldn’t tell you what the direction of this next record is going to be. I know I’m writing some of the fastest grindpicking riffs, some of the most melodic, heavy, doomy kind of riffs… A lot of just experimental – I don’t want to say Pink Floyd – but maybe somewhere in that wheelhouse.”