Slipknot: Voliminal - Inside the Nine DVD: Review By Twisted Smile (The Untold Smile)

This is a unique doc*mentary on the nine men of metal, Slipknot. The feature is directed by Shawn (Clown#6) Crahan and plays more like a clip show than an actual doc*mentary. It is for this reason that it seems to be missing something.

This package includes two discs and a nice collection of special features. The first disc is the feature and sadly this is where the DVD gets its low points. Shawn Crahan's style is very chaotic and at times it is hard to know what you are watching. I give credit to originality, but when the purpose of a film is to be watched and enjoyed a chaotic style like this makes it hard to get into the material. Also since the film is marketed as a doc*mentary one would expect those candid moments of privacy and insight that so many doc*mentaries are about, but this is not the case with Voliminal. As a fan I was hoping to get a very strait forward approach to film making, but that is just it, nothing Slipknot does is strait forward, a plus in the aspect of music, but not so much for film.

The second disc is the where the set excels. Here you will find a nice set of special features. On this disc is a collection of nine live performances all taped at different venues during their touring cycle. If you rather get a more traditional sense of the masked men a set of five music videos await your viewing. The last thing this set offers, is for me personally the highlight of the package and that is a series of nine one on one interviews with the members of the band. Here we get the depth and insight that seemed to be missing from the feature. We are treated to a number of personal reflections and breakthrough moments form the members of Slipknot. We are given a chance to see the lighter moments with Chris(#3)Fehn and his golfing ability to the more serious moments with Corey(#8)Taylor talking about reuniting with his father to Shawn(Clown#6)Crahan losing his own.

The package is a must for any Maggot (Slipknot's fan term). The set is good, but could have been a lot better without the camera effects and a more direct approach to doc*menting the lives of the members. It seems the essential Slipknot DVD is still not here.