SLIPKNOT guitarist Jim Root has revealed he has six new song arrangements ready to share with the band, with "four more" in active development — a disclosure that offers the first concrete glimpse into the creative groundwork for what will become SLIPKNOT's next studio album. Root's stated goal is to accumulate 20 to 25 songs before the band enters pre-production, ensuring they have a deep pool of material from which to curate the strongest possible tracklist.
Root's methodical approach to songwriting reflects lessons learned across SLIPKNOT's quarter-century career. The guitarist has spoken in previous interviews about the importance of entering the studio with an abundance of options rather than scrambling to write under deadline pressure. For "The End, So Far" — the band's most recent album, released in 2022 — Root felt the band could have benefited from a deeper well of material, and he appears determined not to repeat that dynamic.
Meanwhile, drummer and co-founder Shawn "Clown" Crahan addressed the band's current status in a separate conversation, stating that SLIPKNOT are "taking a much-needed break" after years of intensive touring and enjoying "real human time" with family and friends. The pause follows a particularly demanding period that included the 25th anniversary celebrations in 2024 and the integration of new drummer Eloy Casagrande, formerly of SEPULTURA, into the lineup.
No specific timeline for the next SLIPKNOT album has been announced, and the band appears content to let the creative process unfold organically. Root's proactive songwriting suggests, however, that the wheels are already turning and that new music could materialize sooner than the band's public statements might imply. With the "Look Outside Your Window" side project also slated for release in April, 2026 is shaping up as a year where SLIPKNOT's creative output remains very much in the conversation, even without active touring.