What does the generation of young adults and teenagers who were born around the same time or after Slipknot formed think of the masked metal band? Judging by a new video on the popular “REACT” YouTube channel, they’re confused, scared, revulsed, and sometimes intrigued.
Generation Z (or Gen Z) is generally considered the population born from 1997 through 2012, meaning they range in age from about 10 to 25. Slipknot formed in 1995, with singer Corey Taylor joining them in 1997, which makes the band roughly the same age as the oldest Gen Z-ers. So, the youngsters in this video either weren’t born yet or were just babies when Slipknot broke onto the scene.
The participants were played a number of Slipknot music videos ranging from “Wait and Bleed” from the band’s self-titled 1999 effort to “The Dying Song (Time to Sing)” from their just-released latest album, THE END, SO FAR.
Some of the reactions are pretty hilarious, with one shocked young man named Anthony exclaiming, “Oh, is this The Purge?,” referring to the 2013 movie in which all crimes are decriminalized for one day.
Another great line comes from Jaxon, who says, “I’m OK with metal, but heavy metal is like a bit much for me!” Apparently, there’s a difference between metal and heavy metal.
A young lady named Jayka offers two different perspectives. While watching the live footage of a crowd going crazy in the “Wait and Bleed” video, she remarks, “Not my cup of tea but it seems so lit! I’m not gonna lie, everybody here seems to be having a good time.” Later on, while viewing the “Left Behind” video, she says, “If I was 8 years old and I saw this on TV, I would probably pee my pants.
As for Slipknot, they recently wrapped up the latest North American leg of their “Knotfest Roadshow.” The band will headline a number of festivals in Latin America this December, followed by a slew of international dates in 2023, including the just-announced Download Festival in the UK (tickets available here).
See all the Gen Z reactions to Slipknot’s music videos in the clip below.
