“Vermillion, Pt. 2” is a song by the metal band Slipknot, and it appeared as track number 11 on their 2004 album, Vol. 3: (The Subliminal Verses). Additionally, a reworked version of the song, called “The Bloodstone Mix”, appeared on their next album, 2008’s All Hope Is Gone, and I included that version above as well

Before I get into these songs, I wanna talk about Slipknot for a second. They formed in 1995 in Des Moines, Iowa, which has always confused me. Now I’ve never been to Iowa, but from what I vaguely know about it and the pictures I’ve seen, it just seems very un-metal to me. I can’t seem to shake the stereotypes, and I just imagine that the entire state is rows upon rows of corn. For that reason, the fact that a massive metal band like Slipknot could hail from a place like Iowa has always seemed weird to me. Maybe if they spelled corn the proper way, Korn, I could understand some metal bands coming out of Iowa, but to my knowledge, they still haven’t made the switch

Anyway, let’s get back to the songs

Calling “Vermillion, Pt. 2” a change of pace from Slipknot’s usual modus operandi would be a huge understatement. The song is very slow with heartfelt lyrics, features an acoustic guitar, and overall, it just doesn’t seem very slipknottish (Which is an adjective that I just invented)

As for the Bloodstone Mix, I won’t go as far as saying that I like it better than the original, but you could definitely make the argument. There’s something about those added computer effects that gives the song a whole new vibe, and the tempo change with that little heavy guitar riff toward the end is very slipknottish (it’s already starting to catch on)

Admittedly, I haven’t listened to a lot of Slipknot since All Hope Is Gone came out. Back then, I was a punk ass skater kid, zipping around the city on my skateboard and drinking energy drinks. Such a classic middle school phase, and if you handed me a skateboard right now, I bet I could still land a tre flip if you gave me a generous 10,000 tries

PS: While writing this blog, I remembered that Joey Jordinson died last year. Such a fucking bummer. An EXTREMELY underrated drummer. RIP Joey

LYRICS

She seems dressed in all of me
Stretched across my shame
All the torment and the pain
Leaked through and covered me
I’d do anything to have her to myself
Just to have her for myself
Now I don’t know what to do
I don’t know what to do
When she makes me sad

She is everything to me
The unrequited dream
A song that no one sings
The unattainable
She’s a myth that I have to believe in
All I need to make it real is one more reason
I don’t know what to do
I don;t know what to do
When she makes me sad

But I won’t let this build up inside of me
But I won’t let this build up inside of me
But I won’t let this build up inside of me
But I won’t let this build up inside of me

I catch in my throat
Choke
Torn into pieces
I won’t, no
I don’t want to be this

But I won’t let this build up inside of me
(Won’t let this build up inside of me)
I won’t let this build up inside of me
(Won’t let this build up inside of me)
I won’t let this build up inside of me
(Won’t let this build up inside of me)
I won’t let this build up inside of me
(Won’t let this build up inside of me, won’t let this build up inside of me)

She isn’t real
(Won’t let this build up inside of me)
I can’t make her real
(Won’t let this build up inside of me)
She isn’t real
(Won’t let this build up inside of me)
I can’t make her real
(Won’t let this build up inside of me)