Slipknot big, solid — and unique

Slipknot wanted to be a metal band like no other in the world, according to Joey Jordison, whose fans know him as "1."

"It took us a couple of years to get the lineup that worked," Jordison said by phone from West Palm Beach, Fla. "The band is actually twice as big as other metal bands and that took some time to create."

Slipknot — in order from band-christened numbers 0 to 8 — includes DJ Sid Wilson, drummer Jordison, bassist Paul Grey, percussionist Chris Fehn, guitarist James Root, sampler/programmer Craig Jones, percussionist Shawn "Clown" Crahan, guitarist Mick Thompson and vocalist Corey Taylor.

Jordison said the band formed in 1995. "We wanted to break down barriers of what people thought about metal bands. We made these masks and added programmers and DJs and percussionists."

The band members wear homemade leather horror-movie masks throughout their high-energy fury of a stage show. But, said Jordison, the costumes were an afterthought. "The music has always been the first and foremost element in our career. We make sure our music has substance, and that's important."

If fans' response to Slipknot's music is a measure of success, then it's doing fine, with three multi-platinum releases to its credit.

After releasing an independent album titled "Mate" in 1996, the band caught the ear of Roadrunner Records. Slipknot's 1999 self-titled Roadrunner debut album sold more than 1 million copies. The second album, "Iowa," named after the band's home state, debuted on Billboard's Top 200 album charts at No. 3, selling more than 2 million copies. So far, the band's third album, "Vol. 3 (Subliminal Verses)," has sold nearly 2 million copies and debuted at No. 2 on the Billboard chart.

" 'Vol. 3' has broken down more barriers for us," said Jordison. "We worked with different styles on this album. It's more musically mature in arrangement and is conceptual. We took a while to make this album and we had these ideas that we wanted to bring forth on the album. And I'm happy to say we've accomplished that."

While the album isn't as much ear-bursting metal as "Iowa," there's an underlined intensity that has the listener waiting for what will come next. Part of that dynamic was developed while working with producer Rick Rubin, who has worked with Slayer, Danzig, the Beastie Boys and Johnny Cash. He helped Slipknot make its most sophisticated album of yet.