Published by Cel Manero from Global One Media Inc.
Corey Taylor went back on his word during Slipknot’s Knotfest Australia 2025 kickoff on Feb. 28, as the band delivered a surprise live debut of a song he once vowed they would never play.
The track in question, “Gematria (The Killing Name),” is the intense opener from their 2008 album All Hope Is Gone.
Slipknot unleashed the rare deep cut early in their set at Melbourne’s Flemington Racecourse, performing it third—right after fan favorites “(sic)” and “People = Shit.”
Taylor has previously shared why “Gematria (The Killing Name)” hasn’t been included in Slipknot’s setlists, clarifying that the decision isn’t related to the song’s quality but rather the circumstances surrounding its recording.
“I’ve always wanted to use ‘Gematria’ as an opening track,” Taylor mentioned on the All Things Music podcast in 2023. “However, there are certain negative associations tied to how the song was created and recorded, which is why some of the band members refuse to play it.”
“The reason isn’t even sentimental,” Taylor continued. “It’s pure resentment. But for me, that song is an absolute powerhouse—I love it. I could listen to it all day. It just explodes out of nowhere. But it’ll never be played live. Unless, somehow, the Pope ends up opening for Slipknot one day, it’s just not going to happen.”
