Duality (song)

This article is about the Slipknot single. For other uses, see Duality (disambiguation).

"Duality"
Single by Slipknot
from the album Vol. 3: (The Subliminal Verses)
Released	May 4, 2004
Format	Compact Disc, 7"
Recorded	2003
Genre	Alternative metal, heavy metal, nu metal[1]
Length	4:12 3:35 (radio edit)
Label	Roadrunner
Writer(s)	Corey Taylor, Paul Gray, Joey Jordison
Producer	Rick Rubin
Slipknot singles chronology
"My Plague" (2002) "Duality" (2004) "Vermilion" (2004)

"Duality" is a song by the American heavy metal band Slipknot, the song was released as the first single from their third album Vol. 3: (The Subliminal Verses), released in 2004. The music video was listed as Roadrunner Records' greatest video of all-time.^[2]

Musical structure

The album version of "Duality" is four minutes and twelve seconds long, and the radio edited version is three minutes and thirty-three seconds long.^[3] The song opens with lead vocalist Corey Taylor softly saying "I push my fingers into my...",^[4] leading up to lead guitarist Mick Thomson playing a riff while Taylor finishes the sentence with "...eyes", in a much more intense voice.^[4] The song is played in Dropped B tuning (which most of Slipknot's songs are tuned to) and features an alternative metal style.

Unlike many previous Slipknot singles, "Duality", like all the songs on Vol. 3, does not have explicit content within the lyrics. Thomson explained in an 2008 interview that vocalist Taylor was relying on explicit content in the lyrics, and wanted to try something "different".^[5] This was echoed by Jim Root in a 2011 interview. Allmusic said that "Duality"'s lyrics "aren't unique" to Slipknot but described it as "otherwise strong".^[4] Stylus Magazine said "Duality" had a "grindcore riff".^[6] Q Magazine wrote that the song "blow[s] the competition away".^[7] The BBC declared it "a pop-metal classic".

Release and reception

"Duality" was originally released as a CD single on May 4, 2004.^[8][9]

On May 25 the single was released on 7-inch red vinyl to coincide with the release of the album.^[10] There is also a 7-inch picture disc release which includes the same track listing.

"Duality" reached band records of number five and six in the Hot Mainstream Rock Tracks and Hot Modern Rock Tracks charts (although on the former chart, the record has since been broken by "Dead Memories" and eventually "Snuff").^[11] In the UK Single Chart, the song reached number 15.^[12] The song also charted on the Bubbling Under Hot 100 chart at #6 (their second highest charting song on the chart, behind "Psychosocial"). To promote the single, the band also made an appearance on The Tonight Show with Jay Leno.

The song is included in the football video game Madden NFL 10 and is included as DLC for the Rock Band series of video games on December 8, 2009

In 2010, the song was used for the debut trailer for the game nail'd.

Jack Osbourne ranked the song #2 on his list of "101 Adrenaline Rock Songs", with "Smells Like Teen Spirit" by Nirvana beating it to the #1 spot.

Music video

The music video, directed by Tony Petrossian, was produced at a cost between $300,000 and $500,000 and was recorded on March 27, 2004.^[13] It was shot on location at a fan's house in Des Moines, Iowa which was due for renovation, the aftermath of which resulted in the family asking the band to replace an extensive list of objects and fittings which were damaged or destroyed during the video shoot.^[14] Roadrunner Records provided the family with roughly $50,000 as compensation. The video is available on the CD single and the DVD; Voliminal: Inside the Nine, which was released in 2006. Mid-way through shooting the video, the band and fans were asked to avoid jumping around too much, as it would have resulted in either the floor caving in or the entire house collapsing. Fans were also told to be careful around Craig Jones as the nails in his mask may hit them.

The video starts with a large crowd of fans,running towards the camera which is clearly behind a window. As the song switches in intensity the video cuts to shots inside the house of the band performing in very close quarters with the fans. The video constantly switches between clips of the band performing and fans destroying the house and the surrounding environment. At one point in the video, when lead singer Corey Taylor sings the lyrics, "You cannot kill what you did not create", the words are seen painted on the garage door behind the crowd of fans. Near the end of the song there is a coda section where the music and singing builds up to a highly energetic section. Prior to this Corey seemingly calms the crowd with an outstretched arm, which is followed with Corey pacing through the crowd repeating the lyrics "All I've got, all I've got is insane". Then the scene cuts and an even larger crowd is situated outside watching the performance. Once the chorus begins again the crowd immediately continues to destroy their surroundings and the song suddenly ends. It was revealed later that the band had simply performed the song several times while the crowd vandalised the house, and the resulting footage was edited to produce the video.

Charts

Chart (2004)	Peak position
German Singles Chart[15]	28
Sweden Singles Top 60[16]	35
Irish Singles Chart[17]	43
French Singles Chart[18]	74
Swiss Singles Chart[19]	87
UK Rock Chart	1
UK Singles Chart[20]	15
US Billboard Bubbling Under Hot 100 Singles[21]	6
US Billboard Hot Mainstream Rock Tracks[22]	5
US Billboard Hot Modern Rock Tracks[22]	6

Track listings

All songs written by Slipknot.

CD Single

1. Duality (Single Version) - 3:33
2. Don't Get Close (Duality Demo) - 3:45
3. Disasterpiece (Live) - 5:25
4. Duality (Video)

Promo CD

1. Duality (Edit) - 3:33
2. Duality (Album Version) - 4:13

7" Vinyl

1. Duality (Single Version) - 3:33
2. Don't Get Close (Duality Demo) - 3:45

Limited Edition CD

1. Duality (Single Version) - 3:33
2. Don't Get Close - 3:45

Release history

Year	Type	Label	Catalog	Ref
2004	12-inch	Roadrunner	3988-7	[23]
2004	7-inch	Roadrunner	13984-7	[23]
2004	LP	Roadrunner	RR 3988	[23]
2004	CD	Roadrunner	3988-0	[23]
2004	CD	Universal	6139883	[24]

References

1. ^ Rate Your Music
2. ^ http://www.roadrunnerrecords.com/news/The-Ten-Greatest-Music-Videos-in-Roadrunner-History-5--1-21298.aspx
3. ^ Duality. Allmusic. Retrieved 2010-03-05
4. ^ ^{a b c} Loftus, John. Vol. 3: The Subliminal Verses Overview. Allmusic. Retrieved 2010-03-05
5. ^ Thomson, Mick. "NAMM 2008 Report". On Track Magazine. http://vids.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=vids.individual&videoid=29777240. Retrieved 2010-03-05. 
6. ^ "Slipknot - Vol. 3: The Subliminal Verses - Review". Stylus Magazine. 2004-05-28. http://www.stylusmagazine.com/reviews/slipknot/vol-3-the-subliminal-verses.htm. Retrieved 2010-04-06. 
7. ^ "Volume 3: The Subliminal Verses". Q: 124. July 2004. 
8. ^ "Slipknot Set First Single Off New Album". Blabbermouth.net. 2004-03-06. http://www.roadrunnerrecords.com/blabbermouth.net/news.aspx?mode=Article&newsitemID=20055. Retrieved 2008-03-06. 
9. ^ Strong, Martin C.; John Peel (October 2006). The Essential Rock Discography: Complete Discographies Listing Every Track Recorded by More Than 1,200 Artists. Canongate U.S.. p. 982. ISBN 1841958603. 
10. ^ "Slipknot To Release 'Duality' Seven-Inch Vinyl Single". Blabbermouth.net. 2004-05-24. http://www.roadrunnerrecords.com/blabbermouth.net/news.aspx?mode=Article&newsitemID=22878. Retrieved 2008-03-06. 
11. ^ "Artist Chart History - Slipknot". Billboard. http://www.billboard.com/bbcom/retrieve_chart_history.do?model.chartFormatGroupName=Singles&model.vnuArtistId=33923&model.vnuAlbumId=1155524. Retrieved 2008-09-05. 
12. ^ "Chart Stats - Slipknot". Chart Stats. http://www.chartstats.com/artistinfo.php?id=177. Retrieved 2008-09-05. 
13. ^ "Report: Slipknot's 'Duality' Video Cost Nearly Half A Million To Produce". Blabbermouth.net. 2004-04-02. http://www.roadrunnerrecords.com/blabbermouth.net/news.aspx?mode=Article&newsitemID=21000. Retrieved 2008-03-06. 
14. ^ "For The Record: Quick News On Maroon 5, The Roots And Dave Chappelle, Slipknot, Morrissey, Velvet Underground & More". MTV. 2004R-03-31. http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1486091/20040331/maroon_5.jhtml?headlines=true. Retrieved 2008-03-06. 
15. ^ "Slipknot Germany Singles Top 100". http://acharts.us/song/1611. 
16. ^ "Slipknot Sweden Singles Top 60". http://acharts.us/song/1611. 
17. ^ "Slipknot Ireland Singles Top 50". http://acharts.us/song/1611. 
18. ^ "Slipknot France Singles Top 100". http://acharts.us/song/1611. 
19. ^ "Slipknot Swiss Singles Top 100". http://acharts.us/song/1611. 
20. ^ "UK Top 40 Chart Archive, British Singles & Album Charts". everyhit.com. http://www.everyhit.com/. Retrieved 2008-03-06. 
21. ^ "Slipknot Bubbling Under Hot 100 Singles". Billboard. http://www.billboard.com/bbcom/esearch/chart_display.jsp?cfi=344&cfgn=Singles&cfn=Bubbling+Under+Hot+100+Singles&ci=3055584&cdi=8216769&cid=10%2F09%2F2004. Retrieved 2008-05-15. ^{[dead link]}
22. ^ ^{a b} "Slipknot Artist Chart History: Singles". Billboard. http://www.billboard.com/bbcom/retrieve_chart_history.do?model.chartFormatGroupName=Singles&model.vnuArtistId=33923&model.vnuAlbumId=774595. Retrieved 2008-03-06. 
23. ^ ^{a b c d} allmusic ((( Duality > Overview ))). Allmusic. Retrieved 2010-05-08
24. ^ allmusic ((( Duality [Import CD] > Overview ))). Allmusic. Retrieved 2010-05-08