Slipknot guitarist Jim Root has stated that the band's forthcoming album will be a significant departure from their previous work, promising it will "hurt some feelings" and asserting the band will not "repeat ourselves". He described the new recording process as experimental, involving live tracking with drummer Eloy Casagrande and a simplified, stripped-back guitar approach using analog equipment and deliberately raw-sounding amplification. The band's announcement of their 2027 '(sic)est Stadium Tour, featuring Marilyn Manson as support, has proven controversial, with numerous fans vowing to boycott the Wembley Stadium date (3 July 2027) due to long-standing allegations of sexual and domestic abuse against Manson, which he has denied.

Root was highly critical of the band's previous album, 2022's 'The End, So Far', describing it as "disjointed and a mess" and attributing its struggles to the COVID-19 pandemic and global circumstances. The new recording represents a philosophical shift: rather than pursuing the "over-produced" layering of recent work or the "LoFi" aesthetics of early releases, the band selected amplification specifically for its aggressive character and utilised producer Matt Wallace alongside the ethos of producer Ross Robinson. Whilst some fans welcomed Manson's inclusion, citing substantial fanbase overlap between the two acts, the booking has generated substantial social media backlash, with several long-time followers stating they would not purchase tickets.