Duality (song)

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title: "Duality (song)" type: doc version: 1 created: 2026-02-28 author: "Wikipedia contributors" status: active scope: public tags: ["2004-singles", "2004-songs", "slipknot-(band)-songs", "roadrunner-records-singles", "music-videos-directed-by-tony-petrossian", "song-recordings-produced-by-rick-rubin", "songs-written-by-paul-gray-(american-musician)", "songs-written-by-corey-taylor", "songs-written-by-jim-root", "songs-written-by-joey-jordison", "american-hard-rock-songs"] topic_path: "arts" source: "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Duality_(song)" license: "CC BY-SA 4.0" wikipedia_page_id: 0 wikipedia_revision_id: 0

::data[format=table title="Infobox song"]

FieldValue
nameDuality
coverDuality (Slipknot single - cover art).jpg
typesingle
artistSlipknot
albumVol. 3: (The Subliminal Verses)
B-sideDon't Get Close
released
recorded
genre{{flatlist
* Nu metal{{cite journalurl
* Alternative metal{{Cite magazineurl
labelRoadrunner
producerRick Rubin
prev_titleMy Plague
prev_year2002
next_titleVermilion
misc
::

::callout[type=note] the Slipknot single ::

| name = Duality | cover = Duality (Slipknot single - cover art).jpg | alt = | type = single | artist = Slipknot | album = Vol. 3: (The Subliminal Verses) | B-side = Don't Get Close | released = | recorded = | studio = | genre = {{flatlist|

"Duality" is a song by American heavy metal band Slipknot. It was released on May 4, 2004, as the first single from the band's third album, Vol. 3: (The Subliminal Verses). A music video was made for the song, which was listed as Roadrunner's greatest video of all time.

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. The song opens with lead vocalist Corey Taylor softly saying "I push my fingers into my...", leading up to guitarist Mick Thomson playing a riff accompanied by Craig Jones' keyboards while Taylor finishes the sentence with "...eyes", in a much more intense voice. The song is played in drop B tuning (to which most of Slipknot's songs are tuned) and features a nu metal style.

Unlike many previous Slipknot singles, "Duality", like most of the songs on Vol. 3, does not have profanity. Thomson explained in a 2008 interview that vocalist Taylor was relying on explicit content in the lyrics, and wanted to try something "different". 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". Stylus Magazine said "Duality" had a "grindcore riff". Q wrote that the song "blow[s] the competition away".

Release and reception

"Duality" was originally released as a CD single on May 4, 2004. On May 25, 2004, the single was released on 7-inch red vinyl to coincide with the release of the album. 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"). In the UK Singles Chart, the song reached number 15. The song also charted on the Bubbling Under Hot 100 chart at number six (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 on May 17, 2004.

In the 2004 Metal Edge Readers' Choice Awards, the song was voted "Song of the Year" and "Music Video of the Year". In 2020, Kerrang and Louder Sound ranked the song number five and number three, respectively, on their lists of the greatest Slipknot songs. Jack Osbourne ranked the song number two on his list of "101 Adrenaline Rock Songs", with "Smells Like Teen Spirit" by Nirvana beating it to the number one spot.

Music video

The music video, directed by Mark Klasfeld and Tony Petrossian, cost between $300,000 and $500,000 and was recorded on March 27, 2004. It was shot in West Des Moines, Iowa, at a fan's house that was due for renovation, and features the band performing inside the house surrounded by dozens of fans both inside and outside the house, which gets destroyed in the process as the fans crash through the windows and walls.

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. Prior to a coda section, Corey seemingly calms the crowd with an outstretched arm, which is followed with him pacing through the crowd repeating the lyrics "All I've got, all I've got is insane". An even larger crowd standing outdoors observes the performance. Once the chorus begins again the crowd immediately continues to destroy their surroundings.

Shawn Crahan recalls that the band "asked our real fans to be in the video and people came from all over", adding that "it meant so much to us. We weren't really supposed to destroy that house – but we did it anyway. Another plus for that song is that I get to beat the fuck out of my keg. What else could you want?"

In the aftermath, the family asked the band to replace an extensive list of objects and fittings that were damaged or destroyed during the shoot.

The music video is also available on the CD single and the DVD Voliminal: Inside the Nine, released in 2006.

Track listing

All songs written by Slipknot.

;CD single | title1 = Duality | note1 = Single version | length1 = 3:33 | title2 = Don't Get Close | length2 = 3:45 | title3 = Disasterpiece | note3 = Live | length3 = 5:23

  • include music video "Duality" on some versions

;7" vinyl / EU cardboard sleeve CD single | title1 = Duality | note1 = Single version | length1 = 3:33 | title2 = Don't Get Close | length2 = 3:45

;US promo CD | title1 = Duality | note1 = Edit | length1 = 3:33 | title2 = Duality | note2 = Album version | length2 = 4:12

;EU promo CD | title1 = Duality | note1 = Edit | length1 = 3:33

Charts

::data[format=table title="Chart performance for "Duality""] | Chart (2004) | Peak position | |---|---| ::

Certifications

Release history

::data[format=table title="Release dates and formats for "Duality""]

YearTypeLabelCatalogRef
200412-inchRoadrunner3988-7class=album
7-inch13984-7
LPRR 3988
CD3988-0
Universal6139883
::

References

References

  1. Unterberger, Andrew. (September 10, 2004). "Top Ten Nu-Metal Bands". Stylus Magazine Rap Metal.
  2. Chesler, Josh. (May 18, 2015). "10 Nu-metal Songs That Actually Don't Suck". [[Phoenix New Times]].
  3. Olivier, Bobby. (August 6, 2019). "The 10 Best Slipknot Songs: Critic's Picks".
  4. Guyre, Jen (April 30, 2010). [http://www.roadrunnerrecords.com/news/The-Ten-Greatest-Music-Videos-in-Roadrunner-History-5--1-21298.aspx "The Ten Greatest Music Videos in Roadrunner History"]. [[Roadrunner Records. Roadrunner]]. Retrieved December 19, 2011
  5. Blabbermouth. (April 30, 2010). "The Ten Greatest Music Videos In ROADRUNNER History: Part 2".
  6. [{{AllMusic
  7. Loftus, John. [{{AllMusic
  8. Unterberger, Andrew. (September 10, 2004). "Top Ten Nu-Metal Bands". Stylus Magazine.
  9. Thomson, Mick. "NAMM 2008 Report". On Track Magazine.
  10. (May 28, 2004). "Slipknot - Vol. 3: The Subliminal Verses - Review". Stylus Magazine.
  11. (July 2004). "Volume 3: The Subliminal Verses". [[Q (magazine).
  12. (March 6, 2004). "Slipknot Set First Single Off New Album". Blabbermouth.net.
  13. Strong, Martin C.. (October 2006). "The Essential Rock Discography: Complete Discographies Listing Every Track Recorded by More Than 1,200 Artists". Canongate U.S..
  14. (May 24, 2004). "Slipknot To Release 'Duality' Seven-Inch Vinyl Single". Blabbermouth.net.
  15. "Artist Chart History - Slipknot".
  16. "The Official Charts Company - Slipknot". [[Official Charts Company]].
  17. (April 13, 2004). "SLIPKNOT: More New Songs To Be Made Available For Download".
  18. Metal Edge, June 2005
  19. Law, Sam. (March 27, 2020). "The 20 greatest Slipknot songs – ranked". [[Kerrang!.
  20. Chillingworth, Alec. (December 22, 2020). "The Top 50 best Slipknot songs ever". [[Metal Hammer.
  21. (April 2, 2004). "Report: Slipknot's 'Duality' Video Cost Nearly Half A Million To Produce". [[Blabbermouth.net]].
  22. Bryant, Tom. (July 14, 2012). "Hell unleashed".
  23. (March 31, 2004). "For The Record: Quick News On Maroon 5, The Roots And Dave Chappelle, Slipknot, Morrissey, Velvet Underground & More". [[MTV]].
  24. [{{AllMusic
  25. [{{AllMusic

::callout[type=info title="Wikipedia Source"] This article was imported from Wikipedia and is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 License. Content has been adapted to SurfDoc format. Original contributors can be found on the article history page. ::

2004-singles2004-songsslipknot-(band)-songsroadrunner-records-singlesmusic-videos-directed-by-tony-petrossiansong-recordings-produced-by-rick-rubinsongs-written-by-paul-gray-(american-musician)songs-written-by-corey-taylorsongs-written-by-jim-rootsongs-written-by-joey-jordisonamerican-hard-rock-songs