Drowse Puts an Esoteric, Melancholic Spin on Cover of Slipknot’s “Wait and Bleed”

Continuing the rollout of The Flenser’s highly-anticipated nu-metal covers compilation Send the Pain Below (available on vinyl to subscribers of their Series Three membership club), L.A.-by-way-of-Portland artist Drowse have unveiled their offering for the release: the reimagined, multi-layered cover of Slipknot’s classic “Wait and Bleed.”

Of the cover song, Drowse’s Kyle Bates comments: “First, rest in peace to a true master, Joey Jordison. His passing a few months after I recorded this cover hit hard, heavy with the weight of too much death in the world and my own family these past couple of years.”

Bates continues, “On a lighter note, the music: When asked to contribute to this compilation I was hesitant, I only caught the tail end of the genre.  I was seven when ‘Wait and Bleed‘ came out; most of my Nu Metal nostalgia is in memories of Deftones blasting from a friend’s dad’s truck as we carpooled to school or a camp counselor’s scary S/T album art Slipknot shirt. Even so, the band found its way to my ears through a goth cousin and this song became a classic for me.”

He ponders, “I also thought: ‘how the fuck do I cover this? I record slow music alone in my bedroom…’ My first decision was to record all of the guitars with an EBow. I then followed my gut towards this Can, Andy Stott, and Éliane Radigue indebted take on the song.  I added new sections and melodies because I dislike covers that try to sound too much like the original—why not just listen to the real thing at that point—and I was led by the sound. This resulting weirdo version of ‘Wait and Bleed’ feels hypnotic to me, I hope it does for you too.”