Original Slipknot singer Anders Colsefni reflects on performing “Mate. Feed. Kill. Repeat.” songs again

Original Slipknot vocalist Anders Colsefni says returning to the band’s earliest material onstage has been an extraordinary experience, even if relearning the songs has proven more demanding than he expected.

Colsefni, who sang on the 1996 release “Mate. Feed. Kill. Repeat.”, discussed the experience in a new interview with Will McLeod of The Minnesota Music Note podcast. He admitted that he had to research some of his old lyrics, particularly those associated with “The Crowz” demos, because he no longer had the original notebooks.

“It’s pretty incredible,” Colsefni said. “I couldn’t remember just how difficult it was to do also.” He recalled the combination of percussion, screaming, singing, rapping and growling that characterized the band’s early performances.

According to Colsefni, fans are particularly eager to hear “Slipknot”, “Gently”, “Do Nothing/Bitchslap” and “Killers Are Quiet”. The latter can be extended into a lengthy drone-like performance, sometimes lasting as long as 20 minutes.

The singer has also enjoyed seeing younger listeners discover the material. At a June concert in Des Moines, he encountered children, teenagers and older audience members, including some who were surprised by how much they enjoyed the show.

The conversation also turned to the 2024 re-recording of “Mate. Feed. Kill. Repeat.”, made in collaboration with New Zealand group Kaosis. Colsefni remains dissatisfied with the release and says it did not reflect what he had agreed to.

He explained that he recorded his new vocals in his son’s home studio expecting real musicians to perform the instrumental parts. Instead, he says, the backing music was largely produced digitally. He described the result as an inferior version of songs he believes already sounded good in their original form.

Colsefni has previously urged fans not to stream the 2024 version, saying he does not endorse its production. He recommends seeking out the original 1996 recording, which he says is available to hear on YouTube.

Looking back at the band’s beginnings, Colsefni recalled writing much of the early material in the cramped basement of a duplex in Des Moines. The musicians were still searching for a distinctive identity, which helps explain why “Mate. Feed. Kill. Repeat.” sounds different from the music Slipknot later became known for.