Gen Z Reacts to Old + New Slipknot – ‘He Seems Like a Very Angry Boy’
You've seen elders react to Slipknot and you've seen kids react to Slipknot, but you haven't seen Gen Z react to Slipknot — until now. React has uploaded a new video compilation featuring a group of adolescents sharing their take on songs from the old and new eras of Slipknot, and it's hilarious.
First, let's define Gen Z, since there's typically some confusion as to when the Millennial generation ends and Gen Z begins. According to Pew Research Center, 1997 is the year that Gen Z starts, which means the oldest members of that generation are currently 25 years old.
The video starts off with the Slipknot classic "Wait and Bleed," and given the kids' facial expressions, it's clear they weren't expecting the band to look — or sound — the way that they do. They all seemed quite curious during the song's mellow intro, but as the intensity picked up, so did their reactions.
"Oh, is this The Purge?" one questioned.
Another affirmed that they're "okay with metal," but that heavy metal is "a bit much for" them. We're curious which artists constitute "metal" but not "heavy metal."
"It's not my cup of tea, but… Wow, it seems so lit, okay? I'm not gonna lie, like everybody here seems to be having a good time," a third kid noted, implying that they experienced a change of heart after seeing the energy the crowd in the clip.
The video that was shown afterward was for Iowa's "Left Behind," which two of the kids compared to Halloween Horror Nights, and another suggested that "all heavy rockers" go to therapy.
Vol. 3: (The Subliminal Verses)' "Before I Forget" followed next, which seemed to appeal a bit more to some of the kids than the prior ones did — except for one, who repetitively noted that they didn't hear anything but screaming and that it's not music.
React went on to show the kids songs from All Hope Is Gone, .5: The Gray Chapter, We Are Not Your Kind and The End, So Far. It seems as the songs became more melodic, the kids found the songs more listenable. And one girl was really proud of herself for recognizing "Psychosocial."
We could go on and on listing the hilarious things that they said, like one kid saying "Unsainted" sounds like Fall Out Boy, but you can watch the full segment for yourself below.