Slipknot‘s members may individually be tinkering around with ideas for new music, but singer Corey Taylor tells BBC Radio 1 host Zane Lowe that it will be a difficult task working without the creative force that was bassist Paul Gray.

Taylor explained, “There’s a huge void that has to be filled musically. He brought something so different to what we do … There was something so different about what Paul brought to the band. Not only could he write these great riffs – these super-heavy, drudgy riffs – but he has such a great vision for melody. I mean, a lot of the stuff that he wrote had so many different layers to it, it was almost orchestral. And that is gonna be hard to fill, because it was just so different. It comes along once in a generation.”

At least there’s a wealth of sources to pull from, as Taylor adds, “I mean, Joey [Jordison] is an amazing writer. Mick [Thomson] is a great writer. He comes up with amazing riffs. I can kind of hold my own with these guys. Clown has a brilliant mind for the crazier stuff, but he also has a great idea of what the vibe should be. Jim [Root] writes incredible riffs.”

Taylor says Slipknot’s decision to carry on is based out of their family vibe, and they have a bond that is growing stronger with their appearances on tour last year in Europe and this year as part of the Mayhem Festival in the U.S. At present, it’s tentatively expected that the group will enter the studio in 2013.

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