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Coming out of the Midwest, an area of the country known for its face-melting heavy metal and delicious vegetables, Slipknot shook up much of the music scene in the late nineties with an intense style that gave parents something to complain about again. Oddly enough, for as loud as their percussive assault was, they stayed under the mainstream radar, performing mostly to a dedicated fan base that never failed to keep record and ticket sales high.

For those fans, Inside the Nine will be a fun ride through random camera angles and zero narration that gives an interesting look through the eyes of the band, what life for them on the road is like. Probably no one else will purchase or enjoy this DVD. It, like most things Slipknot does, has a particular style to it that you either crave or shake your head at.

Most of the footage is thrown together in random fashion with a few horror movie editing tricks thrown in the mix. There’s footage of the band on stage, practicing, fighting and witnessing the aftermath of a mystery object that has clogged up a hotel toilet. Of course there’s a generous amount of drinking and the usual rock and roll mayhem that you’d expect from the heavy metal road.

However, it’s no episode of Behind the Music. In fact, it looks more like an arthouse film than a music documentary. There’s no explanation for the footage, and without context, it’s sometimes difficult to understand what the band wants us to see. Since the images are left to speak for themselves, some just don’t speak loudly enough.

Luckily, there are two discs, one for the main feature and another with music videos and interviews with all nine band members.

Once again, the final grade on this product is fairly superfluous since you’d have to be a fan to enjoy it, and if you are a fan, then you’ve probably already purchased it. If you haven’t heard of Slipknot, and want a creepy experience that will leave you questioning why you bought your DVD player in the first place, Voliminal is guaranteed to satisfy. If you are a fan, you’ll enjoy the signature weirdness of an iconic band.

The Good: It gets personal if you muscle through the first half hour.

The Bad: It’s incredibly boring at times and watches like a reject version of Jackass.

On the Side: The band appears without their masks on, but they blur out their faces.