The Heretic Anthem

2001 promotional single by Slipknot

"The Heretic Anthem" / "Heretic Song"
Cover art for the "Heretic Song" single
Promotional single by Slipknot
from the album Iowa
A-side	"Heretic Song"
Released	May 15, 2001
Recorded	2001
Studio	Sound City and Sound Image (Van Nuys, California)
Genre	Nu metal^[1] death metal^[2]
Length	4:19
Label	Roadrunner
Songwriter(s)	Paul Gray Joey Jordison Corey Taylor^[3]
Producer(s)	Slipknot Ross Robinson

"The Heretic Anthem" (released as "Heretic Song" as a single) is a song by American heavy metal band Slipknot. The song was released as a promotional single from their second album Iowa. Revolver magazine praised the track and described that it "flirt[s] with full-on death metal in their extremity, both sonic and thematic."^[4]

Song meaning

The song was written about record labels who initially showed no interest in signing a recording contract with the band. The lyrics, "I bleed for this and I bleed for you/ Still you look in my face like I'm somebody new/ TOY – nobody wants anything I've got/ Which is fine, because you're made of/ Everything – I'm – NOT", reflect this attitude.

Track listing

Promo single

No.	Title	Length
1.	"Heretic Song" (Rough Mix)	4:19

UK promo single

No.	Title	Length
1.	"Heretic Song" (Clean Version)	4:19

EU promo single

No.	Title	Length
1.	"The Heretic Anthem" (live)	4:45
2.	"The Heretic Anthem" (live video)	4:45
3.	"DVD Trailer" (video)	2:12

Covers

The American band Periphery covered the song in 2012 and released as a bonus track for the limited edition of Periphery II: This Time It's Personal.^[5]
Deathcore band Spite covered the song and released it as a single in 2014
Carnifex covered the song on their 2018 EP Bury Me in Blasphemy

Personnel

Slipknot

(#0) Sid Wilson – turntables
(#1) Joey Jordison – drums
(#2) Paul Gray – bass
(#3) Chris Fehn – percussion, backing vocals
(#4) Jim Root – guitar
(#5) Craig Jones – samples, media
(#6) Shawn Crahan – percussion, backing vocals
(#7) Mick Thomson – guitar
(#8) Corey Taylor – lead vocals

Production

Ross Robinson – producer
Mike Fraser – engineer
Andy Wallace – mixing
Monte Conner – A&R
Steve Sisco – assistant engineer
George Marino – mastering
Steve Richards – executive producer

References

^ "10 Best Nu Metal Albums To Own on Vinyl". VMP.
^ "The Top 50 best Slipknot songs ever". The Louder Sound. 23 December 2020.
^ Billmann, Pete; Jacobson, Jeff; Story, Jeff (2001). Iowa (Guitar/vocal/tab. ed.). Milwaukee, WI: Hal Leonard. ISBN 0634037374.
^ "SLIPKNOT'S 'IOWA': 6 INSANE STORIES FROM MAKING OF BAND'S MOST BRUTAL ALBUM". Revolver. 28 August 2018. Retrieved 29 November 2020.
^ Rosenberg, Axl (March 14, 2012). "MEMBERS OF PERIPHERY COVER SLIPKNOT'S "HERETIC ANTHEM"". Metalsucks. Retrieved May 6, 2016.