Slipknot fans received a bit of good news over the summer when percussionist Shawn “Clown” Crahan announced that the band was planning an American tour for 2012.

Now, Crahan says Slipknot is in the planning stages for the follow-up to 2008′s ‘All Hope Is Gone’ album, although it might be awhile before anyone gets to hear it. 

“There’s plans [to make another record] but that’s a way off,” Crahan told Kerrang! magazine. “No one will push it, because it’s going to be a big one. It’ll be closer to ‘Iowa’, but it’ll be sadder and crazier and really thought provoking, it could even be conceptual.”

Crahan says the death of bassist Paul Gray, who passed away last summer, is still affecting the band. “We’re still taking some time to reflect on our brother [Gray],” he explained. “Everybody needs to be collecting thoughts so they can get it out and no one has really had time to collect thoughts yet. But we’re the f—ing ‘Knot. And when we come out, you’ll know your band is done.”

In the meantime, Slipknot is taking some time off the road — they recently toured Europe and performed at Rock in Rio — and preparing for next year’s US dates, which kick off in June. Fans can also look forward to an expanded 10th anniversary edition of the band’s 2001 album, ‘Iowa,’ scheduled to reach stores on November 1.

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