SLIPKNOT

BETWEEN grotesquely masked musicians and brooding fans, Slipknot created an ominous mood at their first New York gig in two years.

Monday’s show at the Roseland Ballroom found Des Moines’ bad boys in good metal form.

The nine-man band – known professionally by numerical designations 0 to 8 – harvested the best songs from their first two discs along with a few new tunes from their upcoming release “Vol. 3: The Subliminal Verses.”

Success hasn’t spoiled Slipknot, nor the followers they affectionately call “maggots.”

In rubber masks, gory makeup and bloody mummy wraps, the ensemble is as bizarre today as it was when the band broke in during the late ’90s. Gone is the rap ‘n’ roll Slipknot used to love: Now the boys favor straight-up metal that’s so caustic it peels paint off walls.

During this 90-minute headlining concert, devil fingers poked at heaven from the maggots in the mosh pit as Slipknot banged heads with gig-neck glee.

If you ignored the masks – and that’s asking a lot – this was a no-gimmick concert that stayed focused on the music.

Much has been said about how Slipknot has become more melodic over time. Maybe you could hear that on “The Heretic Anthem,” yet most of the other songs were propelled on adrenalin-rush rhythms. Slipknot doesn’t just find the song’s beat – they beat the song.

It’s such a primal sound, it unwillingly draws you in, despite the atonal sameness. Slipknot’s music has been described as hate-filled rage rock – yet, other than the between-songs patter that conjugated the “F-word” in ways that would make a grammarian dizzy, the lyrics were mostly innocuous, mostly because they were indecipherable.

A midshow rendition of oldie “Disasterpiece” and the new song “Duality” were very well-received, but it was the band’s more famous “Spit It Out” and their encore, “People = S – – – ” where they hit their stride.