Hailing from Des Moines, Iowa, Mick Thomson joined Slipknot in 1996, not long after its initial formation. The band has been nominated for 10 Grammy awards and has received a multitude of other honors. Slipknot has sold over 30 million albums worldwide since their self-titled debut was released in 1999. Known in Slipknot as #7, Thomson’s innovative guitar style has brought him acclaim across a wide range of metal publications, and has been described as highly influential on many players who sought to capture his unique blend of downtuned riffs and hypnotic lead lines. In addition to seven studio albums, Slipknot has released two live albums, a compilation album, and five live DVDs. Their latest album The End, So Far was released in September 2022.