Slipknot frontman Corey Taylor has hit out suggestions the band's music encourages children to self harm.

The band previously come under fire over the dark imagery in some of their song lyrics, but Taylor insists the tracks do not influence impressionable youngsters.

And he understands why angst-ridden teenagers feel depressed - he suffered the same problems in his youth.

Taylor says, "If you're setting out to hurt yourself, it's not the music that's causing it. There's something else wrong. We get a lot of kids that cut themselves but I go out of my way to try and stop it.

"It may feel artistic to carve our names in your arm but to us, it's just hurting yourself. As bleak as Slipknot can be, it's supposed to be positive in the long term and the last thing we want is for anyone to hurt themselves.

"I used to be one of those kids and I always try to explain to them that I know what it's like to feel like you're the last person on Earth. All you have to do is reach out and someone will be there."

(by Daniel Melia)