10 Best Follow Up Albums In Hard Rock

2. Iowa - Slipknot

For as much force as Slipknot put into their music, there were many skeptics who saw them as nothing more than a gimmick. With the band all donning masks to perform and songs with a certain shock factor to them, it was questionable whether the band's success would last after their first record.

Once the band entered the legendary Sound City Studios, they had a certain goal in mind: dial up the intensity to the nth degree. While the band's debut had its fair share of disturbing moments, Iowa is the actual sound of dread and terror condensed into a single hour of music. From the opening screams of "(515)," the album holds absolutely nothing back as it uses the listener as a sparring partner on tracks like "The Heretic Anthem" and "Disasterpiece." The members have gone on to say that this was the hardest record to make because of their strained relationships, which even led to Corey Taylor tearing himself up to complete the title track.

Despite any sort of pop phenomenon, the album went to No. 1 across the world and showed that the tribe of Maggots extended far beyond a niche audience. The band may not look back on this period with fondness, but they are no doubt proud of making one of the heaviest records of the 2000's.