Slipknot Albums Ranked From Worst To Best

6. .5 The Gray Chapter

The 9 really had their work cut out for them after the 2010's turned a corner. After coming off of a high commercial peak with All Hope is Gone, the enduring break had cost them one of their own with the death of bassist Paul Gray and resulted in the departure of drummer Joey Jordison. Even though there are some quality tunes on .5 The Gray Chapter, it's hard not to hear that loss through the music.

As an album, this is about as blunt a musical statement you can make, with Corey Taylor putting words to the anger, pain, and sorrow that maybe the band didn't quite know how to express to their fallen brother. At the same time, the quality tends to vary from one track to the next, with songs like the glorious opening track being upended by some more tepid cuts that really feel like these guys were playing it a little too safe after coming together again.

On the surface, the concept actually passes with flying colors, but when looked at as a key point in Slipknot's work, this feels more like a stop gap and a bookmark of where they were at in their lives rather than an actually great musical project. While the pain might be cathartic, it might not be the greatest to listen to again.

Best tracks: XIX, Goodbye, The Devil In I