10 Most Controversial Metal Albums Of The 21st Century

Iowa by Slipknot really is a gift from the metal gods. Rather than turning up the commercial aspects of their sound, the band of masked killers decided to crank up the heaviness and turned in one of the most solid front-to-back metal releases of the modern age. The metalheads were certainly proud, but the moms and dads of the world were absolutely pissed.

While casual listeners could at least tolerate something like "Wait and Bleed" from the band's first record, this album was taking no prisoners, with every other song containing threatening lyrics, punishing riffs, and Corey Taylor refining his shout for maximum venom. Look no further than "Left Behind," with a hook line containing Taylor singing for about 2-3 seconds before taking the listener right back to Hell with his shouts.

For as pummeling as this record is to your senses, it took an equal toll on the band that made it, with members talking about potted plants being thrown at them at some sessions and even Corey Taylor leaving himself bloodied and bruised after cutting himself during the recording of the title track. Rather than fall by the wayside, the aggression behind this record led maggots to send it all the way to #3 on the Billboard Charts, which might mark one of the heaviest records to ever grace the Top 20. Any metalhead would be proud to have this in their collection, but for someone just getting into the genre, you're in for one hell of a ride.