Slipknot Albums Ranked From Worst To Best
2. Iowa
Album No. 2 for Slipknot saw them in a state of transition. After blowing away all of the headliners on the road with both Ozzfest and Coal Chamber, these guys were pretty weather-beaten from the rock and roll lifestyle, along with picking up some nasty drug habits along the way. Most bands would go commercial at this stage...then again Slipknot isn't "most bands."
Doubling down on the heaviness, Iowa still holds up as one of the purest bludgeonings that any metal act has ever put to tape, with every single track having its fangs out, ready to kill. Starting from the first scream onward, this record sinks you into the deep well of the underworld with no hope for survival, as Taylor spews out some of the filthiest lyrics of his career on songs like Left Behind and Disasterpiece.
For all the savagery on display here, it didn't necessarily come without a fight for these guys. During the recording sessions, everyone present has spoken about the torturous routines they would have to go through, including the producer throwing potted plants at them during recording and even one instance when Clown burned himself with hot candle wax before doing a take. While Iowa may have come from a dark period in the band's tenure, it still holds up as one of the heaviest pieces of music you will ever hear.
Best Tracks: Disasterpiece, People = Sh*t, The Heretic Anthem