 | Tracklist:
1. (515)
2. People = Shit
3. Disasterpiece
4. My Plague
5. Everything Ends
6. The Heretic Anthem
7. Gently
8. Left Behind
9. The Shape
10. I Am Hated
11. Skin Ticket
12. New Abortion
13. Metabolic
14. Iowa
| Ranking: #173 for 2001 | |
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On 29 Lists
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11 of 16 thought this review was well written
The masked entertainers hit the world again with their second full length (or third, if you count their self-released... thing) Now when I went to the record store to buy this, I got home and then went straight back to the store because some funny head switched my Iowa cd with a 'Christmas on Deathrow' Hip Hop CD. Anyway, the cover is in shiny silver exposing their - Infamous by now, I assume - 'Goat' and what title would be better than a homage to their home state. Iowa.
Basically, they use the same formula that they used on 'Slipknot' only they tried to take it further. They try to disgust their fans and by doing so gaining their interest. Dead animals and mathematical figures in the booklet, it can only look interesting for a teenager.
However they didn't experiment a lot on this album, you can find a lot of similarities between this and 'Slipknot'. Both albums start with insensible intros that have been titled with a number and both end with very long and slowly building songs (Scissors --> Iowa). Both albums have the fast 'Rap Metal' tune (Spit it Out --> I am Hated). Other songs are also very comparable (Eyeless and Disasterpiece, Wait and Bleed and My Plague, (Sic) and People = Shit...) and they even bear the same number in many cases. As it was almost a remake of the last album, this was very easy to consume for the fans.
Starting off with an intro that is just a bunch of screaming and sounds, it represents perfectly what some people think of this album (Namely a bunch of screaming and sounds). However, I rate it higher than that. It has some flaws though, there's no denying that. After the intro we get to hear a song that shows what the lyrical content is all about on this album. People = Shit. Misanthropic, suicidal and 'Heretic' to an extent that can get tiring after a while. Not that the lyrics are badly written, but the topics are sometimes chosen unfortunately. 'I want to slit your throat and fuck the wound' is a line that gets quoted repeatedly to prove how much Slipknot sucks, this is not justified, however, as the rest of the lyrics don't fit that image for the most part.
Then the other problem that people have with Slipknot : The 9 Members.
I think they could've probably made this with 5 members. Samples, DJ and Custom Percussion, they can be a nice bonus in some songs, but they are not very prominent and are barely audible at times. But they're in the band and it doesn't exactly bother me, it can only make it better. As for the other, 'more useful' members, they perform decently. Joey is probably the most respected member in Slipknot, and his drumming is solid, nothing too amazing, but it's good. The guitars are downtuned to the point where you could probably use the lower string as a strap to carry your guitar. Personally, I don't really like the tone all that much and the riffs are mostly quite simplistic, but it works. Here and there we do get a good riff though, Left behind has a really catchy intro and it's probably the best song on the album, with the changing of corey's vocals from screaming to singing. As for the bass, eh, I didn't really hear a lot of bass...
Overall, we can say that the purpose of this album is to be heavy, yet catchy. They somewhat succeeded due to Joey's drumming, Corey's screaming and the downtuned guitars combined with Corey's clean singing and the mostly simple but catchy riffs. It's a pity that they tried to make this cd 'evil' and depressing. Because listening to it, it just doesn't strike me as if they genuinely mean it.
But if you manage to put that element aside, this is an enjoyable album, the songwriting is decent and I'd recommend it to any nu-metal fan. 3.5/5
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| Recent reviews by this author | | | |
Album Rating: 2
Nice work, Jelle. This was the album that got me into nu metal. I still have it to this day. I think its a lot heavier than most nu metal, which is why it probably appealed to me.I've since stopped listening to this record but I guess in a wierd way I just can't turn my back to Slipknot completely.
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I Dont care what any of you guys say about slipknot, I will always love them, Iowa's an awesome album
| | | Album Rating: 3.5
Did you even read the review? I said it was pretty good.
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Slipknot aren't nu-metal.. they even said it themselves that they are a heavy metal band.. there just in the genre of nu-metal because of roadrunner.. stupid limp bizkit crap
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I also think this album is awesome. When Slipknot first came to our ears, I totally ignored them and wasn't at all interested in hearing them - had only heard Spit It Out and Wait and Bleed (which I really liked). But for some reason never picked up their album, etc. However thanks to my sister, she loved them and bought Iowa and when i actually listened to it, I really enjoyed it. Maybe that's cos of my changing musical tastes and getting into more and more heavier music. Anyway, beside the masks/costumes/reputation/lyrics, Spliknot truly is a talented band with some really heavy music. I'm more of a Mudvayne fan but songs like Peope=Shit, Everything Ends and The Shape are very impressive. I'd give Iowa 4/5.
| | | Album Rating: 2
Superpeer PWNS
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What is this crap doing on the metal page
| | | Album Rating: 2
Where else would it go?
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The pop page... but we don't seem to have one.
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you're a wanker LordDargon. i mean what kind of name is that anyway, some kind of wacky computer nerd. if u dont like slipknot, fuck off. im not their biggest fan either, but really, grow up a bit.
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LordDargon:
You obviously must be a little interested in them seeing as you took the time to check the review out.....Or you're just an absolute loser who has nothing better to do with your life.
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Quite frankly, I found this to be the worst Slipknot album, it didn't have the freshness of self-titled or the catchy melodicism of Vol. 3 there were a few high points, but I was wholly unimpressed.
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this is one of their best albums me and my friend sit in the school parkinglot before school listening to it.
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this is definately there loudest album by miles!
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Ya they are deffiently not nu-metal
| | | Album Rating: 3.5
Yes they are...
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o well idc what they fall under they rock and thats that
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But they're definitely s'hit.
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I like this album., IMO its the best one slipknot have made. Im nbot a huge slipknot fan but i like joey as a drummer and guitsarist for the murderdolls
| | | Album Rating: 5
i like Subliminal Verses better nowadays, but for awhile this was my favorite Knot, and actually my favorite album period
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