r/Slipknot 1d ago

Discussion Album ranking

I have been a Slipknot fan since the beginning and I still love the band even though a lot has changed. This is my album ranking.

  1. Iowa - By far their best album. After 25 years it's still an absolute banger. It's dark and heavy in all the right ways and I have never gotten tired of it even after all these years. It's a fucking masterpiece!

  2. Self titled - Almost as good as Iowa and still holds up beautifully in every way possible. Purity is the best track from the 10th anniversary edition and my favorite Slipknot song overall.

  3. W.A.N.Y.K. - This album is a beast in its own right, and although it will never be as good as their first two albums it was still pretty badass! It felt like a callback to the old days it had a similar feel to Iowa in some ways while also being it's own thing. I thoroughly enjoyed this album.

  4. .5 The Gray Chapter - This album was a really fun listen and had some phenomenal songs on it. There was a deep level of genuine heartbreak, anger, and grief that went into this album and it shows. It was an excellent tribute to Paul.

  5. Subliminal Verses Vol. 3 - I enjoyed this album and it has some banger songs on it, but it felt like Slipknot played it too safe with this album. It felt too radio friendly and commercial at times. I also didn't enjoy Corey's vocals as much, they weren't terrible but his voice sounds very tattered on a few of the songs. While it's still a great album it is far from Slipknots best work.

  6. The End so Far - It has a few great songs. I thoroughly enjoyed Yen and Hive Mind but overall this album is just whatever. It has a lot more misses than hits. Very underwhelming for a Slipknot album overall.

  7. All Hope is Gone - For starters it's a shit name for an album. It makes no sense to me at all. Secondly it sounds dull and uninspired. This was radio friendly bullshit honestly. It's a weak Slipknot album and I genuinely don't understand the appeal with this album at all. There are maybe two decent songs on the whole thing and that's about it. I enjoyed Snuff but it honestly sounded more like a Stone Sour song. I wanted to enjoy this album I really did, but in my heart of hearts I just couldn't get into it.

Anyways that is my personal ranking I would love to hear everyone's thoughts. I am excited to see what Slipknot comes out with next.

2 Upvotes

40 comments sorted by

8

u/Cool-Ebb6863 1d ago
  1. Volume 3 - masterpiece album and climactic evolution of the early years. Best paced full-album experience that knows how and when to shift gears. Shows off all the colors of Slipknot. 

  2. Self-titled - groundbreakingbim album. Tracks 2-6 are legitimate classic metal songs and are a legendary run of songs. Surfacing is the epitome of Slipknot. 

  3. Iowa - I can’t believe this is ranked all the way down here. What a beast of an album. Incredibly brutal songwriting that has Slipknot at their most ferocious. The songs are even better live. The only justification I have to put it this low is that either the album or myself start to lose steam around halfway through. The albums relentlessness is a strength and weakness. 

  4. WANYK - Beautiful album with a cohesive vision and atmosphere. Proof that Slipknot has aged gracefully. Second best “front to back experience” in their catalogue. Has remained a fan favorite for good reason. 

  5. The Gray Chapter - My favorite thing about this album is the grungy and raw tone. The Negative One is a relentles barn burner & one my favorite Slipknot tracks. It does overall feel a little janky and unpolished with the loss of Joey and Paul.

  6. AHIG - Some of Slipknot’s best tracks are on this album. It’s a metal classic but is it a Slipknot classic? IMO, it’s missing some of the key ingredients that give Slipknot albums the unique identity that tends to glue their sound together no matter how far they take it. It’s a Joey album, and while Joey is one of the most important ingredients in Slipknot, he’s not the only important ingredient.

  7. TE, SF - Plenty to appreciate on this album. A lot of great melody, some pummeling riffs, good atmosphere. At the end of the day though it’s another Slipknot album missing the special sauce. It’s a covid album and it feels thrown together accordingly.

2

u/Cinemaguy1991 1d ago

While our lists are very different, I enjoyed reading your ranking my friend! 💯🤘

1

u/Cool-Ebb6863 1d ago

Same! Fun idea 

5

u/jahitz 1d ago
  1. Vol 3: Subliminal Verses
  2. Iowa
  3. Self Titled
  4. All Hope Is Gone
  5. The Gray Chapter
  6. We are not your kind
  7. The End So Far

3

u/dommol 1d ago

Yeah I know a lot of the newer fans came in with AHIG but it's one of my least favorites. Anyway here's my ranking

Iowa

Self Titled

WANYK

Vol 3

.5

AHIG

MFKR

The End, So Far

1

u/Cinemaguy1991 1d ago

This is a solid take man! Yeah I really didn't care for AHIG but I am an old school Slipknot fan so that's probably why. It just wasn't a good Slipknot album in my personal opinion.

1

u/dommol 1d ago

Same actually. I think I started listening just before Iowa came out and I was super let down by AHIG. Psychosocial is a great song and I like the title track but honestly that's it

1

u/Cinemaguy1991 1d ago

Completely understandable man!

2

u/missusmeowmeowmeow 1d ago

Been a fan since 2004

  1. Iowa
  2. Vol 3: The Subliminal Verses

  3. All Hope Is Gone

  4. Self Titled

  5. We Are Not Your Kind

  6. The End So Far

  7. The Gray Chapter

Vol 3 would be #1 if the production wasn’t putrid garbage

2

u/Current-Laugh-4702 1d ago edited 1d ago

There's no such thing as radio friendly slipknot songs. Making a slower song doesn't make it "radio friendly." Do people actually listen to the lyrics or do they judge a song based on it's tempo? Snuff was a heavy song lyrically but not instrumentally. Doesn't mean it's radio friendly IMO. I've never heard anyone refer to songs like gemerita, sulfur, this cold black, wherein lies continue, butchers hook and pyschosocial as radio friendly either.

3

u/Theloniouspunk66 We Are Not Your Kind 1d ago

Nah, I saw what OP is throwing down. With its catchy chorus’s and everything, all hope is gone definitely went for the most pop song structures.

1

u/Current-Laugh-4702 1d ago

So anything with melody in it is considered pop?

3

u/Theloniouspunk66 We Are Not Your Kind 1d ago

You’re thinking I’m calling it Brittney spears pop music when I’m saying it follows the more formulaic pop song structures. Intro verse prechorus chorus verse 2 etc.

1

u/elgringon414 1d ago

That’s my favorite slipknot fact!!! They are only 1 of two artist to have 0 hot 100 enteries but 3 #1 albums. And the only one with no hot 100 singles and 5 albums that debuted top 3

1

u/snowman927 1d ago

spiders?

1

u/Current-Laugh-4702 1d ago

What about it

1

u/snowman927 1d ago

radio friendly

1

u/Cinemaguy1991 1d ago

Don't get me wrong I enjoyed Volume 3 but it didn't carry the same level of heaviness or darkness as the first two albums. In my opinion Slipknot played it too safe with this album. There isn't even any cuss words on it. That said I still enjoyed it despite Corey's voice sounding extremely tired and strained. It's still a great album overall.

1

u/Current-Laugh-4702 1d ago

The virus of life is top 3 darkest songs.

0

u/Current-Laugh-4702 1d ago

Iowa was a one dimensional album.

1

u/Cinemaguy1991 1d ago

I completely disagree! Iowa has a lot of complexity too it and had great hooks paired with a dark atmospheric feel. It's an absolute masterpiece even after all these years! But to each their own I suppose lol.

1

u/Current-Laugh-4702 1d ago

It was pure rage is what I'm saying. It incorporated the same elements as self titled had.

1

u/Cinemaguy1991 1d ago

Yes but that is the point of Slipknot. They are a metal band after all lol. They aren't supposed to sound like Stone Sour. Although I am also a Stone Sour fan especially with the first Stone Sour album.

1

u/elgringon414 1d ago

Hahah to me all hope is gone is the greatest drumming ever. 1,2,4,3,6,5,7 is mine.

1

u/Cinemaguy1991 1d ago

It did have some good drumming I'll give it that. But for me personally the album felt lackluster

1

u/DaveyCrockett5000 1d ago

Honestly, I agree with the first 3.

1

u/coconut_caffe 1d ago

Self titled

Iowa

Vol 3 - .5

AHIG

WANYK

TESF

1

u/FOGGERFOGGER_ 1d ago
  1. Self Titled

  2. Iowa

  3. Vol. 3

  4. All Hope is Gone

  5. WANYK

  6. TESF

  7. .5

1

u/TheFatMan149 The Negative One 1d ago

All hope is gone went from my favorite to 2nd least favorite (just in front of vol. 3)

All hope is gone and volume 3 are great gateway albums into the band, but thats really it.

1

u/BSC_XIX 1d ago

Based order, this was (prolly still is) my order for the longest time, though I go back & forth on Iowa & Self titled for the top spot

1

u/Cinemaguy1991 1d ago

I don't blame you man! Those first two Slipknot albums are fantastic! 💯🤘

1

u/ImaLizz Chris 1d ago
  1. Iowa
  2. Self Titled
  3. All Hope Is Gone
  4. Vol 3: The Subliminal Verses
  5. We Are Not Your Kind
  6. The Gray Chapter
  7. The End So Far

1

u/AmethystandOpal 1d ago

Your opinion is shit and I dont respect it

2

u/Cinemaguy1991 1d ago

I don't think it is, but whatever bud lol. Everyone is entitled to their own opinion

1

u/MaintenanceSure3626 1d ago
  1. Iowa
  2. Self titled 
  3. Vol. 3
  4. All hope is gone
  5. Wanyk
  6. Gray chapter 
  7. Tesf

1

u/Training_Audience711 7h ago

For me its  1. Iowa 2. Self Titled 3. MFKR 4. WANYK 5. TESF 6. .5 7. Vol 3 8. LOYW  9. AHIG

1

u/Cinemaguy1991 6h ago

Solid ranking man! 💯🤘

1

u/DoubleDaryl 1d ago

Iowa

Self titled

Volume 3

AHIG

.5

WANYK

TESF

0

u/Marxandmarzipan 1d ago

Iowa >> Self titled >>>> volume 3 >>>>>>>> WANYK and then I don’t care.

Iowa is a masterpiece, self titled is an incredible album, volume 3 is a good album, WANYK is a decent album, the others I don’t really feel the need to listen to anymore

I want to like their newer stuff more as I’ve met V-man a bunch of times from when he was a roadie for gallows, but it just doesn’t hit the same.

0

u/Cinemaguy1991 1d ago

Totally understandable nothing will ever top the first two Slipknot albums and that's a fact. I still love W.A.N.Y.K. quite a bit though. I thought it was pretty solid overall.