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Honestly, I've never understood the rift created between what people want to classify as "nu-metal" and what people want to classify as "metal-metal." Sure, I can see it with some bands, but there are other products of rage and aggression, focusing their eyes on the dysfunctional disease called social order, and those groups sometimes have something to say. With this album Slipknot does that pretty well, taking the rage and the angst they simmered within on their last release and refining it, making something that is, in so many ways, attractive. Its heavy, its aggressive, and it takes many things from a newer breed of music, that of electronics, and couples them with metal. Some people can't accept that, however, wanting to live in a time capsule with their blessed sights and sounds. They can't listen to harmony and to growling sounds at the same time, perhaps letting it all filter over them. Such is the naming of their loss, however, and my gain.

Instead of listening to all this bickering and name-calling, simply check out a few of the clips and see if you like what you hear. Track 2 is one of my favorite and something I like to hum at the office, when I eat my "meal on the go" bar, or when I listen to the opinions of others. It comes recommended, to be sure, and is something that you should listen to while forceably cohabitating with bipeds.


as intense and relentless as anything I've ever heard   October 20, 2001
 24 out of 27 found this review helpful

Way back in the Eighties, there were several metal albums so astounding they remain personal favourites to this day: Metallica's Master Of Puppets, Iron Maiden's Live After Death, Slayer's Reign In Blood, and Queensryche's Operation: Mindcrime, to name a few. Heavy music has changed so much these days that singing merely about Samuel Taylor Coleridge, H.P. Lovecraft, Reaganomics, and old reliable Satan himself sounds sorely out of date. What's left to sing about is nothing but a load of whiny introspective tripe, but with their phenomenal debut, and their new album Iowa, Slipknot prove they are the true masters of
cashing in on their own misery.

Slipknot have this teen angst thing nailed down...as Bart Simpson once said, it's like shooting fish in a barrel. They're not idiots. Today's Gen-Y Global Teens have pop lolitas and boy groups for the kids, cheeky 'punk' bands for future frat boys, boring trance music for the ravers, sophomoric rap for the suburbanite gangstas, and yes, doom rock for the bottom-of-the-barrel misfits, all carefully marketed and packaged. What sets Slipknot above boring white-boy metal rappers and cartoony acts like Mudvayne and Gwar is their absolute, undeniable conviction and tight metal musicianship.

Iowa would be half the album it is if it were not for the efforts of Ross Robinson and Andy Wallace (Wallace mixed Slayer's classic Reign In Blood). The duo are able to combine powerful vocals, two guitars, an extraordinary drummer, a bassist, two percussionists, and two samplers, creating such a monolithic sonic wall of hell, making it, bar none, the greatest-sounding metal album I have ever heard, and I've heard a lot of them.

Although the use of the ubiquitous eff-werd is repeated ad infinitum, vocalist Corey Taylor shows some creative growth on Iowa. 'My Plague', 'Heretic Anthem', 'Metabolic', and the searing 'I Am Hated' show that he's capable of more than nonsensical bellyaching. Slipknot's incredible musical chops are evident on songs like the frantic 'People=S**t' and 'Disasterpiece'. The album's epic title track is a bit of a departure, and is equally thrilling and disturbing, a kind of nu-metal blues jam that lasts a good fifteen minutes.

Like their debut cd, Slipknot are again guilty of not knowing when to quit. Iowa is ten or fifteen minutes too long; 'Left Behind', while possessing amazing production, is an obvious single stuck in to get some radio airplay and sell more units, and 'Skin Ticket' says nothing that Nine Inch Nails' The Downward Spiral didn't say seven years ago. Something with such extreme content should be shortened... that's what makes something like the 28-minute Reign In Blood so memorable.

Though not as explosive as the previous album, Iowa is a terrific piece of work. I'm simply amazed at the intensity. However, I'm worried that some poor, misguided kid somewhere will misinterpret the lyrics and take out his or her frustrations the wrong way. I've always been against musical censorship, but any parent out there who hears this music coming from their kid's bedroom should make sure the kid has his or her head screwed on straight. For every ten kids who dig this album for its visceral power, there will always be one who'll take it all a bit too seriously. The other day I put on Iron Maiden's The Number Of The Beast, and found myself longing for the days when metal bands sang about the old Prisoner tv show, Native Americans, and the Book of Revelations. It all seems so harmless now.


I have something to say to both fans and haters.   October 13, 2005
 24 out of 29 found this review helpful

first of all, i'm no kid. i'm 22. did this so i dont register. This is one long review, so guys and gals, take careful notes.

1. why the hell is this album being compared to death metal? Does anyone know what death metal is?! Listen to nile, six feet under, cannibal corpse, death, opeth... i could go on and on. then, compare those bands to this. Boy, what a difference, eh?! i bet you will all feel stupid.

2. People should not judge a band because the wear some stupid masks. If you took masks and put them on pantera or metalllica, they wouldn't suck. What someone wears or doesn't wear does NOT affect ones musicianship. this is just a lame-ass excuse for hating something.

3. a band like this get awards because the so-called "real metal bands" just stay where they are, and don't promote anything. Yeah i hate mtv too, but there are many other ways of doing this. and most of you wouldn't want a band like opeth or nile to do. no matter which of these two a band does, people STILL complain, so quit complaining that bands like this get the awards, because you are only contradicting youselves.

4. People shouldn't say that a band is just noise, because in reality, all music is noise anyway. if anything were pure noise, it would never be signed to an important record label. a producer and engineer cannot risk all that money on a band that can't do sH*t.

5. lyrics themselves don't make a great song, you idiots.

6. one shouldn't ever hate a band because they sold out. all bands sell out at some point in their career. all the great bands people love (including myself have sold out or are on the border line). metallica sold out, pantera was on the border line when they split, megadeth sold out, korn sold out, even napalm death sold out! just move on with you lives and don't make such a big deal out of something that is so natural in the music business.

7. one shouldn't claim that a band is bad because of what they play. just because they play something you don't like or they play something that is bad doesn't mean they can't play. Munky from korn can give you some amazing solos he doesn't play when he's with the othre band members. one's musicianship is NEVER limited to the group.

8. People should also think before they write the reviews on this or any other site. people here claim that people that listen to this are "posers" or "wannabes". did any of you people ever come to the conclusion that most of these people (including myself) listen to other bands and OTHER TYPES of music? I myself have already mentioned some of my favorite bands (pantera, metalllica, megadeth, opeth, nile, napalm death, death, six feet under, korn) i bet you some people hear listen to at least one of those (besides korn)

9. one shouldn't waste their time writing pointless reviews for an almbum or band they could f#cking care less about. You are wasting your own time and energy trying to come up with excuses as to why a certain style of music or band suck. Plus, nobody gives a rat's ass about what others think. nobody can tell you what is good music and what isn't.

11. Who cares if something is "nu-metal"?! i don't listen to this music much (except korn and some of slipknot's songs). nu-metal is a style of heavy metal. both styles or a style of rock. rock music is rock whether it's elvis, or as i lay dying.

10. if you are a real music lover, you will appreciate all music. for the music you hate, you should see what IS good in it. a real music lover appreciates all music.

My point is:

-opinions don't change facst.

-Have a nice day.



IOWA   August 29, 2001
 22 out of 24 found this review helpful

Slipknot's second major label debut is one of the most anticipated modern & extreme metal releases of the year & an important step foward for the band who exploded onto the heavy music scene in 1999, following their rare & independant mate, feed, kill, repeat album, with the brutal, complex & aggressive assault of their self titled LP. Iowa treads similar ground to the debut, though it is undoubtably heavier, faster & thrashier then the first album, while losing the minimal hip-hop influence present on the debut, & still incorporating a strong sense of melody. the guitaring is an improvement from the debut & the brilliant double bass onslaught & blast beats from drummer Joey Jordison once again has helped established him as one of the world's best drumming talents. Corey's vocals are again a standout with the diversity & aggression of his vocals shining through & dripping with conviction, that some anti-slipknot fans have claimed he doesn't possess. Corey is also assisted with some impressive backing vocals from the two percussionists. Scratches & samples add an eerie & subtle atmosphere to the music though they are not incorporated on this album as much as they were on the debut. The production is again first class from Ross Robinson, with the help of the slipknot crew. In my opinion the best tracks are People=S**t, Disasterpiece, New Abortion, Heretic Anthem, I am Hated & The shape. Left Behind displays good use of melody while the remakes of Gently & the 15 minute long atmospheric album closer Iowa are also impressive. The only song that hasn't as yet grabbed my attention is Everything Ends. Overall an awesome follow-up to the debut LP, with slipknot's death metal influences more prominant then ever without allowing the band to be classed as purely Death metal. Check out lamb of God, Soilent Green, Acid Bath & Australian metal bands Alchemist, Damaged & Blood Duster.


Intense and under rated   November 27, 2003
 22 out of 31 found this review helpful

Now most maggots(slipknot fans) Say that self tituled was better then iowa i disagree both albums are heavy, and have intelligent and angry lyrics but what i believe is this. They said they were going back home to "IOWA" to record this album and they found some serious hate there this album has less rap influences and more metal (almost death metal but not quite there)and its a bit more mature and the anger has focus i'll lsit my review below

[515] 4/5 - one of the most clever intros ever just some pissed off screaming

People=*hit 5/5 - One of my favorites off of this album the song states it all people=*hit

Disasterpieces 3.5/5 - Its a good song but not a standout track on this album

My plague - 5/5 Awesome single heavy drums guitars are speeding corey's screaming meaningful angry lyrics it don't get much better then this ( even though the video and the mix for radio suck)

Everything ends 4/5 - A sad depressing song that speaks the truth and this album was released the august before september 11th 2001 and with the trade centet, this and " i am hated" were not welcome but hey its not slipknots fault

the Heretic anthem 10/5 - The best on this album a fan favorite at concerts and possiblly slipknot's best IF YOUR 555 I'M 666!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Gently 4/5 - The song title describes the 1st 3 min of this song very well gently growing into a massive angry and powerful song

Left behind 5/5 - Awesome 1st choice for a single fast heavy and actually radio friendly ( unlike the 2nd single my plague)

The shape 4/5 - A great mix of singing and screaming and corey has a very good singing voice impressive

I am hated 5/5 - the second song that the press didn't welcome after 9/11/01 awesome heavy quick song that shows how people act whimpy in situation where they have lost loved one's

skin ticket 3/5 - Not a great song not a bad song just one of the few songs on this album that aren't standout.

New abortion 5/5 - Very heavy i love it amazing another favorite love the lyrics another concert f avorite for maggots

Metabolic 5/5 - I feel the same about "metabolic" that i do as "new abortion"

IOWA 4/5 - great closing track thats all to say about this one

In conclusion this is an awesome metal album stay (sic) maggots.