Welcome to Dissected, where we disassemble a band’s catalog, based on the exact science of personal opinion, late night debates, and the love of music. This time, we follow Slipknot’s career, from their 1996 full-length demo, Mate. Feed. Kill. Repeat., to their most recent effort, 2022’s THE END, SO FAR.
Slipknot are one of the biggest bands of the 21st century. From their theatrical presentation to the brutality of their music, it didn’t take long for the band to capture the ears and hearts of listeners around the globe. Since the release of their 1999 self-titled album, the masked marauders have continued to push their creative muscles to the test, expanding upon their brand of heaviness.
From the visceral cuts off of 2001’s Iowa, to the somber atmosphere off of 2008’s All Hope Is Gone, to the sonic evolution displayed on 2019’s We Are Not Your Kind, Slipknot have intertwined ferocity and emotion into their work.
From the beginning, Slipknot have always been a band about family; before the group even took the world by storm, you had nine dudes from Des Moines, Iowa, looking to just jam together. With the unfortunate passing of bassist Paul Gray, as well as the surprising ousters of drummer Joey Jordison and percussionist Chris Fehn, Slipknot’s lineup has taken some hits over the years.
That said, on each of their releases, the band has always brought something fascinating to the table. While not every release is all around perfect, there’s something to be appreciated throughout all the band’s material. When compiling our votes together, we saw a lot of commonalities across the board. That said, there were a few contenders for No. 1 — a sure sign of a solid discography. So, let’s not wait (and bleed) anymore, and see how we ranked Slipknot’s albums from worst to best. — Michael Pementel
Editor’s Note: This ranking original ran in 2019, but has since been updated with the inclusion of Slipknot’s 2022 album, THE END, SO FAR.