More but Less
(WARNING) - The review for this album may include language or themes some may find distressing or disturbing.
Artist: Slipknot
Album: Iowa
Year: 2001
Band Lineup for Album: Sid Wilson - DJ/Samples, Joey Jordison - Drums, Paul Gray - Bass, Chris Fehn - Percussion, Jim Root - Guitar, Craig Jones - Samples, Shawn Crahan - Percussion, Mick Thomson - Guitar, Corey Taylor - Vocals
Two years after the release of their debut album, it came time for Slipknot to release their follow-up album, Iowa. The pressure was on after the last album to continue their work, and the artists felt it. Tensions were high between members, drug and alcohol addictions, and other issues plagued the band. When the album released, it was hailed as the darkest and heaviest material yet. It contains the usual themes and topics from the first album, with messages and metaphors about the general hatred of other people, solipsism, disgust, anger, disaffection, psychosis, and rejection.
I discovered this album at the same time as the first during middle school. It was some of the heaviest music I'd ever heard at the time (which I think is adorable now), and again it fed into this edgy teen I wanted to be. I will say I didn't listen to the album as much as the last one, and so it was a pleasant experience listening to songs I haven't heard in over 15 years.
So does it live up to the hype from those days? Not necessarily. Let's dive in song by song.
The album starts off with its prelude, (515). It's a prelude, so I don't really expect anything groundbreaking here, but this one is particularly weak. Vocals screaming death over and over just doesn't really do it for me. There was a reason that they continued to use the last album's prelude for years beyond this album. Following the prelude is the eternal live favorite People = Shit. Talk about a song that expresses anger at the world and other people. It's fun to joke about that, but with the continued poor treatment of human beings (cough cough Supreme Court), the song feels more justified than ever. While it's a great live song and fun to listen to, it's very repetitive and clearly made for a live performance environment, not the album experience. Next in the track list is Disasterpiece, an angry, narcissistic piece that seems to be either about its subject, or trying to be a parody of the type of people it's talking about. The song is good, but not great, and I think it's just because the parts don't seem to add up as well. Apparently this is one of Corey's favorite songs, and he wrote the song while sick with laryngitis. So there's that interesting tidbit.
Next is the song My Plague, which interestingly contains more melody than Slipknot was known for at the time. It's a great indication of where Slipknot will go later in their career, working in more clean vocals during the chorus. Corey's vocals here are mesmerizing, and imbue what could be taken as a song about rejection or a break up with more of an emotional energy. It's one of the best songs on the record. Following that is the track Everything Ends, which continues the themes of abandonment, loneliness, and anger. The band is great here, and Corey is fantastic as always, but the song falls into the same category for me as Disasterpiece, the good but forgettable category. One of Slipknot's most well-known songs ever, and another perennial live favorite, is The Heretic Anthem. What on the outset could just be viewed as a fun, crowd-pleasing, satanic-themed anthem is actually a giant middle finger being given to the music industry. The record executives wanted the band to become more "radio-friendly" instead of continuing to be heavy. This is the response to that. Also, who doesn't love the chorus "If you're 555, then I'm 666"? It's pretty great. After that chaos comes Gently, a return to the creepier aspect from the last album. Paul's bass shines in the beginning, and the disturbing lyrics about the retreat into the world of pleasure to escape the world are fantastic, of which the lack of distinction of what kind of pleasure is perfect. The song also heavily relies on Sid and Craig's samples, giving the track it's creepy nature.
The main single off the album, Left Behind, is next. While it is the most melodic and radio friendly song on the record, it's also the best song on the record. Corey's vocals are both tender and harsh, and the rest of the band is giving it their all, creating one of the songs that has stuck with me for so long. Unfortunately the song seems to not be played live anymore, perhaps since it was one of the songs that bassist Paul Gray (who passed away in 2010) sang backup vocals for. After this is where the album starts to take a dip for me personally. The Shape, which is possibly a reference to the alternate name for horror movie icon Michael Meyers, is a surprisingly haunting song because of Corey's vocals and some interesting production. It's a fun song that isn't really memorable, as I forgot completely that it existed. Next up is I Am Hated, which is the one appearance of hip hop styling on the album. There are hints of anger at the world and not giving in, but it's wasted on a song that's mostly filler. Similarly is Skin Ticket, which falls into the repetitive category, and not in a good way. It starts pretty creepy, but the typical Slipknot guitar melodies and riffs get in the way of what could've been a hauntingly harrowing song.
Following suit is New Abortion. What could've dived into messages of medical horror and take the low approach, instead goes for a higher concept of the new abortion being about losing the soul. Like the last two songs, it feels mostly like filler, and I would argue isn't necessary listening. Yet again, another mediocre, forgettable song is Metabolic. It's like the band decided that one good lyric and they decided to repeat until your ears bleed. It feels like it would've bee better as a bonus song for the record, and not a main album track. Finally, we end with Slipknot's longest song ever. Clocking in at over 15 minutes, Iowa is their attempt at a more grandiose experience. It almost sounds like the internal monologue of a serial killer, lamenting or celebrating over their first kill. It's a dark, emotional, and scary experience that is musically and vocally impressive, however it still doesn't feel like mandatory Slipknot listening. Apparently, singer Corey Taylor recorded this song while completely naked, vomiting all over himself, and cutting himself with broken glass, and that pain comes through in his pained performance.
As a whole, the album feels both better and worse than the previous one. While the music, production, and vocals have all taken radical steps forward, the album as a whole seems to blend together. While there are the stand out tracks (which I've listed below), it feels like more of the same when it comes to lyrics and themes. Is the album mandatory listening for Slipknot fans? Absolutely. But it's not necessarily the one I would recommend, and believe me, I like the heavy shit. It's still a really solid record, but definitely takes a step back for me.
Best Songs: My Plague, The Heretic Anthem, Gently, Left Behind
OVERALL SCORE: 78/100
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