I think the problem with later Slipknot is, after Vol 3 they figured out how to make a Slipknot album. I know Vol 3 divides fans, but at least on that album they were still experimenting like crazy. Since then, they've gotten really comfortable which unfortunately happens with a lot of aging rock bands.
I think that's the issue I had with The End, So Far. It's almost too perfect if that makes sense. They kind of lost that amazing rawness of their earlier stuff by adding too much polish and production.
I think that's the issue with .5, after the two main creative forces left they just fell back on what they knew, but I strongly believe that WANYK and The End, So Far are like a whole new band. Think they're mad creative and I love them to bits.
YES For me Slipknot was always about the rage and rawness of the song, the fact that the construction of the song was not perfect and did not follow a pattern was always what made me think is slipknot is so fucking good, but From AHIG and beyond every single song follow the same structure, they (almost every time) start heavy, go to a pre chorus, then a clean chorus, then go back to the first riff and repeat, I don't like that.
@@esterl.7683 yeah this video reminded me how much I enjoy making them! I love reactions but I'll for sure try and do some more rankings in the future :)
It's awesome that you said "Gently" is your favorite Slipknot song because it's my favorite too!!! Freaking love that song, the emotions it conveys are gut-wrenching!!!
@@mollyesanborn I'm soo happy to see such an overlooked song getting the recognition you gave it, "Not Long For This World" is my second favorite song because it really resonates with me both musically and lyrically. I was happy to see you give that song a shout out as well, I was sad to see how you ranked All Hope Is Gone, that album is my second favorite album (Iowa being my #1). Great video as usual Molly, I love your attention to detail and your passion for the music!
I am surprised it is your favorite because the Mate Feed Kill Repeat version of Gently in my opinion is better and is my favorite song from the band. @@mollyesanborn
Glad you enjoy All Hope Is Gone! Snuff is the only track I've found myself getting really pulled into on that one, perhaps I am due for another full listen through of the album though. Maybe it will end up growing on me.
Vol. 3 will always be my personal favorite. It’s everything slipknot would develop later on in their career. It has heavy hitters as well as more smooth tracks to ease you over. Three nil is easily a top 5 slipknot song by far.
@@mollyesanborn I think it’s their best well rounded album which would influence the style and makeup of their albums from there forward. I hate that so many people dislike it or don’t acknowledge the influence of vol. 3.
In my personal taste I would only swip it between AHIG and TESF but just because i was introduced to Slipknot back in 2008 and nostalgia plays a key factor on how we perceive things I think. I love WANYK as much as you do by the way, its a fantastic metal record and its really impresive that they pulled that one off this late in their career
I totally can understand that, I wondered too if self titled was my top pick over Iowa simply because it was my introduction to them as a band. Interesting to think about. And glad you agree on We Are Not Your Kind, that album is so so good!
Same! I wasnt the biggest fan of their new album, but, well, it was a rushed album so it kinda makes sense why the tracks sounded like that, and yeah WANYK is an amazing album
My ranking, from favorite to least favorite: 1. Vol. 3 (The Subliminal Verses) (10/10) 2. Self Titled (9.6/10) 3. We Are Not Your Kind (9/10) 4. All Hope Is Gone (7.8/10) 5. IOWA (7.1/10) 6. .5 The Gray Chapter (6.5/10) 7. The End, So Far (5.7/10) 8. Mate. Feed. Kill. Repeat. (4.5/10)
"Gently" really has a twist to it. On AHIG "Butcher's Hook" is a killer jam IMO. Very astute observations and really dead on, I haven't listened to the newest album yet so I will take your word for it.
It's weird for me. I'm a HUGE fan of Slipknot, but as more and more time passes, Iowa goes down and the Gray Chapter goes up. At least the agression part of Iowa doesn't appeal to me, while the creepy haunted vibes it gives never fails to win me over. If I had to give my own ranking it would be : 1: Self-Titled 2: The Gray Chapter 3: Subliminal Verses 4: Iowa 5: The End So Far 6: We Are Not Your Kind 7: All Hope is Gone My favourite track is A Liar's Funeral of WANYK, but the rest of the album... I barely listen to it. I like it, don't get me wrong, but I feel like I've listened to those far more than enough.
I think the original version of the self-titled with Frail Limb Nursery and Purity is by far their best record. I really dig Iowa as well, and Gently is easily my favorite from that one too. Was pleased to see those classics as your top two. Great review as always!
Self-titled and Iowa are the only albums I personally enjoy. Those albums came at point where I was coming into my teens and was really finding myself as a person at the time. I still listen to them regularly and even still wear my old shirts from the era from time to time also. Thanks for the vid! 🙏
Slipknot's a weird one for me. I was early 20s when their self-titled came out, just the right age for all of that aggression, and for the time, it was hard to imagine a more blatantly aggressive album. After hearing it, I had no way to rationalize normal human beings creating something so heavy. I feel like I'm describing myself as having been monumentally naïve, and that wasn't the case; I had bounced around all sorts of heavy music by that point, ranging from Korn to Cannibal Corpse. This was the first time it felt like the people making the music were living the aggression. Does that make sense? Like, I couldn't imagine these (at the time) faceless people -- and bear in mind, when these guys came out, we didn't know what they looked like; they were just names and numbers -- did anything but screamed at and punched the shit out of each other as their regular form of day-to-day communication; they were just so purely aggro. I fell hard for this first album, and honestly, it's because that album perfectly straddles the line between raw and polished. Mate, Feed, Kill, Repeat lacks the polish, and Iowa (good as it is) lacks the rawness of that first album. It's one of my all-time favorite debuts (unlike Wikipedia, I don't consider MFKR as their debut). And unfortunately, nothing after the self-titled measures up. And to be clear, I'm not saying they sucked after the self-titled -- I dig Iowa A LOT! -- but that first album was such a revelation to me, that I feel like everything that came after was written by a different band. If I was ranking Slipknot just against themselves, self-titled is A+, Iowa is A, everything else is D, not because they fell off or anything -- if I was rating them against other bands, everything but MFKR gets a higher score -- but because they started so far ahead of the curve that it almost feels like they're trying to catch up with themselves. Christ, does that even make sense? TL;DR self-titled is on a whole other level.
my list: 1-iowa 2-slipknot 3-the gray chapter 4-the end so far 5-we are not your kind 6-all hope is gone 7-the subliminal verses 8-mate feed kill repeat
People equal is such a great song for how it uses the sampling and DJing to amp up the sound. When Sid starts literally revving up before the chorus, it makes me go WILD. The groove is also so tight in that song, Paul and Joey made a perfect tempo for Nu Metal
Been a fan since 99… Iowa to me is absolutely flawless. All Hope Is Gone is an album that you have to give it a few listens. Not that it’s bad, it really isnt.
Yesss! Excited to see your ranking on kne of my fav metal bands. Not having watched yet, my fav are Iowa and WANYK, and given your reactions, I’m predicting you feel the same
Yep Slipknot is fantastic, I agree! This ranking was pretty difficult because they've got a lot of great material but you made some pretty accurate predictions... I love both Iowa and WANYK.
Ok, self-titled in the top spot also deserves tons of respect! It’s not personally my favorite, I do love it but just am not as into some of the most playful songs which lose the greater edge. But no one can deny its influence and brimming levels of creativity and detail.
I came here hoping self titled and Iowa would be your favorites lol. Everything to Vol. 3 is just amazing! The Gray Chapter comes right after those for sure
I was a junior in Highschool when their first album came out and was absolutely kicked in the gut the first time I heard it. There was absolutely nothing like it. Their first 2 albums will absolutely forever be top tier albums for me.
I don't know why, but Slipknot's first 3 albums will always be my fav ones, not only because are their most famous albums, but... Idk, it has such an old Slipknot vibe if this makes sense, even Vol.3 where was experimental, they were going crazy with that album, songs such as The Blister Exists, Three Nil, Duality, has such a 99s vibe to it but with a better percussion, plus Corey's clean vocals on Vol.3 sounds so raw and as good as the 1st 2 albums, like after vol.3 his clean vocals started to sound waaay to robotic, they became so polished and so robotic sounding if this makes sense, actually the whole vibe and sound got polished and cleaned, hearing AHIG and Vol.3 u can feel how the sound got so clean and polished and clean vocals sounded super clean, it kinda lost the rawness sound they had until Vol.3, but I don't hate AHIG, TGCH, WANYK, they are pretty decent albums, specially WANYK, boy I listened to WANYK a lot when I was depressed in 2019 was such an amazing album that got me thru that year, TESF was a rushed album so I didnt actually listened to it a lot, but still has great tracks, TGCH they paid homage to Paul Gray so I have a huge respect for that album as well and I love the tracks, but their 1st 3 albums still top tier for me, IOWA was such a help in my depressive teenager years in 2018 and 2019, like this album got me thru the rage I was feeling that time(i think everyone has listened to IOWA when they were depressed and angry), same goes to Self titled is so raw and Corey just sounds so young there u can hear the youth in his voice, a lot of creepy songs, and ofc Vol.3 experimental but still that rawness without having a super polish sound and a really clean vocal sounding, just love their 1st three albums
I completely agree with you. They lost their essence as a band. Nothing after the first 3 albums felt genuine. The hunger that was once there seemed to fade away. But I suppose it’s difficult when you become so successful to still be as hungry as you were when they weren’t as well known. Will forever love the band and how much they meant to me though.
One thing I love about Slipknot is that all of their albums are different. They don't do the same album twice. I agree with the rankings but my favorite is WANYK.
S: Slipknot, Iowa A: Vol3, .5 B: Wanyk, Tesf C: Ahig D: Mfkr Fascinating ranking similar to mine, wow! I also had We Are Not Your Kind next to Vol. 3: The Subliminal Verses for years, but recently came around to .5: The Gray Chapter. The heaviness, darkness, and production is all there. Like you mentioned their Self titled had that quirkiness that was lost on Iowa, and how All Hope Is Gone is missing that emotional pull. The End So Far as well, enjoyed it at first but rarely re-visit the album in its entirety ( still love Hive Mind and Finale ).
I don't think my ranking is tooooo far off from yours. Some of the later albums I've only listened to once or twice but for now I'll go with: Iowa > Vol. 3 > Slipknot > We Are Not Your Kind > The Grey Chapter > All Hope Is Gone > The End, So Far Also you singled out maybe my two favorite Slipknot songs with "Gently" and "Vermillion". Love those tracks so much
Would it be contreversial if I said I wished they remastered some of their old albums as I thought some songs could have had better production? They sound so much better live, such as Spit it out
I do love the kinda unpolished/raw sounding production on their self titled but I'd be curious to hear a new remastered version of some of their older stuff as well. And yeah I bet they are incredible live, it's definitely on my bucket list to see them at some point when they tour.
For me that's the ranking 1 Iowa 2 Vol3 - The Subliminal Verses 3 Self-Titled 4 The End, So Far 5 .5 The Gray Chapter 6 We Are Not Your Kind 7 All Hope Is Gone I haven't listened to mate kill feed repeat yet, maybe i should?
I rushed all videos of that playlist, slipknot is my favorite band and with was awesome to listen together and get your perspective on it! Cheers from Brazil.
I watched again and decided to do my own ranking! 7)all hope is gone (c) 6)the end so far (B+) 5)chapter 5 (A-) 4)the end so far (A) 3)vol 3 (A) 2)Iowa (A+) 1)Slipknot (A+)
I agree with your list, apart from I would have WANYK in A+. Just love the message on every song, and Solway Firth is the best Slipknot ending since Iowa by far. Banger.
I don’t know what it is with me but I have an inability to enjoy ranking videos unless the rankers agree with me😳 Well I enjoyed the video and I think your awesome! So thanks for having the exact same opinions as me but honestly I think it’d be kinda hard not to think you we’re awesome even if we disagreed ☺️👍
Great ranking, for me their self-titled is perfection. I think you should try giving Linkin Park a shot, i would love watching you react to their art. It's my favorite band of all time. Their lyrics are literally life changing and i think you'd enjoy their instrumentals, as well as Chester's voice (the best singer ever in my humbe opinion), they are a very experimental/creative band with heavy electronic elements🖤
Enjoyed all the reviews molly, and pretty much agree here. Only change I would make is putting The End so Far in Tier-C behind All Hope is Gone. Something about these two albums that just missed the mark for me personally.
for me, A+ - Iowa, self titled, Volume 3. A - the gray chapter (they were re-finding themselves, branching out with new members, and it's a mix of everything,) Mate. Feed, Kill, Repeat. The original line up, most experimental, sure, a demo by today, but still an important piece. Now, even though there's no Physical copy (rumor is Shawn has the only one in a safe in his house), and the track list varies, there IS Crowz, the mythical legend that would had followed MFKR, again, 2nd demo by today, but, back then. It's their 2nd album. B- all hope is gone, last album with classic line up, sure, it's hit and miss, but, last album with Joey and Paul. The end so far, sure, there's too many songs with marching snares and repeated verses like Unsainted, red flag, all out life, but it just has something I like about it more than we are not your kind (listening to it again this week). C- We are not your kind, several stand out songs, and others that, haven't YET taken me.
I probably listen to slipknot more than I should. They’ve been my favorite band since I first heard them. And I don’t disagree with a single thing you said. Like, damn.
Interesting hearing your take on the production for The End So Far, I felt that was what held it back most for me. There's an edit made for Warranty on RU-vid that highlights this really well I think. I initially thought nothing of Warranty when I heard it on the album but I REALLY like this edit of it. There's just something really held back in the mixing on the album imo like the drums don't feel punchy enough, Corey's vocals aren't coming through as much as they should, and the riffs feel muddied as well. That and while I like some of the experimenting they do with genres like the opening track Adderall does not sound like a Slipknot song at all. And I like that they tried to incorporate orchestral instrumentation on Finale. But I don't think they go far enough with any of these ideas. There's no interplay between the orchestral sound and their own on Finale, it's just one or the other. And while Adderall doesn't sound like a Slipknot song it also doesn't have much going for it that hooks me or makes me want to re-listen to it either. I think I've also got a bias from how much I've been spoiled lately with other modern metal bands experimenting with their sound and incorporating similar elements but just in a way that I find much more unique interesting and effective. Lorna Shore's recent album Pain Remains comes to mind for the orchestral implementation especially.
my ranking: S. Iowa A. Slipknot and Vol. 3: The Subliminal Verses B: All Hope Is Gone C: The Grey Chapter and We Are Not Your Kind D: Mate Feed Kill Repeat E: The End So Far F: All Band Is Gone
My ranking is 8. All hope is gone 7. MFKR 6. End so far... 5. Vol 3 4. .5 the gray chapter 3. We are not your kind 2. Self titled 1. Iowa. All hope is gone is too bland and generic. People say it's a masterpiece just because of the singles and to me I don't really care for it. Snuff is the only worthwhile track on it. MFKR is an interesting one. I have the rare original CD for this but do nothing/bitchslap has amazing bass. I think it is more important to slipknot history than ahig and is better overall. End so far... Is fine. I like finale and yen is growing on me. Hive mind/warranty is great. Vol 3 has the worst vocal work by far. Corey sounds awfull. I like vermillion, the nameless, pulse of the maggots but the vocals hold it back. .5 is a constantly good. It has some cringe lyrics. For example "the world will never see another crazy motherf*cker like you". I love devil in i sarcastrofe xix, We are not your kind. Depending on the day this and self titled can flip. Critical darling, red flag, insert coin/unsainted, birth of the cruel, solway firth are all amazing. Definitely up their with Iowa and self titled for me Self titled. Purity is my all time favorite slipknot song Iowa is a masterpiece. Skin ticket, gently, the shape, my plague, people = shit. Diasasterpeice or the shape are probably my favorite on the album. Heretic anthem is a little overrated but that's my only issue with the album. This album was and still is my therapy. When I first listened to this album I knew I had a new favorite band.
Yes!! I've been waiting on this one! My personal favorite was We Are Not Your Kind just because of all the variety and electronic stuff in it, and Vol. 3 was at the bottom in my opinion because their mainstream sound doesn't really work for me, but I definitely like Vermilion. I completely agree with Self-titled and Iowa being in A+, I think those were their most well-written albums, they definitely put a lot of talent in them. Do you think you'll be doing a SOAD ranking sometime soon?
Self titled and Iowa will forever be my favorites. I've feel like all hope is gone is severely underrated especially with Joey's drumming and chris fehns backing vocals. The albums afterwards feel like they lost something, especially after Paul died and they kicked Joey out, the guys who built early slipknots sound. Apart of of me wishes they stopped "slipknot" after Paul and made a new band together making the newer albums under a new name or something
For me everything after 'Iowa' was just okay. A few songs here and there that I liked off various albums, but I like 'Self-Titled' and 'Iowa' from front to back. I feel like they spent a ton of energy on 'Iowa' and there was a pretty long lull after that album. No doubt they needed to go do their own thing for a while after that one. I still remember being a fan in those early days and them still being a mystery to us. It was a great time to be a Slipknot fan.
@@mollyesanborn I will be blunt and I dare say that their first two album are so intense and organic because there was that huge hunger for success and recognition. Once it was on the plate everything turned into money making machine. But that’s my opinion. Might be wrong about it.
They lost me after the All hope is gone album release, but up to that point in their discog I still rank Iowa as their top tier stuff. Then vol 3 and their debut as a close third place.
Their first 3 records are classics. Nothing will ever beat the rawness of the first two, but overall Vol 3 in my opinion is their musical masterpiece. AHIG was the beginning of the decline, They had some occasional highs afterwards but the true essence of the band was never the same from 2008 on.
i do think slipknot has a huge drop in quality after vol 3. on AHIG and after rather than full albums of great songs they suddenly start having albums with only a couple great tracks amongst a sea of average
You should check out Stone Sour's work too! If you do the House of Gold and Bones, you should do part 1 and 2 as a double review because there are a lot of repeating themes/callbacks on the album and it's far better as a single experience.
My detailed list! #7 .5: The Gray Chapter (8.5/10) I loved this album, but not so much anymore after 10 years. Something missing (maybe original members) Good album no question, but not very good! #6 All Hope Is Gone (8.5/10) Same thing but another way. Here they are very good songs: Psychosocial,Sulfur,Dead Memories,Vendetta,Snuff But that’s it…Some songs not “Slipknot good” enough! #5 The End, So Far (8.5/10) I like this album, i think it’s a good album! But not because the single songs, rather all songs together it’s good feeling! #4 Vol 3. The Subliminal Verses (9/10) Very good album! I love the feeling, they are pretty good songs here: Duality,Vermilion,Before I Forget What i don’t like here is Corey voice… Because alcohol,drugs his voice it was fucked here! If he had a good voice here then this album (9.5/10) #3 Iowa (9.5/10) Powerful,Brutal album! Very good songs, but i think not all of them that’s why not 2nd place for me! #2 Self-titled (9.5/10) I think this is the best album but not 1st place because sound not that great as We Are Not Your Kind album.(sound quality because 1999) #1 We Are Not Your Kind (9.5/10) I think that was the prime Slipknot (with original members would be more greater) Technology,Power all of them was great with very good songs! Unsainted it’s my one of the favourite Slipknot song!
I love eyeless and thats about it, I was never much a fan when they released their stuff back in the day but its cool that generationally they werent lost to time
I agree completely with all the places you put everything except I would have put WANYK right after the Gray Chapter (don’t crucify me)You seam to have the way to describe shit that I can never explain which is funny af
@@mollyesanborn lmao of course!! Can’t wait for the next video! It’s awesome that you react to entire albums in one video also! That’s something I always wished reaction channels would do so good job with that! Always very entertaining
Slipknot is incredible in concert too, and fun to watch if you ever stop headbanging. You should do Cradle of Filth "Cruelty Brought Thee Orchids" as an upcoming album. That would be fun. or Therion "Theli'. Both of those albums opened doors for me musically when they came out, and both have a lot of songs I would deem as 'epic'. Keep on rockin'!
Originally for yrs all hope is gone was very forgettable for me as well. Eventually I did delve deep into the lyrics and it gave me a new found respect for it. The album feels more like a confident “fuck off” than dirty rage. I still put it low on my album ranking only because it doesn’t have a lot of the dirty rage I mentioned but I return to it a lot now.
My ranking goes a lot different to yours, then. I’d rank them like this: 1: Iowa- Flawless album 2: Self Titled- Almost flawless 3: All Hope Is Gone- Inconsistent but has some absolutely great songs 4: We Are Not Your Kind- Consistently good and has some of the best experimental songs 5: The Gray Chapter- Has some forgettable songs but still more great stuff regardless 6: The End So Far- Slightly lacking more memorable songs but not horribly inconsistent and has a couple songs that are growing on me 7: Vol.3- Has a few incredible tracks but suffers from poor sound mixing, relatively weak vocals and incredibly inconsistent song placement and quality (There’s songs some songs I love and some songs I dislike) 8: Mate Feed Kill Repeat- It’s not bad but by this point in time the only reason you’d want to listen to this is to experience what the band sounded like in its formative days. Other than that it’s not particularly memorable or good.
i get what you’re saying with some of the mixing and song placement on vol 3 but the bangers on the album are so good and the mix is still way better than the end so far and arguably the mix of wanyk. but imo the mix on the first two albums was superior. it was just so powerful and raw, especially the percussion. the sound is so airy and drowned out on some of the new stuff
S - Slipknot, Iowa A - We Are Not Your Kind, All Hope Is Gone B - Volume 3: The Subliminal Verses, .5: The Gray Chapter C - The End So Far D - Mate. Feed. Kill. Repeat.
We're not your kind is the best because of the concept the transitions it's a perfect balance album that had enjoyable bop's a sinister and menacing songs and just the down right chaotic and breakdown levels of good songs we're not your kind is the best FIGHT ME!!
Molly, I'd like to hear your thoughts on Skinny Puppy albums, since you like darker electronic stuff. They just announced their final tour so it is the perfect time...
The heavy tracks definitely define Slipknot easily, but I'm with you on really enjoying the restrained, melodic and at times creepier tracks just as much if not more sometimes. It's what turns them from really good to great imo.
It's interesting Corey's best melodic songs are all about failed marriages. Sucks for him but those have always been in my top ten songs of all time lol, bonus for the one song about his father. My list is definitely influenced by nostaligia as well as what songs stayed on my playlists over the years. As a kid i definitely played different songs than I do now. I can't really categorically rank them but i can rank in order of enjoyment 1.Slipknot 2. All Hope is Gone 3. Iowa (#1 as a kid) 4.Vol 3 5. We are Not Your Kind 6. Gray Chapter, I really don't listen to this much outside of 3 songs 7. The End So Far, mostly because I've only heard this as singles and have yet to sit down and just listen. 8. Mate, Kill, Feed, Repeat. Something I enjoyed more as an angry teen but now only Killers Are Quiet does it for me.
Did you ever check out their live shows? Their first dvd Disasterpieces is the best, especially Gently. There's also their show at Download Festival 2009, awesome show too.
You did that perfectly. It's always the old original sound with that original aggression that listeners want to keep coming back to and musicians simply over time evolve their sound away from that and they lose a lot of their fan base. The first two albums are by far the best. And the more albums they write and the further things go on the more things tend to move towards a progressive sound versus staying true to their original sound. Same thing with Metallica which is why I won't listen to anything after their album and Justice for all. Unfortunately this is most bands that have a large discography. Their old stuff is always better than their new stuff
Switch IOWA with Self-titled, and Vol. 3 with WANYK, and keep all the rest in the same place, great list. Also 10:00 "The playfulness of S/T, the rage of IOWA, the experimentation of Vol. 3, and that dark creepy haunting quality of The Gray Chapter" and the NOTHING of AHIG lmao very forgetable album indeed.
Yeah Iowa and self titled are SO close, it was hard to pick my favorite between the two. And yeah I noticed that part where I omitted AHIG when I was editing, definitely not their most memorable album imo.
