#21: SLIPKNOT – VOL 3: THE SUBLIMINAL VERSES

Monday, June 8th, 2009 at 5:00pm by Axl Rosenberg

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We recently polled a wide array of musicians, managers, publicists, label reps, and writers from within the world of metal to find out what they thought the 21 Best Metal Albums of the 21st Century So Far have been. Eligible albums were released between January 1, 2000 and  April 1, 2009. Each panelist turned in a ballot, with their #1 album worth 21 points, their #2 album worth 20 points, and so on and so forth. The ballots are now in and we’ll be counting down one album a day until we reach #1. We begin today with the #21 album, coming in with a total of 104 points…

Slipknot, Vol 3: The Subliminal Verses (Roadrunner, 2004)
Corey Taylor – Vocals
Mick Thomson – Guitars
Jim Root – Guitars
Paul Gray – Bass
Joey Jordison – Drums
Shawn Crahan – Percussions
Chris Fehn – Percussions
Sid Wilson – Turntables
Craig Jones – Samples, Media
Produced by Rick Rubin

It’s always good when you stir shit up right out of the gates, y’know?

I’m just another blank page
Push the button
Pull the rage

What the fuck is Corey Taylor talking about when he screams these words during “The Blister Exists,” the second track off of The Subliminal Verses? Is it pinball? It sounds kind of like he’s describing pinball, doesn’t it?

This is just one of many silly observations about this album that I have made while giving it many listens in the five years since its release. And the reason I’ve listened to this album so much can be summed up thusly: it rocks.

I seem to recall at least one member of Slipknot giving the old “We want this to be our Reign in Blood” song and dance during the promotion of The Subliminal Verses, and no doubt that very intent was at least one of the reasons producer Rick Rubin was hired, but let’s be real: it’s been a long time since Rick Rubin produced Reign in Blood, and this is more like Slipknot’s Black Album. It has singing and radio anthems and a pseudo-NIN track and multiple acoustic guitar ballads. It’s clearly not the same nine psychopaths who made Iowa, and it certainly ain’t the nu-metal knuckleheads who made Slipknot.

This fact has angered many of the bands fans (I guess this album is divisive amongst the divided?), but, uh, fuck that jazz. Slipknot’s evolution from barely controlled chaos to arena metal is a good thing (And it’s worth noting that they’ve been a lot more creative about it than many of their peers; I ain’t never heard a militaristic marching band drum solo in a Disturbed song.). The band’s theatricality lends itself to a bigger stage. Joey Jordison – still the band’s undeniable MVP on this album, where he plays exactly what’s needed but rarely what’s expected – NEEDS to be in a band where he can strap into a hydraulic drum platform and do a solo while spinning above the crowd for no good reason other than it’s what Tommy Lee did when Tommy Lee was still awesome. Put more simply: This generation needs its KISS, god-fucking-damn-it.

This is an album chock full of catchy fucking tunes that make me wanna headbang and, yes, hold up my cigarette lighter (and not a fucking cellphone, you no good filthy fucks). And if Slipknot act as a gateway drug for a few thousand future death metallers, well, all the better. Slipknot might be the biggest band in metal that no metalhead should actually feel ashamed for enjoying.

Now if you’ll excuse me, I’m going to go play some pinball.

-AR

Tomorrow: Massholes!!!

THE PANEL OF VOTERS

Chris Adler, Lamb of God
Dan And, Bison B.C.
Ben Apatoff, Apatoff for Destruction
/Metal Injection
Jason Bittner, Shadows Fall
Tim Brennan,
Ferret Music/Channel Zero Entertainment
Freddy Cai, Painkiller Magazine
Ian Christe, Bazillion Points
Reverend David J. Ciancio, Yeah! Management
Betsey Cichoracki, Relapse Records
Paul Conroy, Ferret Music/Channel Zero Entertainment
J. Costa, Thy Will Be Done
Dallas Coyle, ex-
God Forbid/Coyle Media
Doc Coyle, God Forbid
CT, Rwake
Anso DF, MetalSucks/Hipsters Out of Metal!
Vince Edwards, Metal Blade Records
Charles Elliott, Abysmal Dawn/Nuclear Blast Records
Brian Fair,
Shadows Fall
Leo  Ferrante, Warner Music Group
D.X. Ferris, author 33 1/3: Reign in Blood/Freelance Journalist
Mike Gitter, Roadrunner Records
Nick Green, Decibel
Matt Grenier, August Burns Red
Anthony Guzzardo, Earache Records
Kevin Hufnagel, Dysrhythmia
Mark Hunter, Chimaira
Steve Joh, Century Media
EJ Johantgen, Prosthetic Records
Kim Kelly,
Metal Injection
Josh “The J” Key, Psychostick
Jason Lekberg, Epic Records
Eyal Levi, Daath
Bob Lugowe, Relapse Records
Matt McChesney, The Autumn Offering
Jake McReynolds,
Psychostick
Marc Meltzer, The Syndicate
Josh Middleton, Sylosis
Matt Moore, Rumpelstiltskin Grinder
Vince Neilstein, MetalSucks
Sammy O’Hagar, MetalSucks
Anton OyVey, MetalSucks/Bacon Jew
Rob Pasbani,
Metal Injection
Alex Preiss, Psychostick
Carlos Ramirez, NoiseCreep/Ultimate-Guitar/Bullz-Eye
Brian Rocha, Fresno Media USA
Jeremy Rosen, Roadrunner Records
Axl Rosenberg, MetalSucks
Satan Rosenbloom, MetalSucks/Cerebral Metalhead
David Bee Roth, MetalSucks
Jason Rudolph,
Heavy Hitter, Inc.
Amy Sciarretto, Roadrunner Records/NoiseCreep
Carl Severson,
Ferret Music/Channel Zero Entertainment
Gary Suarez, MetalSucks/No Yoko No/Brainwashed
Geoff Summers, The End Records/Crustcake
Bram Teitelman, The Syndicate/Metal Insider
Alisha Turull, Heavy Hitter, Inc.
Christopher R. Weingarten, 1000TimesYes/Freelance Journalist



217 COMMENTS on “#21: SLIPKNOT – VOL 3: THE SUBLIMINAL VERSES

  1. dicknballs says:

    really?

  2. Matt says:

    oh fuck noooooooooooo

  3. Dr J says:

    At least we know it won’t make 21…

  4. damienk says:

    C’mon… you all KNEW this would be coming right?

  5. anonymous says:

    are you fucking kidding me?

  6. Jimmy says:

    I actually agree. That was a fantastic album.

    • Jimmy says:

      Also, from the review: “And if Slipknot act as a gateway drug for a few thousand future death metallers, well, all the better. Slipknot might be the biggest band in metal that no metalhead should actually feel ashamed for enjoying.”

      EXACTLY what I was thinking saying about them for a long time

  7. Agmkreptile says:

    not iowa?

  8. Simon says:

    I like the self-titled and All Hope is Gone, but this? This is crap!

    • Mike Malice says:

      I’m a die hard Slipknot fan, but I think All Hope Is Gone was garbage in comparison to this

    • Uglymicrowave says:

      self titled and iowa were hands down THE BEST….vol.3 was OK…

      but All Hope is gone?! are u kidding me? thats not even a slipknot album….that’s a stone sour album

  9. wat says:

    I figured slipknot would be on this list. I’m glad it’s this low on it. I really hope Iowa or any other Slipknot shit isn’t on here though.

  10. Lord Bling says:

    It’s Slipknot’s best album, I think. However, I wouldn’t put it on the top 200 of this decade, much less top 21.

  11. Jimmy says:

    I hope Dillinger Escape Plan’s Miss Machine is on this list. Pleasepleaseplease.

  12. Andrew says:

    This doesn’t stir shit up as much as it makes me want to ignore the rest of the list. All cred is lost.

  13. hackman says:

    gotta disagree with the haters cuz this is a perfect choice for No. 21. it’s no. 21 so chill out. better than self-title and iowa, this makes a lotta sense to me.

  14. Lord Bling says:

    I won’t hate too much, as it’s a decent album, and I get the ‘KISS’ desire. I just hope the list redeems itself later on. We all know Opeth is coming, and I can only hope that Cynic’s ‘Traced in Air’ gets some love too. Guess we’ll see.

  15. Blake says:

    Looks like Shadows Fall is next. Let me guess… “The War Within”?

    No more hints please… the unpredictability of this list is what makes it so fun! ;)

  16. BTatVT says:

    Look at it this way guys, it can only get better from here.

  17. fightingmike says:

    I do dig this album for the most part and it is the only Slipknot record i own, but it still has quite a few of those lame “Jump Da Fuck Up” nu-metal bullshit riffs mixed in with the blast beats and sweep picking coolness. I dont know if i would put it top 20 of the past 9 years, but to each his own.

  18. jonowev says:

    Closest thing that’s ever been made to a ‘pop-extreme metal’ album. It’s average…

  19. groverXIII says:

    Well, this was definitely an improvement over Iowa, which I thought was fucking terrible… but to have this album at #21 means that something much more deserving got left off.

    The thing I’m wondering about is, do they have to limit this to one album per band? Because you could pretty much fill this list up with Opeth, Tool, Clutch, and a few others…

  20. hrm says:

    i dont hate this album but i dont think it deserves 21st best metal album of the 21st century, also this may have been brought up before but i find some of choices of voters questionable, i might be missing something but didnt this site dub psycostick a ’shitstain on the ass of the universe’ yet 3 of them are judges?

  21. The Roan says:

    proof that this list is total garbage

    • Watty says:

      Amen.

      If Watershed doesn’t end up being on this list because of garbage like this, I might just stop visiting this site altogether…

      • groverXIII says:

        Watershed… Ghost Reveries… Deliverance… Damnation… Blackwater Park…

        That should be a quarter of the list right there.

        • Aaron says:

          When you faggots are done sucking each other’s cocks over that band, boring death-flavoured-emo-accoustic band would you like to talk about some actual metal records?

          Seriously Opeth is so fucking popular for a whiny little band who sings about nothing but tragedy and heartbreak, it’s like all of you dorks secretly want to listen to some tragic emo but you don’t want to admit it.

          Opeth is fucking overrated boring horseshit.

  22. 20 eyes says:

    slipknot rules… the only people who dont like it are up-themselves, noitall, “must stray from any trend”, elitest’s who actually think that masks are a gimmick rather than just something cool they do.
    i also just wanna say i think opeth(in general) and only cynics new album are way overrated.

    • groverXIII says:

      Your weak attempt at trolling greatly detracts from the coolness factor of having a classic Misfits song title as your screen name.

    • Watty says:

      Whoooooooaaaaaaah……Opeth and Cynic are overrated?!?!?!?!

      How many slipknot fan boys have you seen walking around the malls? How many pre-teen guitar players cover slipknot songs while wearing masks? How many prime-time radio air time has Slipknot gotten?

      Opeth’s whole discography is one of the most impressive bodies of work that has EVER been done. Akerfeldt is a masterful musician who, despite knowing almost no theory, still manages to give me chills with ANY song of his that I listen to…

      Cynic is amazing as well. Masvidal’s guitar playing is tasteful and the way they fuse metal and jazz is nothing short of brilliant. Their latest album wasn’t the best thing ever, but certainly better than all of Slipknot’s stuff combined…

      Anyone who would choose to praise Slipknot over Opeth and Cynic really doesn’t deserve an opinion here anyway…

      And, just sos you know, wearing masks while playing is most definitely NOT cool. Music is about music, not about image, hence why pop, rap, and country are so overrated musically – everything there is about image. I agree with staying away from the trend thing, as that’s true in my case (i do happen to like some of their music) – but to say that they have any right to be mentioned in the same sentence as Opeth and Cynic is ignorant and overall arrogant of you.

      Cheers.

      • groverXIII says:

        Aw, come on, man… don’t feed the trolls!

      • Mike Malice says:

        I think Opeth and Cynic are both lame, call me a troll if you want…but they just inspire boredom in me.

        But I guess because Slipknot has more fans they must be less capable musicians and songwriters right?

        • ashley says:

          At least Opeth and Cynic don’t have shirts on every white trash numb skull this side of the Mississippi. That may hit too close to home for ya, though.

          • Mike Malice says:

            Because clearly the quality of a band is determined by who wears the t-shirts. Idiot.

            Opeth and Cynic have less fans and I’m sure percentage-wise about the same ratio of dumb fucking white trash assholes like them.

    • politude says:

      YOU are the reason Hollywood Undead exists… shame on you

  23. Watty says:

    Slipknot = Hard Rock…borderline Nu-Metal…shouldn’t have even been considered for this list.

    (The album doesn’t absolutely suck, just doesn’t have any right being on this list.)

    I’ll bet by the end of this, there’ll hundreds of submissions that should’ve made it before the nine-piece of shit…

    • Aaron says:

      But I’m sure you’re waiting patiently for space-opera wuss rock with the occasional growl like Cynic or tortured artist sadness porn pandering like Opeth to be featured right up top?

      Don’t turn this into a genre argument you fucking dork because Slipknot is as metal as anything, not as good by a long shot but they have every right to be considered a metal band.

  24. CJ says:

    Damn. I’m glad to see this on the list, but was honestly kinda hoping it would score a little bit higher. I love this album because it was the first heavy music I’d ever heard and liked. It’s what got me into metal in the first place. And, of course, this led to my discovering of Iowa, a favor for which I will forever be indebted.

  25. I bought this album. I was 12. Probably why then. I think this album did draw in a lot of new metalheads, not nu-metalheads, including myself and im glad to say i have moved on to better things. So yeah why not, i think this is an addition to the list worth having.

    • MackYourFace says:

      I must have forgotten, this site is chalked full of 17 year olds who claim to listen to metal……

      • Zombie(really) says:

        What are you talking about? Im like…soooo metal…i mean….with my super skinny jeans, and colorful gore filled ‘the devil wears prada shirt” that I brought at hot topic…I am the definition of METAL!!!!

        “fuck that give me some Autopsy!!!”

        …whos that?

      • iceman says:

        so it only counts if you start listening to metal in your later years? despite the fact many of the bands you praise began with kids when they were seventeen? ignorant fuckface metal has no age limit

        • Zombie(really) says:

          Bands that we praised at 17 are fucking awesome….but i mean…if ‘the devil wear prada’ is you cup of tea have at it…………………………………..

          Also, I’m pretty sure we know that music has no age limit, but if you’re gonna say you enjoy metal then you should know the history. So many ‘kids’ these days clam to love metal but can only name newer metal bands (mostly ‘core’ bands). Then when you ask, ‘what do you think of Death?’. They have no idea who your talking about.

          • Mike Malice says:

            Motley Crue awesome? i think not

          • iceman says:

            i can respect that. i am guilty of not totally knowing everything there is to know about those guys. honestly, im not a huge slayer/sabbath/death/pantera fan. not many of those bands do it for me. However, i do completely and 100% respect the influence they had on the bands i listen to today.

            p.s. i too agree that the devil wears prada and their fellow scenesters suck donkey dick.

      • loganarchy says:

        That’s stereotypical; I’m 17 yet I don’t listen to deathcore.

      • ashley says:

        I’m 25 and have been listening since I was 14. The “judges” on the other hand: probably 17 year olds who claim to listen to metal.

        • Mike Malice says:

          They listed the judges, and I’m pretty sure the majority of them were older than you.

          Update from last comment, you are still an idiot.

  26. Ballhair says:

    One thing that I noticed right away when I listened to this album was the guitar tones. Compare it to Iowa and tell me which one rocks harder. Iowa simply sounds bigger and meaner.

    Oh, not to mention the effects that were put on Corey’s voice are garbage.

  27. Z says:

    I agree. I also completely agree with the part about this being a gateway album into more extreme forms of metal. Slipknot were one of the first really heavy bands I started listening to.

  28. Fizzy G says:

    No wonder, look at their panel of voters…

  29. AyeJayZink says:

    That was their worst album. The newest is definitely a step up though. Iowa is my personal favorite.

  30. Crunch240sx says:

    I like this album, its not their best but its pretty good, to me its WAAAY better than All hope is Gone

  31. Farhaad says:

    I want to say I’m surprised, but I’m really not. I’m glad this was the Slipknot album that was chosen, though. It’s the album that got me into the band. Way to go. Can’t wait till tomorrow!

  32. Matt says:

    It’s dumb to freak out now because this is just the first album on the list, but i really do pray to god that a band like Slipknot will be an exception and not a trend on this list. Like everyone is saying there has to be some Opeth. I’m sure Machine head will be on it, as will Lamb of God, Mastodon, and every other successful metal band which isn’t necessarily a bad thing, i just hope some less known but extremely well reviewed stuff like Ashes against the grain or the mantle by Agalloch are on there.

    • Watty says:

      Definitely need some Agalloch on this list….

      I have a feeling, based on this, that most of the bands on here will be restricted to the more mainstream track, and that the voters won’t collectively have enough voting ability to get some of the lesser known bands with the hidden gem records onto this list…

      • Anus Apache says:

        Oh yeah gotta love the Agalloch. Too bad Pale Folklore isn’t eligible for this list being that it came out in the 90’s I think it would be a travesty if Opeth didnt make it

        • Daniel says:

          Ohh yeah either Ashes Against the Grain or The Mantle IMO. But I don’t think any of those will be featured on the list. Some Enslaved wouldn’t hurt either.

  33. Kevin says:

    Really?

  34. CJ says:

    I’m making it my mission to fully listen to (perhaps even own…we’ll see) every album that makes the list, so I hope all of them are as good as this.

  35. SewageKing says:

    I definitely agree that Slipknot is a “gateway drug” band. they were one of the first metal bands I listened to. But, this isn’t as good as Iowa, and there probably won’t be any other Slipkot albums on the list.

  36. Selaphiel says:

    I was honestly surprised when I saw this album on the list.

    But, seriously, it’s Slipknots best and one of the greatest ROCK records ever recorded. Not necessarily metal, but it’s metal-ish…

  37. Sin and Death says:

    Vol. III is the album that showcases Slipknot’s ability as musicians, although not their heaviest offering. Good choice, though.

  38. The Wizard says:

    Meh, average choice. Sure it was ‘experimental’ and all that but I’ve always felt like Iowa was the Slipknot album most metalheads overlooked. Sure it had its ‘radio’ songs’, but god damn it also had Slipknots most heavy shit too!

  39. Brian says:

    It’s far from my favorite record, but it’s an important record. I mean, better we teach our retarded 12-year-old mallcore kids about blasts and sweeps and odd time signatures as opposed to leaving them to generic nu-metal.

  40. earthsherm says:

    great, im already not interested anymore, it’s not even iowa, this better be the last of slipknot on this list

  41. joshkid says:

    what’s up with Slipknot being called “Rock”. I never heard a rock album (or hard rock) being that heavy!
    Anyway, Slipknot is a friggin’ awesome band, and Vol. 3 kicks some serious ass!
    Good choice to be on the list! I feel an awesome list coming up!!!!

  42. Rik says:

    I didn’t put this album in my personal list, but it doesn’t surprise me. And to be honest, I do love this album. Probably not a popular opinion, but it’s actually my fave Slipknot CD.

  43. Kye says:

    Should have been higher.

    I said it.

  44. Anus Apache says:

    This is probably the only Slipknot album that I actually like and can listen to all the way through. Iowa had a couple good tracks on it.

    The biggest problem with slipknot are their fans

  45. Anthony says:

    As soon as I saw this post I knew the comments would be filled with venom, but this album is awesome. Plain and simple. Their best album easily in my mind.

  46. mahkiavelli says:

    I’m not the biggest Slipknot fan or anything, but this? I would have picked Iowa over this one. Grated Vol. 3 is probably their best “produced” album, but Iowa was the album that destroyed the “nu-metal” leanings of their first album. I didn’t even know it was the same band when I first heard it…

  47. dude says:

    haha they did actually get me into death metal. when they took that long break after subliminal i needed something else to listen to and got straight into morbid angel \m/

    • iceman says:

      system of a down’s toxicity was my gateway drug into metal. I’d take that album over any slipknot album any day. Maybe not as heavy as slipknot, toxicity was still one hell of an album

  48. Dave says:

    seriously?

    shit, that shot this list in the foot real fast. It’s like watching the horse you bet on die as soon as the gates open.

    I could see this popping up in a top 50, but not a top ‘21′. The album was so meh outside of the second track, contained songs that were basically segues, and it was clear which songs were filler. Duality was basically pop metal, same with Before I Forget.
    I could see Iowa popping up on this, because that album was heavy ahead of it’s time for them (and about as heavy as Slipknot will ever get apparently), but this album, nah. The last two have basically sounded like excuses for the band to get out and tour.

  49. esteban says:

    Is the list really limited to one album per band? I haven’t kept up with Slipknot after self titled despite really enjoying self titled… I think I might have to skim over their work from then on. I agree, this is a metal- starter band and there’s nothing wrong with that.

  50. erock says:

    Iowa was the peak. Weak start.

  51. So much for this list says:

    So I guess you guys aren’t going to take this list very seriously, huh?

  52. Keith Brown says:

    Huh, understandable. It’s the only Slipknot Record I like anyways, so I’m cool with it

  53. Mike says:

    ST-ANGER FOR #1 MOTHERFUCKERS!!! no just kidding, i think Subliminal Verses wasn’t that bad…

  54. dick? says:

    slipknot even made it?

    how much did they pay the voters?

  55. SolaceInNothing says:

    Oh boy, 77 comments just for the 1st pick out of 21. The shitheads are coming out of the woodwork for this one.

    • Watty says:

      So, people who disagree with an opinion and have loads of valid reasons for doing so are shitheads?

      • SolaceInNothing says:

        No people who actually care that much about a dopey list are.

        95 comments now . . . woohoo

        • wat says:

          Just wait for #1 when everyone comes bitching that some shite album they like didn’t make the list.

    • SolaceInNothing says:

      I just want to say to Metalsucks that I am absolutely honored at my post being immortalized under you banner, i didnt mean call your list dopey. I love you guys!

  56. Astral Zombie says:

    …and people wonder why the music industry is in trouble??? Anyone who owns this album is a douche torch!

  57. trav says:

    That figures.

  58. kevin says:

    I really hope war within is not the next album. The vocals are reealllly weak.

  59. Geek Beater says:

    You guys are all forgetting something. The panel of voters picked this album. Not Axl. Whether you like Slipknot or not it really does not matter. Start your own website and state your shitty opinions. Slipknot is a very very heavy band. Listen to “IOWA” and say its not a metal album. Joey Jordison alone is worth the price of admission on any Slipknot album. You guys all need to get your head of out of Opeths ass. Just because bands play complicated riffs and signatures does not mean it its “a good metal album”. Metal is an art form and there is no right or wrong way to do it. I agree with Slipknot being on this list. They deserve it and put on one of the best live shows EVER.

  60. oh no…an album that has sold more than three copies made the list….shun

    it’s a solid album. glad it made the list. i’ve always liked slipknot

  61. plumber says:

    I can’t really comment on the album because I never realy listened to this band by choice. I have Iowa which I maybe listened to once or twice(I’m not trying to be too cool or “metal” for Slipknot they just never grabbed my attention musically). I’ve seen them live a few times due to the fact that their live show is kind of a spectacle (and that they’ve been at festivals with other bands I like and whatnot)…9 dudes running around is a cool kind of chaos where anything can happen. I enjoyed seeing them. The music, for me, is pretty meh. Not the worst, certainly not the best. Wouldn’t make my top 21. I think the idea of what Slipknot could be is better than what they are.

    I also have this funny feeling Death Magnetic might make this list…just saying.

    • groverXIII says:

      I don’t have any objections to Death magnetic making the list… it’s Metallica’s best album since Justice, and certainly one of the best albums I’ve heard this decade.

    • Double D says:

      “(I’m not trying to be too cool or “metal” for Slipknot they just never grabbed my attention musically).”

      I have literally never listened to a Slipknot album for the same reason.

  62. bearwizard says:

    Do we really want Slipknot fans getting in on death metal? I know it’s already gone to shit and so fucking polluted I am reluctant to listen to anything labeled death metal i haven’t already heard of; but regardless of that, the less scene kids, mallcore/nu-metal kids, kids in general, the better….

  63. jackattack says:

    $10 says every fuck on here that’s claiming to they will no longer pay attention to the list or MS still keeps it on their blogroll til the end of time. Any takers?

  64. Anselmowitz says:

    Ugh fucking kill me, the list limps out the gates. Yeah righto Ok, only cause Slipknot is mostly responsible for all the hot little girlies at the metal concerts this century. Actually what made this album tolerable was the lack of other “first 4 frets” Metal surrounding it. These guys got riffs & beats but no songwriting ability.

    • Double D says:

      “Ok, only cause Slipknot is mostly responsible for all the hot little girlies at the metal concerts this century.”

      HAHAHAHAHAHA!!!!!!!!!!!!!! “Hot little girlies”?!?!?! Get the fuck outta here! Those meth-babies? You MUST be joking!

  65. Ross says:

    Well, this list is officially shit since I’m sure it will have God Forbid and Limp Bizkit all over it.

  66. Revrant says:

    Disgusting, hopefully this shitstain won’t taint the rest of the list.

  67. o0Stacey0o says:

    Interesting. I knew they would be on here or figured so at least. And thank god they are last. And wow, what a shit storm of comments. Way to stir it up, boys!

  68. ibanezninja says:

    wow this list comes screaming right out of the gate into a great big pile of shit

  69. Dave B says:

    I agree with roughly 90% of the negative comments. To have anything from Slipknot, besides the self-titled album, make any kind of positive list is a joke.

  70. Charlie B says:

    Well my suspicions have been confirmed this list is BS. What is more surprising is that people are surprised by Slipknot being on the list. Heck I won’t be surprised if they had another album on the list.

  71. DJ P says:

    People dont be worried i am 99.9% sure Opeth will be on this list. if the .01% is true, whoever voted for this list should get shot

  72. Mike Malice says:

    So far it seems clear that unless the top 21 list is filled with a bunch of garbage underground death metal and “old school” shit that the metalsucks readership will complain.

    I love the comments that say Slipknot isn’t metal, and then comments that suggest that Clutch is more metal. Based on a quick comparison I’d say Slipknot is more metal and Clutch is more hard rock.

    I’m interested to see where this list goes, and how many people are angry with every new post.

    There is a reason underground death metal isn’t popular, because it’s mostly fucking boring lame bullshit that isn’t at all appealing. People just need to associate themselves with a slightly less popular trend than the trend they hate for the reason that it’s trendy.

    Ah America, land of the free.

    • SolaceInNothing says:

      Lol, try home of the pompous and elitist. Me thinks these lists serve no purpose because the world of metal is so vast and subjective that almost no one can be happy about them . . .

      Unless it’s full of completely obscure bands from Norway of coarse : )

    • Revrant says:

      I think most will complain because Slipknot is a gimmicky band, though I do agree with metal being as vast and subjective as it is this list has a truly monumental chance of dissatisfying the readership and generally being a terrible list.

  73. Gordon Shumway says:

    Not a huge Slipknot fan, but I see where you’re cooming from with this. And I did enjoy the album actually. Think I’ll give it another spin now. =)

    And yes, the only major problem with Slipknot is thier retarded “maggots”. Emo scenester kids who got angry rather than started to cry.

    • joshkid says:

      that’s total bulllshit. I’ve been to a Slipknot concert already, and there were like zero “emo scenester kids”
      that were hangin out there. The guys you’re talking about hang out at the Marilyn Manson concerts.
      Btw, the concert was awesome, the knot know how to rock!

  74. Spaceman_Jones says:

    How is a fucking clown banging on trash cans talented? I hope Avenged Sevenfold is not on here.
    Dance Of Death and A Matter of Life and Death need to be on here.

  75. Shinaain says:

    Only #21? Fuck you guys.

    Smooches,
    Shinaain

  76. borden says:

    slipknot are over rated and this just help prove my point! The list can only go downhill from here. fuck this shit

  77. Mancubus says:

    1. Iowa is the only Slipknot album that I still listen too.

    2. I can name at least 50 albums off the top of my head taht are better than this.

    3. Who said that a Shadows Fall is #20? It could be The Oncoming Storm by Unearth, Clients by The Red Chord, or Jane Doe by Converge. No matter what, it’s probably -core.

  78. Leo says:

    I hated this band when I first heard about them and will continue to hate this band until the day I die… try again

  79. Cavorka says:

    I knew it!! I Fucking knew it! No Exodus, no Death Angel, no Hypocrisy, no Orphaned Land just the same predicatable bands over and over again!! I bet this list is going to be a huge(do I dare to say it already?)…./FAIL!!

  80. uLy says:

    Not a fan of SlipKnot but there is no denying their place in history.

  81. DecrystallizingReason says:

    Oh I get it, this list is a big joke. Good one guys.

  82. kidzord says:

    who did u guys have choosing these albums, Psychostick?…oh wait…

    no care ever about this numetal atrocity of a list this is going to be…

  83. Tom says:

    Oh god no! not Slipknot : ( not worth a spot on the list imo, Anaal Nathrakh makes better music with 2 guys than slipknot have ever done with 9.

  84. dizzle says:

    putting slipknot on any top-anything list basically strips this site and those polled of any integrity as journalist, artists and human beings. almost TEN years of material to work with and the weakest album from one of the biggest jokes in metal, music, and civilization makes a top 21 list.
    “metal” definitely does suck

  85. JRTME says:

    Why does Slipknot take away the integrity of this list? Cause they have been sucessful?

    Here is a neat idea make a list of 21 of the best Metal bands yourself and it will be exactly how you want it.

    It’s a compiled list. So they had to have some sort of method to make it. They used number system. So this is the way it came out.

    Is slipknot my favorite band? Not a chance I don’t even think they would make my top 21 metal albums.

    That being said this is a cool choice. I like this band. I’m not a noob either I have been a Metal/Hard Rock fan for the last 25 years.

  86. Cincitucky says:

    Is it possible for anyone to provide a counter argument, in support of Slipknot, that doesn’t hinge on the ambiguous word “successful”? Fucking A.

    If I go to my local bar to shoot pool and they have Slipknot Duality on the music rotation right after Aerosmith’s Sweet Emotion, I don’t believe they deserve to be on this list.

  87. ferris says:

    Regarding methodology, fellas, you gotta realize that ANY list will have some bias. As they’ve stated up front, this list is a survey of a certain group of people and what they think. Nobody’s saying it’s the grand undisputable truth of the universe.

    I wouldn’t trust anyone who thinks “my favorite” means exactly the same thing as “the best.”

    Unless Limp Bizkit’s Undeniable Truth Pt. 1 comes out as #1. Because they’re NO denying that, haterz!

    - sweaty freddy nugent-durst

  88. hater_guy says:

    Sayton!

  89. John says:

    Please post the names of people who voted for this album. Really.

  90. jj says:

    How boring would it be if the list was all Opeth, all Mastodon, All Gojira, etc? Diversity is what makes metal so awesome. Just wait for the rest of the list to unfold, then you can start hammering away at the fucking keyboard.

    As for Slipknot, I like this album. Its good place to start for new metalheads. I listen it every now and then.

  91. bucketochicken says:

    I love how some people are actually personally affronted/insulted by something as wildly subjective as other people’s (people they don’t even fucking know personally, mind you) musical tastes & opinions.

    My god, humanity is stupid.

  92. Brandon says:

    If this is how the list starts right out of the gate… well a lot of people will be terribly disappointed with all the hype. Thanks, Axl.

  93. anon! says:

    At least it’s not in the top 20! Lawl!

  94. Mike says:

    Sleep’s Holy Mountain should definately be on this list. It’s one of the best albums to listen to, stoned or sober!

  95. Sean says:

    So I hadn’t heard this particular disc since I generally haven’t liked much I’ve heard from Slipknot. I decided to check it out, it’s not bad. Much better than some of the other stuff I’ve heard from them. But I’m still surprised its top 21 for the decade. Be interesting to see what else makes this list. It’ll be a shame if it mostly focuses on more commercial friendly stuff.

  96. Dan-O says:

    Thankfully I didn’t have to use Slipknot as a gateway drug into death metal. Vol. 3 though, was not too bad of a disc. I am a bit surprised it made the list though, but I won’t argue.

    • Ryan says:

      I remember my dad bought me Iowa when I was about 14 and listening to rap. Don’t blame me, I went to an inner city school. It turned my world upside down and I’ve been listening to metal ever since. Slipknot had that crossover ability that got me and many of my friends into metal. Whether or not this is one of the top 21 records of this century is debatable. Hoping to see some BTBAM on here.

  97. pokesmot says:

    i enjoy watching you tards argue and threaten to not visit the site
    fucking gold

  98. bradican says:

    wow your gonna reveal each album one at a time? way too make this the most over hyped piece of shit fucking list EVER

  99. Carter says:

    so gay. who cares about mall-core

  100. B-dizzle says:

    What a terrible start. Let me guess, Limp Bizkit will be in the top 15?

  101. Sammy says:

    It’s good to see that your list of panelists actually respects Slipknot for what they are – a damn decent band.

  102. Brock says:

    Argh! I knew this was going to happen, though.

  103. 5 says:

    1 Blackwater Park- Opeth
    2 Colors- Between the Buried and Me
    3 Lateralus- Tool
    4 Ghost Reveries- Opeth
    5 10,000 Days- Tool

    Progy!

  104. 5 says:

    If Ashes of the Wake is not in the top 10 I’m going to violate a hobo with a garden gnome

  105. Neil says:

    hahah you got to be fucking kidding me

  106. BAY AREA METAL says:

    YOU’RE SHITTTTING ME.

    PEOPLE = SHIT = SLIPKNOT

  107. Vince from Metal Blade says:

    For the record, this one wasn’t on my list! If Slipknot would’ve made my list, it would’ve been the self-titled album.

    Crossing my fingers that 7angels 7plagues “Jhazmyne’s Lullaby” made the list!

  108. For the record, the GOO-GOO DOLLS song on my METAL BLADE Anniversary CD wasn’t on my list.

  109. Gabriel says:

    I don’t like any Slipknot’s album, but at least The Subliminal Verses has a song that I actually like, which is The Nameless. Ok, Wait and Bleed is cool too. But only these two ones.

  110. Mike Malice says:

    They should put out two albums at a time, one is the actual placing album, and one that they just pick randomly, and then have people decide which one they think made it.

    That would be sweet.

  111. Matt says:

    I can name deathcore albums alot better than this…

  112. Malacoda says:

    What the fuck, you guys are posting them one at a time?

  113. dustinyo says:

    I guess you can’t hate on bands that introduce kids to metal. But really, when I was kid the ‘gateway’ bands that got me into metal were Pantera, Sepultura, Megadeth and White Zombie. Looking at that, I really don’t know if slipknot being put into that same category of ‘gateway’ bands is a good thing…

    I don’t even think this was a terrible album. Not their best, but decent. But I’m going to go with the vast majority here and say how the hell is this in the top 21 at all?

  114. i think says:

    all of you idiots that are to “metal” to listen to anything that sold more than 3 copies

  115. Robert says:

    I hate to be a dick, (except that I don’t hate it at all), but the 21st century began on January 1, 2001. There was no Year Zero. Also, Slipknot is sort of a pile of shit.

  116. Tyler says:

    Fuck it, I love this band and this is a great album. This band got me into metal, and I still enjoy the music to this day, this deserves it’s place on the list.

  117. MetalRod says:

    I agree with this pick whole heart-ed. Beautifully brutal, definitely Slipknot’s most diverse and expansive album that still remains sick and heavy as hell.

    And to everyone bitching… shut the fuck up! It’s at #21 anyways cunt-rags.

  118. Fuck says:

    While this is the band that got me into metal along with a few other lighter bands, i was extremely disapointed with this album. The only songs I liked were The blister exists and 3 nil, other than that I pass on this album. Joey still cranks out some brutal drums but corey sounds like a pussy. If this album is 21 than every Devildriver and Lamb of God album better be on this hierarchy of albums. The very fact that this list exists is dumb to begin with, everyone and their elitist attitude about metal, it gets old. Slipknot good before 2005, not a huge fan anymore, Im sure that will be debated.

  119. AxeGrinder says:

    It seems funny that most of the voter-panel are americans, thereby immediately removing any trace of Black Metal/Swedish Death Metal etc……..
    Hatebreeds’ Perseverance….gimme a fuckin’ break……..
    Shadows Fall……………please……………they are just a hardcore band trying to be metal……

    Man……i dont hate USA or anything but this strangleholfd of deciding whats cool or which band is the biggest in metal should be for all to decide and not just American lables or the people in general…..

    Peace.

  120. Chanel says:

    YES! I love Slipknot

  121. Denis says:

    Seriously You all Shouldve known it was gonna be on here, It Was a Really Good Album, but i wouldnt rank it 21, i would rank it more like 40, and i agree with most of the other people on here either IOWA or All Hope Is Gone shouldve been in place of this but it still is a really good album, you all just gotta realize that

  122. Bullhead says:

    No, this album shouldn’t be on a greatest list.

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