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slipknot iowa10thanniversary
Artist: Slipknot
Title: Iowa (10th Anniversary Edition)
Genre: Metal
Release Date: 28th October 2011
Label: Roadrunner Records


Album Review

Author’s Note: I will try to be as unbiased on this review as possible, even though SLIPKNOT’s ‘Iowa’ will always hold a special place in my ear hole because it was my first metal CD ever purchased.

SLIPKNOT... It’s a name that probably needs no introduction. Whether fans love or hate the masked nine, this titanic band has created a legacy for themselves since 1999, whether it was the mask controversy with MUSHROOMHEAD or the death of Paul Gray (RIP), but one thing that has never been doubted is their music ingenuity. ‘Iowa’ was their sophomore effort and their heaviest offering to date, with a departure from the rapping Nu-Metal debut and more of a direct Modern Metal approach. With this 10th anniversary release has seem about three re-releases in its history. As far as THIS release goes… Roadrunner has unfortunately left fans a bit stiffed. The first disc is the original recording featuring the pummelling anthems of ‘People=Shit’ and ‘The Heretic Anthem’ and the brooding epic ‘Iowa’, which is considered SLIPLKNOT’s finest and darkest hour. No re-production or anything… everything sounds as good as the original. The only bonus for this section is a remix of ‘My Plague’ which appeared on the ‘Resident Evil Soundtrack’, so in a way it isn’t anything new at all (no surprise there). New fans who may have just heard SLIPKNOT recently from ‘All Hope Is Gone’ will probably want to pick this up to complete their discography, but it is most likely that anyone who likes SLIPKNOT already has this.

The second disc is also a bit of a gimp as it includes the 2002 DVD release of ‘Disasterpieces’, one of SLIPKNOT’s first concert DVDs. While it is an audio experience as opposed to visual, again, fans most likely already own it. On a plus side, SLIPKNOT’s live footage - either visual or audio - are always a treat to hear. Front man Corey Taylor always interacts with the crowd before and after tracks, sometimes with too much banter such as the ritualistic “jumping” on the track ‘Spit It Out’, but most of the time it is very enjoyable and shows his charisma not only as a vocalist but also how to reach out to fans. Anyone can go track by track and just shout out the names before it is performed, but it takes some wisdom with words to actually make conversation with the crowds, even if it involves swearing every other word. And of course, who could ignore Joey Jordison’s drum solo, sometimes joined by Shawn Crahan, also known as ‘Clown’. On a downside, ‘Disasterpieces’ isn’t as well produced as some of the other live releases like ‘Live 9.0’. The music’s heaviness tends to overshadow everything and Corey Taylor’s microphone seems a bit too low, making him sound a lot more out of breath and tired than he really is.

The final part of this release as a collection of music videos, all of which can be found online on YouTube, so again it is wasted space and wasted time. To get back story or history on the band’s work and videos it would be better to check out ‘Voliminal’, the 2006 release that includes live sets, interviews, and backstage moments that give a look into the tour life of the band along with the more commercialized music videos. So… as a result… overall this ‘10th anniversary release’ is commendable, but a repeat of history. Roadrunner could have done a lot better at maybe digging up new unreleased tracks from ‘Iowa’ sessions or demo versions to show the raw, original works, but by doing all this they’re just giving fans useless junk. The “maggots” deserve much better than this when it comes to re-releases. The original SLIPKNOT debut was an excellent example of an anniversary release. ‘Iowa’ is not so much.


Tracklist

Disc 1: Iowa (10th anniversary edition)
01. (515)" - 1:00
02. People = Shit - 3:35
03. Disasterpiece - 5:08
04. My Plague - 3:40
05. Everything Ends - 4:14
06. The Heretic Anthem - 4:14
07. Gently - 4:54
08. Left Behind - 4:01
09. The Shape - 3:37
10. I Am Hated - 2:37
11. Skin Ticket - 6:41
12. New Abortion - 3:36
13. Metabolic - 3:59
14. Iowa - 15:05
15. My Plague (New Abuse Mix) - 3:04

Disc 2: Disasterpieces- Live in London 2002
01. (515) (Live In London 2002) - 4:04
02. People = Shit (Live In London 2002) - 3:36
03. Liberate (Live In London 2002) - 3:37
04. Left Behind (Live In London 2002) - 3:38
05. Eeyore (Live In London 2002) - 2:38
06. Disasterpiece (Live In London 2002) - 5:22
07. Purity (Live In London 2002) - 5:26
08. Gently (Live In London 2002) - 4:35
09. Eyeless (Live In London 2002) - 4:57
10. Drum Solo (Live In London 2002) - 3:59
11. My Plague (Live In London 2002) - 3:47
12. New Abortion (Live In London 2002) - 4:22
13. The Heretic Anthem (Live In London 2002) - 4:59
14. Spit It Out (Live In London 2002) - 7:44
15. Wait And Bleed (Live In London 2002) - :27
16. 742617000027 (Live In London 2002) - 1:44
17. (sic) (Live In London 2002) - 4:21
18. Surfacing (Live In London 2002) - 5:34


Line-up

Sid Wilson – turntables
Joey Jordison – drums
Paul Gray – bass guitar, backing vocals
Chris Fehn – custom percussion, backing vocals
Jim Root – guitars
Craig "133" Jones – sampling, media
Shawn "Clown" Crahan – custom percussion, backing vocals
Mick Thomson – guitars
Corey Taylor – lead vocals


Website

http://www.slipknot1.com/


Cover Picture

slipknot iowa10thanniversary


Rating

Music: 10
Sound: 4.5
Total: 7 / 10


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