10 Best SLIPKNOT's Songs

The best Slipknot songs are bred from the band's Midwestern roots, as the masked marauders from Des Moines, Iowa, have taken the blood, sweat and tears of their blue-collar upbringing and poured it into their music. Slipknot are a way of life for their fans — affectionately dubbed maggots — because they managed to distill fury into manic, artfully constructed, unforgettable songs that still bash you over the skull. They are masterful with their metal, but on a deeper level, it's their skillful playing, carves-space-in-your-cranium melodies and their full on assault on all senses that make Slipknot one of the most important metal bands ever. With great difficulty, we've made our picks for the 10 Best Slipknot Songs:



10.'Vermilion Pt. 2'

From: 'Vol. 3 (The Subliminal Verses)' (2004)





Slipknot are known for heavier-than-granite metal. But a fragile song like 'Vermilion Pt. 2' demonstrates an artistry not unlike, say, Radiohead. The band's mastery of dynamics is evident in this original and this sequel. Sometimes you need to show your softer side to further demonstrate just how aggressive you are. 'Part 2' is a testament to late bassist Paul Gray's rock solid songwriting, as well.





9.'Spit It Out'

From: 'Slipknot' (1999)





If you've seen Slipknot live, you know this is the song where Corey Taylor commands the entire crowd to sit on the ground and jump to their feet on his command. That's power. That's two decades worth of connection with the maggots, which has been drafted in blood, adrenaline, testosterone and any other bodily fluid, substance or hormone your sick mind can possibly imagine.





8.'The Heretic Anthem'

From: 'Iowa' (2001)





Only in Slipknot's feral claws and paws could a lyric like “If you're 555, I'm 666″ still sound nastier than Regan's green vomit in 'The Exorcist.' It's true that 'Iowa' is the slaughterhouse of Slipknot records: every song drips blood, guts, venom, bile and vomit. That's a good thing when you're talking metal, and 'Heretic Anthem' captures all of those elements in one fell swoop.





7.'(sic)'

From: 'Slipknot' (1999)





Go watch 'Alien.' You know that scene where the alien bursts from Kane's chest? The graphic horror and vicious energy of that scene is bottled and captured by 'Sic,' thanks to the battering ram percussion, machine gunned riffs and Taylor's battle cry. This is music from and for the frontlines of a warzone. Here comes the pain!





6.'Left Behind'

From: 'Iowa' (2001)





'Left Behind' is the lead single from 'Iowa' and it's one of Slipknot's standout songs as it shows off the band's attention to and knack for melody, without losing its meaty, metal edge. It's one of those beautiful moments where you can tap your toes to the music, all the while wanting to start a carnage-inducing moshpit. That's not easy to do, but in Slipknot's mitts, it seems so simple.





5.'Psychosocial'

'All Hope Is Gone' (2008)





'Psychosocial' is a chunky, choppy track, with an infectious chorus. That's not usually how one would describe an exhaustingly heavy metal track, but this is Slipknot we're talking about. Equally riffy and percussive, 'Psychosocial' is fueled by the pulse of the maggots.





4.'People = Shit'

From: 'Iowa' (2001)





Slipknot weren't masking their intentions with 'People = Shit.' Only nine bandits from Iowa could effectively capture the dregs of humanity with a metal song so effectively. It's one of the best Slipknot songs thanks to the way it helps one achieve catharsis and an understanding of the depths to which your fellow man can sink.





3.'Wait and Bleed'

From: 'Slipknot' (1999)





'Wait and Bleed' is a standout track not only for its jostling construction, but for the fact that it lets vocalist Corey Taylor take center stage. His guttural growls could make the hairs on your neck stand bolt upright. As for his melodic croon? That's what set him apart. The band never, ever sounds soft. The melodic elements merely provided a foil to enhance the extreme parts.





2.'Duality'

From: 'Vol. 3 (The Subliminal Verses)'





Slipknot's brutal, extreme nature is never in question, but with 'Duality,' the lead single from their third album, the masker marauders were able to perfect their formula of maelstrom with melody. Never did pushing your fingers into your eyes sound like such an appealing behavior.





1'Surfacing'

From: 'Slipknot' (1999)





'Surfacing' is your new national anthem. With the squealing opening, frenetic, chaotic percussion and Corey Taylor's ferocity, it's the definitive Slipknot song because it gives a comprehensive look over everything Slipknot is: feral, uncontainable, artistically elevated. There was never anything like Slipknot before them and even thought there have been copycats, there will never truly be anything that rivals or equals them.

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