All Hope Is Gone

All Hope Is Gone is Slipknot's fourth album, on which they depicted anger and despair from many angles, expanding heavy riffs and large-scale arrangements. They fused the melodic elements broadened on the previous album with the ferocious heaviness of the early works, on a grander scale. Production was handled by Dave Fortman. The album was recorded in their home state of Iowa. It carries their widest style yet, where aggression, melody and experimentation coexist. Its songs, balancing heaviness with catchiness, bear out how the band climbed to a commercial peak as well. Varied songs like "Psychosocial," "Dead Memories" and "Snuff" line up. From aggressive songs to lyrical ballads, expressions of wide range coexist. The album took their first No. 1 on the US Billboard 200, cementing the band's popularity. But it became the last album to feature both bassist Paul Gray and drummer Joey Jordison. About two years after its release, in 2010, Paul Gray died, and the band faced great grief and a major turning point. An accomplished record.