All Hope Is Gone
by Slipknot
Metascore
68

Generally favorable reviews - based on 14 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 8 out of 14
  2. Mixed: 6 out of 14
  3. Negative: 0 out of 14
  1. Entertainment Weekly
    83
    This is dark stuff, but there's excellent musicianship to be found on these heavy meltdowns.
  2. AllMusic
    80
    All Hope Is Gone as a whole winds up being as bleak and unforgiving as its title.
  3. Billboard
    80
    The set is at once Slipknot's most ambitious and accessible outing to date, with a broad palette of sounds and textures that shift faster than Michael Phelps off the starting block.
  5. Observer Music Monthly
    80
    Happily, Slipknot can pull in these directions and still maintain a new standard of bone-crunching intensity . There are louder metal bands in the world, for sure, but the Iowan nine-piece continue to make the most noise.
  6. Hartford Courant
    80
    SlipKnot's fifth album finds the nine-piece alternative metal band at an unquestionable creative peak--but the effort may only further alienate some of its diehard, shred-metal fans.
  7. Hot Press
    80
    While their peers pander to the mainstream, the masked musicians continue to honour their scene by staying true to their roots while broadening their sound.
  8. Spin
    70
    All Hope Is Gone, reportedly the first thing they've recorded in years without wanting to kill each other, proves that there's still musical unity in disharmony.
  9. The New York Times
    70
    Slipknot stops pummeling every now and then for a few lines of melodic chorus, a full-length dirge, even a power ballad that’s a sort of spurned love song.
  10. Blender
    60
    Finding new targets for their thrashing contempt, Slipknot make ugliness sound just a little bit pretty.
  11. New Musical Express (NME)
    60
    They needed to up their innovating significantly but haven’t, leaving All Hope Is Gone above-average.
  12. Uncut
    60
    Occasional, more straightforwardly anthemic moments approach the mawkishness of Nickelback, but Slipknot remain showmen at heart. [Oct 2008, p.108]
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  13. Mojo
    60
    There's little original in the likes of 'Psychosocial' 'Snuff' or "All Hope is Gone,' but the bludgeoning guitars are crisp, the overload of percussion suitably crunchy and a sense of bravura and commitment that's lacking in many of today's metal bands runs throughout. [Nov 2008, p.118]
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  14. PopMatters
    40
    Metal is supposed to be larger than life, especially in Slipknot’s case, and on this record, their attempt to sound more musically varied has them coming off as tired, apathetic, and above all, weak.
  15. Sputnikmusic
    40
    While it's not without its obvious highlights, All Hope is Gone feels too much like a demo with professional production values to make me recommend it as an album.

Awards & Rankings

25
#25 Most Discussed Album of 2008
70
#70 Most Shared Album of 2008

User Reviews

All reviews »
User Score
7.8

Generally favorable reviews- based on 252 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 197 out of 252
  2. Mixed: 39 out of 252
  3. Negative: 16 out of 252
  1. asylumspadez
    Nov 17, 2011
    3
    Only track I really liked was Psychosocial. While there maybe a few likeable songs on the album, It simply isnt that good. Really disapointingOnly track I really liked was Psychosocial. While there maybe a few likeable songs on the album, It simply isnt that good. Really disapointing if you ask me.… Full Review »
  2. JeffH
    Oct 7, 2008
    8
    Probably the 2nd best album of Slipknot's. This album is at times hard, at times creative, and all the time enjoyable. With some of the Probably the 2nd best album of Slipknot's. This album is at times hard, at times creative, and all the time enjoyable. With some of the best choruses of all their songs and some pretty nice solos from a guitarist who I originally depicted as "not very talented." It's not as heavy as previous albums (IOWA, Slipknot) but Slipknot are managing to broaden their musical horizons while still remaining true to their original sound. All Hope Is Gone is overall one of Slipknot's finest and is IMO should be regarded with just as much praise as the album "Slipknot"… Full Review »
  3. Helpme
    Oct 5, 2019
    10
    It's a good album with good music, and Psychosocial is good and it's just a very good album, with amazing masks, and good head banging music
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