Slipknot are one of the biggest metal bands of the last two decades. Several records and lineup changes later, they’re back and bigger than ever. Today (Aug. 9) sees the release of their highly anticipated sixth album, We Are Not Your Kind.

Over the course of their career, the Knot have developed an incessantly loyal, cult-like following called Maggots. Sure, many bands have crowds of superfans supporting them. But why, of all the metal bands out there, do people really love Slipknot so much?

To say their music is the reason they’re so widely loved would be the easy answer, but it goes much deeper than that. Yes, their angry energy and morose lyrics have connected to a lot of people who battled demons or felt like outcasts. But they also worked harder than most bands to get to where they got. They developed an image that would match the sounds they were creating. They treat the stage like a war zone when they’re performing. They’ve put their all into it from day one, and they still do today.