26 April 1975 – 26 July 2021
Some musicians play songs.
Some musicians shape bands.
And then there are musicians like Joey Jordison, whose talent, intensity and unmistakable passion helped change the entire landscape of heavy music.
On 26 July 2021, the rock and metal world lost one of its most influential drummers. Five years later, Joey’s absence is still felt deeply — but so is the thunderous legacy he left behind.
For millions of fans, Joey Jordison was not simply the drummer from Slipknot. He was the reason they picked up drumsticks. He was the soundtrack to frustration, anger, survival and belonging. He was proof that a kid from Iowa could help build one of the most important metal bands of the modern era.
And make no mistake, butt — the world of metal has never sounded quite the same without him.
🥁 The Engine Behind Slipknot
As a founding member of Slipknot, Joey Jordison became one of the driving forces behind the band’s brutal, chaotic and instantly recognisable sound.
His drumming was more than speed for the sake of speed. It was controlled violence. Precision wrapped in fury. Every blast beat, double-kick pattern and frantic fill added another layer to Slipknot’s musical identity.
From the raw aggression of the band’s self-titled debut to the crushing darkness of Iowa, the experimentation of Vol. 3: The Subliminal Verses and the huge, arena-ready power of All Hope Is Gone, Joey’s performances were central to Slipknot’s rise.
Tracks such as “People = Shit,” “Disasterpiece,” “Eyeless,” “The Heretic Anthem” and “Psychosocial” showcased a musician operating at an extraordinary level.
He could batter the life out of a drum kit while still serving the song. That balance is what separated Joey from the crowd.
Plenty of drummers are fast.
Very few are unforgettable.
Joey Jordison was unforgettable.
🔥 A Live Performer Like No Other
Slipknot’s early live shows were already infamous for their chaos, but Joey’s presence behind the kit gave the madness its heartbeat.
Masked, relentless and seemingly capable of playing at superhuman speed, he became one of the most recognisable drummers in metal history.
Then there was the rotating drum riser.
Because apparently playing some of the most demanding music in modern metal was not enough, Joey performed while his entire drum kit lifted, tilted and rotated above the stage.
It was outrageous.
It was theatrical.
It was pure Slipknot.
Those performances became legendary and helped turn Joey into an icon far beyond the drumming community. Even people who could not name every member of Slipknot knew the drummer with the white mask and the terrifying ability behind the kit.
🤘 More Than One Mask
Although Joey will always be most closely associated with Slipknot, his creativity stretched far beyond one band.
With Murderdolls, he swapped the brutal industrial chaos of Slipknot for sleazy horror punk and glam-soaked rock ’n’ roll. The project showed a different side of Joey’s personality and proved he was far more than a one-dimensional musician.
He later worked with projects including Scar the Martyr, Vimic and Sinsaenum, continuing to explore different corners of heavy music.
Joey also stepped in to perform with some of the biggest names in rock and metal, earning enormous respect from fellow musicians.
Whenever someone needed a drummer who could handle pressure, technical demands and massive stages, Joey Jordison was the sort of player they trusted.
That says everything.
❤️ The Drummer Who Inspired Thousands
Joey’s influence cannot be measured only in album sales, awards or festival appearances.
It can be seen in rehearsal rooms.
It can be heard in local venues.
It lives in every drummer who tried to learn the opening of “Eyeless” and immediately realised they had a very long way to go.
For an entire generation, Joey made drumming look exciting, dangerous and larger than life. He showed young metal fans that the drummer did not have to sit quietly at the back of the stage.
The drummer could be the star.
The drummer could have a character, a visual identity and a presence every bit as powerful as the vocalist or guitarist.
Joey did not simply keep time.
He commanded attention.
🖤 A Loss Still Felt Across Metal
When news of Joey Jordison’s death emerged in July 2021, tributes flooded social media from fans, friends, former bandmates and musicians across the world.
The reaction demonstrated just how deeply his work had connected with people.
For many fans, Slipknot’s music arrived during difficult periods of their lives. Joey’s drumming became part of that emotional release — loud, furious and strangely comforting.
That is the power of heavy music.
It gives people somewhere to place emotions that may otherwise feel impossible to express.
Joey understood that power because he poured everything into every performance.
You could hear it.
You could see it.
You could feel it.
🥁 Five Years Gone, But Never Silent
Five years may have passed since Joey Jordison left us, but his music has never stopped.
Every time Iowa is played at full volume, Joey is there.
Every time a young drummer attempts one of his fills, Joey is there.
Every time thousands of metal fans scream along to a Slipknot anthem in a field, arena or tiny rock club, his legacy is there.
His influence continues to ripple through metal, metalcore, death metal, nu-metal and countless other heavy genres.
New generations are discovering his performances every day, watching old concert footage and realising exactly why Joey Jordison remains one of the most celebrated drummers of his era.
🎸 The Riff Report Remembers Joey Jordison
At The Riff Report, we remember Joey as a musician who helped make heavy music feel fearless.
He was fast without losing groove.
Technical without losing emotion.
Theatrical without ever becoming a gimmick.
He helped create music that gave outsiders a community and gave angry, confused or isolated fans something they could call their own.
That is one hell of a legacy.
Joey Jordison may no longer be behind the kit, but the noise he created will never disappear.
It still rattles speakers.
It still shakes festival fields.
It still inspires musicians.
And it still means everything to the fans who grew up with that masked figure delivering absolute carnage from behind the drums.
Rest in power, Joey Jordison.
Forever number one. Forever remembered. Forever loud. 🖤🥁🤘
What Is Your Favourite Joey Jordison Moment?
Was it a legendary Slipknot performance, a favourite drum track, the rotating kit or his work outside the band?
Let us know and join us in celebrating one of the greatest and most influential drummers heavy music has ever known.
Proudly Welsh. Proudly Loud. Zero Apologies.
