Slipknot: Drummer Jay Weinberg leaves heavy metal group

Slipknot will be marching to the beat of a different drummer

Getty Images Jay Weinberg of Slipknot performs on stage in Finland. He is wearing a skull mask covering his face, with an orange tshirt which has a black collar. He has a wooden drum stick in his left hand, with the the drums he is playing are being shiny. He is looking out past the camera with the background black. — Slipknot will be marching to the beat of a different drummer

Heavy metal band Slipknot have announced that their drummer Jay Weinberg has left.

A statement on the US group's website states that it was a "creative decision" for them to "part ways".

The 33-year-old joined the band in 2014 after the departure of original drummer and #1 member Joey Jordison.

Slipknot thanked Jay for "his dedication and passion" over the past 10 years but said they were "intent on evolving".

The band shot to fame after their formation in 1995, thanks to their aggressive style and the horror masks they wear when performing.

Their self-titled debut album, released in 1999, was a smash hit and they've gone on to sell millions of albums since and won a Grammy award.

They remain popular with metal fans and were seen performing at Download festival in Leicestershire earlier this year.

According to Spotify, Slipknot get 12 million monthly listeners, with their most-streamed track having nearly 600 million plays.

Slipknot shot to fame thanks to their aggressive style and the horror masks they wear when performing

Getty Images Eight members of Slipknot, wearing a mix of dark skull masks and white horror style masks, all while looking at the camera. — Slipknot shot to fame thanks to their aggressive style and the horror masks they wear when performing

Fans have been reacting to the news on social media, with metalhead Harvey Milner telling BBC Newsbeat he's "very shocked".

"He is by far one of the greatest drummers to still be performing, his adaptability is perfect," the 21-year-old from Manchester says.

Original drummer Joey Jordison, who died at the age of 46 in 2021 eight years after leaving Slipknot, helped to create its signature sound.

The band, which had nine members, has changed line-ups a number of times since it was founded, including keyboardist Craig Jones earlier this year.

There has also been speculation the split with Jay was not a mutual decision, and Harvey feels people are "losing a lot of faith in the band".

He adds the departures show that "Slipknot's internal structure is just collapsing".

But Harvey remains hopeful for the future of Slipknot, because of the "great sense of community" behind them and that they've managed "to persist" through past struggles.

As the frontman of his own heavy metal band, Harvey has been inspired by the "willpower" of Slipknot and its enduring image that goes beyond music - reaching costumes, masks and set design.

"I think that's what really does it for me as a Slipknot fan, it's more than just the music, it's a lifestyle," he says.

Newsbeat has contacted Jay Weinberg for further comment but not yet heard back.