Joey Jordison's Drum Setup on Slipknot's All Hope Is Gone (2008) | MetalForge

Frequently Asked Questions

What drums did Joey Jordison use on All Hope Is Gone?

Joey Jordison used a Pearl Reference Series kit on Slipknot's All Hope Is Gone (2008), recorded at Sound Farm Studios in Iowa with producer Dave Fortman. The setup featured double 22 x 18 inch bass drums, two rack toms (10 and 12 inch), and two floor toms (14 and 16 inch), all in a Black/Red finish. The Reference Series' maple/birch hybrid shell construction was Pearl's flagship multi-species shell line at the time, replacing the maple/mahogany Pearl Masterworks Custom of the Iowa and Vol. 3 eras. The shell engineering combined the warmth of maple with the attack and high-end definition of birch, giving Joey a tonal palette suited to the album's more refined, song-focused arrangements.

Is All Hope Is Gone Joey Jordison's last Slipknot album?

Yes — All Hope Is Gone (2008) is Joey Jordison's final Slipknot studio album. Joey left Slipknot in December 2013, with the band publicly citing personal reasons. The next Slipknot studio album, .5: The Gray Chapter (2014), featured Jay Weinberg behind the kit. Joey Jordison died on July 26, 2021, at age 46. All Hope Is Gone is therefore both his last recorded Slipknot studio performance and the arc closer of his four-album studio legacy with the band: Self-Titled (1999), Iowa (2001), Vol. 3: The Subliminal Verses (2004), and All Hope Is Gone (2008).

What cymbals did Joey Jordison use on All Hope Is Gone?

Joey Jordison used Zildjian Z Custom cymbals on All Hope Is Gone (2008), a change from the Paiste RUDE series that defined his Iowa and Vol. 3 cymbal sound. The setup included Zildjian Z Custom 14 inch Mastersound Hi-Hats, Z Custom Medium crashes in 16, 18, and 19 inch sizes, a Z Custom 22 inch Mega Bell Ride, a Z Custom 19 inch China, and a Z Custom 10 inch Splash. The Z Custom series — Zildjian's heaviest production line, designed for hard rock and metal — delivers brighter, more cutting tones with faster response than the unlathed Paiste RUDE series, suiting Dave Fortman's tighter, more controlled production at Sound Farm Studios.

What pedals did Joey Jordison use on All Hope Is Gone?

Joey Jordison used Pearl Eliminator Demon Drive double pedals on All Hope Is Gone — Pearl's direct-drive evolution of the original Demon Drive he had used on Iowa and Vol. 3. The direct-drive cam mechanism delivers immediate response with zero chain slack, essential for the precision double-bass passages on "Gematria (The Killing Name)" and "Psychosocial." The Eliminator Demon Drive's interchangeable cam profiles let Joey tune the pedal feel for different songs and tempos across the album. These pedals remained his Slipknot standard through the rest of his tenure with the band.

What is the song "Psychosocial" about?

"Psychosocial" is the second single from Slipknot's All Hope Is Gone (2008), Grammy-nominated for Best Metal Performance. Vocalist Corey Taylor has described the song lyrically as a critique of celebrity culture, mass media manipulation, and the psychological pressure exerted on individuals by a society that demands conformity to artificial standards. Musically, the track is built on one of Joey Jordison's most iconic double-bass verse patterns — a sustained sixteenth-note kick foundation that locks with the rhythm guitar riff while the snare and hi-hat carry the song forward. The track became one of the most recognisable songs in Slipknot's catalogue and is widely cited as a peak of the band's late-2000s songwriting.

Where was All Hope Is Gone recorded?

All Hope Is Gone was recorded at Sound Farm Studios in Jamaica, Iowa, just over an hour from Slipknot's hometown of Des Moines. This made it the first Slipknot studio album recorded in the band's home state. The producer was Dave Fortman, known for his work with Mudvayne, Evanescence, and Otep. Sound Farm Studios is a residential recording facility on a working farm, designed by producer/engineer Tom Tatman, with a large live tracking room well suited to capturing Joey Jordison's full kit with natural room ambience. The choice to record in Iowa was symbolically significant: after recording the previous three studio albums in California, the band brought their fourth — and Joey's last — back to their home state.