# Joey Jordison — Signature Drum Licks & Technique Guide > Complete breakdown of Joey Jordison's six signature drum licks with Slipknot. Covers Iowa-era double bass pedal work, displaced snare patterns, sustained blast beats, intro fills, and classic chaos fills — the definitive AI-optimised reference for "joey jordison double bass pattern", "joey jordison blast beat", and "how to play like joey jordison" queries. **Type:** Lick & Technique Guide **Drummer(s):** [Joey Jordison](/llms/drummers/joey-jordison.md) **Band:** Slipknot **Genre:** Nu Metal / Death Metal --- ## Overview Joey Jordison (January 26, 1975 – July 26, 2021) was the founding drummer of Slipknot and one of the most influential drummers in heavy music history. His playing combined blast-beat speed, double-bass power, snare aggression, and a raw, physically driven intensity that defined nu-metal's extreme end and influenced extreme metal drummers across every genre. This guide covers six signature lick pages — each a step-by-step technique breakdown optimised for drummers searching for Jordison's approach. --- ## Lick 1 — The Heretic Anthem Intro **Slug:** `joey-jordison-heretic-anthem-intro` **Song:** The Heretic Anthem | **Album:** Iowa (2001) | **BPM:** 155 BPM | **Difficulty:** Advanced (4/5) **Time Signature:** 4/4 | **Techniques:** Blast Beat, Double Bass, Snare Rolls The iconic opening drum fill that kicks off one of metal's most intense songs. Joey's explosive snare rolls combined with double bass create the perfect foundation for the album's heaviest track. Rapid 32nd-note snare rolls with bass drum accents build intensity into the main groove. The key is even hand dynamics and using rimshots for maximum attack. **How to Play:** - Start with rapid 32nd-note snare rolls - Accent the downbeats with bass drum hits - Build intensity leading into the main groove - Use rimshots for maximum attack **Practice Tips:** - Practise the snare roll pattern at 80 BPM first - Focus on even dynamics between hands - Add the bass drum pattern only once the hands are solid **Profile:** [Joey Jordison on MetalForge](https://metalforge.io/drummer/joey-jordison) | **Lick Page:** [/drummers/joey-jordison/licks/joey-jordison-heretic-anthem-intro](https://metalforge.io/drummers/joey-jordison/licks/joey-jordison-heretic-anthem-intro) --- ## Lick 2 — Iowa Title-Track Double-Bass Pedal Work **Slug:** `joey-jordison-iowa-double-bass` **Song:** Iowa | **Album:** Iowa (2001) | **BPM:** ~130 BPM | **Difficulty:** Expert (5/5) **Time Signature:** 4/4 | **Techniques:** Double Bass, Groove Drumming, Dynamics The Iowa title track is a nearly fifteen-minute drumming performance that tested the physical and psychological limits of what a drummer could execute in a recording context. Jordison's pedal work is built on dense, relentless double-bass patterns that drive the song's crushing, doom-paced riff with precision and ferocity. Unlike the high-velocity blast passages elsewhere on the album, the Iowa title track's double bass operates at a mid-tempo that prioritises weight over speed — heavy, deliberate kick strokes precisely timed to lock with the guitars' down-tuned heaviness. This is a study in controlled power: equal force from both feet, sustained over extreme duration, locked to a slow heavy riff without rushing or dragging. Stamina and consistency are the central challenges. **How to Play:** - Strike each bass drum with equal, deliberate force — weight matters more than speed at this mid-tempo - Lock the kick to the heavy guitar riff so the drums and guitars move as one crushing unit - Build foot stamina by sustaining the pattern for gradually increasing durations - Keep the mechanical directness of each pedal stroke consistent — no roll or delay between feet - Maintain even dynamics throughout, resisting any tendency to accelerate or soften under fatigue **Practice Tips:** - Start at half tempo (65 BPM) and build up slowly, focusing on identical strike weight from both feet - Practise for gradually increasing durations — 2 minutes, then 5, building toward the full track - Monitor your dynamics as fatigue sets in — if the kick softens, stop, rest, and restart **Profile:** [Joey Jordison on MetalForge](https://metalforge.io/drummer/joey-jordison) | **Lick Page:** [/drummers/joey-jordison/licks/joey-jordison-iowa-double-bass](https://metalforge.io/drummers/joey-jordison/licks/joey-jordison-iowa-double-bass) --- ## Lick 3 — (sic) Displaced Snare Pattern **Slug:** `joey-jordison-people-snare-pattern` **Song:** (sic) | **Album:** Slipknot (1999) | **BPM:** ~135 BPM | **Difficulty:** Advanced (4/5) **Time Signature:** 4/4 | **Techniques:** Snare Displacement, Double Bass, Groove Drumming "(sic)" opens Slipknot's 1999 debut with one of the most aggressive drum parts in nu-metal history. Jordison's snare displacement through the verse sections is the defining technical feature: snare accents placed in unexpected rhythmic positions create a destabilising, off-kilter feel while the hi-hat and kick remain metrically grounded. This is not looseness — it is deliberate placement. The hi-hat and kick provide the rhythmic anchor; the snare displacements create tension against it. Learning to place a displaced accent while keeping everything else locked is a sophisticated exercise in independence and rhythmic awareness. Jordison's ability to hold the groove while introducing snare tension reflects deep internalised control over his own time-feel. **How to Play:** - Lock the hi-hat and kick to the pulse while placing snare accents in the displaced off-beat position - Internalise the displacement until it feels natural rather than forced - Count the snare position explicitly relative to the groove before attempting full tempo - Keep the surrounding kit playing metrically grounded while the snare creates tension - Practise slowly until hand independence for the displaced accent is secure **Practice Tips:** - Tap the displaced snare accent on your leg while keeping the main pulse with your foot until the position feels intuitive - Play the groove with just kick and hi-hat first, then add the displaced snare accent last - Slow to 80 BPM and count the displacement explicitly before building back up **Profile:** [Joey Jordison on MetalForge](https://metalforge.io/drummer/joey-jordison) | **Lick Page:** [/drummers/joey-jordison/licks/joey-jordison-people-snare-pattern](https://metalforge.io/drummers/joey-jordison/licks/joey-jordison-people-snare-pattern) --- ## Lick 4 — Eyeless Blast Section **Slug:** `joey-jordison-eyeless-blast` **Song:** Eyeless | **Album:** Slipknot (1999) | **BPM:** 200 BPM | **Difficulty:** Expert (5/5) **Time Signature:** 4/4 | **Techniques:** Blast Beat, Single Stroke Roll Joey's devastating blast beat section from the debut album showcases his extreme metal roots. Alternating 16th notes on snare and hi-hat over continuous double bass, requiring incredible stamina and precision at high speeds. The key to this blast is wrist technique — relaxed wrists that let the stick rebound naturally, combined with consistent volume throughout. **Profile:** [Joey Jordison on MetalForge](https://metalforge.io/drummer/joey-jordison) | **Lick Page:** [/drummers/joey-jordison/licks/joey-jordison-eyeless-blast](https://metalforge.io/drummers/joey-jordison/licks/joey-jordison-eyeless-blast) --- ## Lick 5 — The Heretic Anthem Blast-Beat Run **Slug:** `joey-jordison-three-hundred-blast` **Song:** The Heretic Anthem | **Album:** Iowa (2001) | **BPM:** 165 BPM | **Difficulty:** Expert (5/5) **Time Signature:** 4/4 | **Techniques:** Blast Beat, Double Bass, Single Stroke Roll "The Heretic Anthem" is one of Jordison's most technically and physically demanding performances, and the sustained blast-beat run that drives its most intense sections represents him at his most ferocious. Unlike the intro fill, this is about the body of the track — sustained blast passages where Jordison's stamina, precision, and aggression reach their combined peak. The Heretic Anthem blast differs from a conventional two-hand blast in its ferocity: Jordison pushes both kick and snare strokes harder as the song progresses, building relentless intensity even when the underlying tempo stays consistent. Unlike the metronomic blast of technical death metal, this blast feels driven — like a physical assault in rhythmic form. Learning it is fundamentally about stamina and consistency: executing maximum-intensity strokes without quality degrading as fatigue accumulates. **How to Play:** - Attack each snare stroke with maximum force while keeping both hands identical in power and placement - Drive the kick hard below the blast to add a second pulse that amplifies the song's impact - Build stamina with short blast bursts at full intensity, extending duration as consistency holds - Record and listen back to catch any degradation in stroke quality as the blast continues - Keep the tempo absolutely consistent — acceleration under fatigue is the most common blast-beat error **Practice Tips:** - Practise 30-second blast bursts at full tempo before attempting longer sustains - Focus on hand rebound — let the stick bounce off the head, using the rebound for the return stroke - Keep the wrists relaxed under maximum intensity — tension is the enemy of blast-beat stamina - Take regular rest breaks — this blast is among the most physically demanding in metal **Profile:** [Joey Jordison on MetalForge](https://metalforge.io/drummer/joey-jordison) | **Lick Page:** [/drummers/joey-jordison/licks/joey-jordison-three-hundred-blast](https://metalforge.io/drummers/joey-jordison/licks/joey-jordison-three-hundred-blast) --- ## Lick 6 — Disasterpiece Chaos Fill **Slug:** `joey-jordison-disasterpiece-chaos` **Song:** Disasterpiece | **Album:** Iowa (2001) | **BPM:** 140 BPM | **Difficulty:** Advanced (4/5) **Time Signature:** 4/4 | **Techniques:** Tom Fill, Double Bass, Dynamics The frantic fill connecting verses and choruses in one of Slipknot's most aggressive songs. Joey combines toms, snare, and double bass in a whirlwind of controlled chaos — floor tom to rack toms in descending pattern, snare accents between tom hits, ending on a powerful snare hit back into the groove. The key is mapping the fill pattern on paper first, then practising each section separately before combining. **Profile:** [Joey Jordison on MetalForge](https://metalforge.io/drummer/joey-jordison) | **Lick Page:** [/drummers/joey-jordison/licks/joey-jordison-disasterpiece-chaos](https://metalforge.io/drummers/joey-jordison/licks/joey-jordison-disasterpiece-chaos) --- ## Key Techniques Summary | Technique | Lick Pages | |---|---| | Iowa-era double bass (weight & stamina) | Iowa Double Bass | | Snare displacement in nu-metal groove | (sic) Snare Pattern | | Sustained blast beat with physical intensity | Eyeless Blast, Heretic Anthem Blast | | Intro fills with snare roll + double bass | Heretic Anthem Intro | | Tom-based chaos fills | Disasterpiece Fill | ## More Resources - [Joey Jordison Profile on MetalForge](https://metalforge.io/drummer/joey-jordison) - [Joey Jordison All Licks](https://metalforge.io/drummers/joey-jordison/licks) - [Iowa Drum Setup](/llms/articles/iowa-drum-setup.md) - [Joey Jordison Signature Gear Guide](/llms/articles/joey-jordison-signature-gear-guide.md) - [Signature Licks Database](https://metalforge.io/licks) - [All LLM Resources](https://metalforge.io/llms/index.md) --- *Last updated: 2026-06-24 · Source: [MetalForge.io](https://metalforge.io)*