Slipknot Drummer Explains Meaning Behind Hole + Lines in Mask

New Slipknot drummer Eloy Casagrande has taken on a masked look just like his fellow band members and during a recent chat with Modern Drummer he revealed the meanings behind some of his mask’s more prominent features.

For those who have not spotted Casagrande’s look within the band as of yet, the drummer is sporting a white mask with a bullet hole through the center of the forehead, furrowed brow mask wrinkles and black lines emanating from the masks eyes and nose areas providing a contrast against the mask’s white backdrop.

How Did Eloy’s Mask Come About?

While the drummer did have some input into the design of the mask, he revealed to Modern Drummer that founding percussionist Shawn “Clown” Crahan had one request that started the process.

“The mask was something I did with Clown,” the drummer revealed. “The first thing he asked me at the beginning is like, ‘Can we have a white mask for you?’ The first thing to bring back Joey [Jordison]’s memory. Respect his legacy.”

Jordison’s mask, like most of the members in the band, evolved throughout the years, but one constant was the mask being white with varying black markings.

What Other Features Did Casagrande Add?

While the mask is a nod to Slipknot’s past with Jordison, the other features on the mask came from Eloy’s own input.

“I made the suggestion to have, like, these black lines to remember the Brazilian indigenous people. You know, so it brings with me the Brazilian people, the Brazilian culture.”

READ MORE: Jim Root Explains Why Slipknot Hired Eloy Casagrande

Clown came forth with another suggestion. “My expression, my face expression, this was designed by Clown,” the drummer explained. “He was watching me playing without the mask and he said, like, ‘That’s the way you look when you’re playing Slipknot music. So we’re going to put that in your mask.'”

One of the more striking features upon seeing the mask is the bullet hole in the forehead area. It’s not just for shock value, says the drummer, who recalled a very specific incident in his life.

“I came with the idea of the bullet hole. Two years ago, I was robbed in São Paulo,” confirmed the drummer. “I was walking in my neighborhood, it was 9AM, I was going to the gym, and two guys on motorcycles stopped me and they put a gun to my head and they asked me to give them my phone and my backpack. That was something that somehow changed a lot inside me. And he decided to not shoot. So I was lucky.”

Casagrande adds, “It’s also from the philosophy that… gives like the feeling of, you’re going to like me, you’re going to love what I do, you’re going to hate what I do, but I have nothing to lose. I’m already dead. That’s a way of feeling that gives me some kind of freedom when I go on stage. It’s very inspirational as well.”

Casagrande’s full interview can be found in the January 2025 edition of Modern Drummer magazine, currently available for purchase. The Slipknot drummer also graces the cover.

You can see Casagrande, mask and all, pounding away behind the kit for Slipknot with their 2025 touring starting on Feb. 28 in Melbourne, Australia for the first of several Knotfest Australia shows. In June, the band kicks off a European trek, while the band’s only current U.S. performance for 2025 comes July 19 at the Inkcarceration Festival in Mansfield, Ohio. All tour dates and ticketing info can be found through the group’s website.