Sepultura announce split, so does this mean Eloy Casagrande is going to be the new drummer in Slipknot?

Brazilian metal legends Sepultura have confirmed that the band will be bidding farewell after 40 years in 2024 with the announcement of a European tour, adding weight to the rumours that drummer Eloy Casagrande is set to join Slipknot following the abrupt parting of ways with Jay Weinberg in November.

The announcement of Sepultura’s farewell tour (featuring Obituary, Jinjer and Jesus Piece as support) was made via a statement posted to the band's website, where the split was referred to as a "conscious and planned death", while revealing that they will be compiling a live album from the dates.

“Sepultura has reached the end of the road and has chosen to depart via a conscious and planned death. Throughout the next 18 months we will celebrate 40 years of existence together along with our loyal fans on a farewell tour across the entire globe.

"It will be a celebration of the past and the present for one final time. After 4 decades filled with ups and downs, having visited 80 countries and countless different cultures, we’ve had the chance to become Brazil’s messenger to the world and spread our colours and rhythms worldwide. 

"With our latest studio album Quadra, a highlight of our career, we added an unforgettable chapter followed by the SepulQuarta experience that helped us to overcome the difficult times of the pandemic together. We will unite our forces for one final, strong farewell. And all of you can be a part of it.

"During this 40th anniversary tour, we will record 40 live tracks in 40 different cities and release a massive compilation of our best, most energetic moments on stage. We are happy and very grateful for everything we could witness within the past four decades. 

"We have released great albums and played unforgettable shows, cultivated friendships, met our idols, contributed to placing Brazilian metal on the world map, and therefore feel that we can leave the music scene with a sense of duty fulfilled.

"We’ve always had the best fans in the world, who supported us with praise and criticism, who were demanding and intelligent, who grew together with the band and have always been loyal. Without you, none of this would have been possible. This album and this tour are for you. Dear SepulNation - we love you and always will! 

Euthanasia, the right to a dignified death. The right to choose to live free and to choose when you die!?”

Will Eloy Casagrande be the new drummer in Slipknot?

Now, the obvious reaction to this news (at least for drummers) is that Eloy Casagrande — hotly tipped by fans as a replacement for Weinberg — will be without a gig at a very convenient point in time for him to take over in Slipknot. 

However, Sepultura’s announcement says that the band’s “conscious and planned death” is going to stretch over an 18-month period. 

But, this is Slipknot. Not only one of the biggest metal bands on the planet and a huge opportunity for whoever gets the gig, but one whose entire profile has centred around the members’ identities being kept secret for as long as possible. 

So, even if the time-period meant that Casagrande would need to perform double duty, there’s every chance that — assuming his identity was kept under wraps — this wouldn’t cause issues in terms of Slipknot ‘sharing’ a drummer with another band. It’s also worth noting that Slipknot’s band members are no strangers to ‘side projects’ and other bands running alongside the main juggernaut, so potentially this is also a non-issue.

But then there’s the logistics. Going on what we know at the time of writing, Slipknot has three live dates scheduled next April (27, Las Vegas) and May (12 and 19 at Welcome to Rockville and Sonic Temple festivals, respectively). 

Incredibly, none of these dates conflict with Sepultura’s 36 currently-announced global tour dates which begin in March, with a lengthy break between 22 April and the band’s 6 September date (the only one scheduled that month).

So, it’s entirely possible that Eloy Casagrande could be the new drummer in Slipknot. There’s no denying that the Brazilian powerhouse is more than capable (watch the videos above for the proof), and the timings currently line up without conflict. We’ll have to watch this space. 

Tickets for Sepultura's Celebrating Life Through Death European tour go on sale 13 December at 9am GMT. For a full list of dates, and to buy your tickets, click here.