Slipknot drummer Joey Jordison leaves band

Drummer Joey Jordison has left Slipknot, citing "personal reasons" for his departure from the group.

In a statement addressed to "our maggots and fans around the world", the band's website confirms the 38-year-old's departure. "It is with great pain but quiet respect that for personal reasons Joey Jordison and Slipknot are parting ways. We all wish Joey the best in whatever his future holds. We understand that many of you will want to know how and why this has come to be, and we will do our best to respond to these questions in the near future," the band wrote.

"It is our love for all of you, as well as for the music we create, that spurs us to continue on and move forward with our plans for releasing new material in the next year. We hope that all of you will come to understand this, and we appreciate your continued support while we plan the next phase of the future of Slipknot."

In between touring and writing new material with Slipknot, Jordison has also committed time to his new band Scar the Martyr. The band, consisting of Jed Simon, guitarist Kris Norris, bassist Kyle Konkiel, keyboardist Joey Blush and singer Henry Derek, released their debut self-titled album in October 2013.

Earlier this year, Slipknot suggested that they would be returning with a new album, their first since the death of the band's bassist Paul Gray.

"Slipknot is looming on the horizon," Corey Taylor told ArtistDirect last month. "That's what's next in my mind anyway. I'm writing some demos. [Shawn 'Clown' Crahan, percussion] is putting some things together. Joey is doing Scar the Martyr, but he's a fucking machine. He can write at any time. This band is just loaded with writers. We don't have a definitive start date, which is fine. That's OK for us now. When we're ready to make the album, we will. That's the mindset. Next year we're going to get together and start putting the pieces together."

Slipknot's last album, All Hope Is Gone, was released in 2008.