Jay Weinberg of Slipknot Releases Vulnerable New Single 'Drown Fountain' With Softcult

Less than two years after departing Slipknot, Jay Weinberg is carving out an entirely different creative path. Modern Drummer's three-time Metal Drummer of the Year has just released his latest single, 'Drown Fountain,' a hazy, atmospheric track featuring Canadian grunge-gaze duo Softcult. It's the latest team effort in his series of collaborations, led by the human metronome of mayhem. Released earlier today, 'Drown Fountain' is a departure for the drummer, whose trademark aggressive drumming gives way to distortion-heavy, yet ethereal guitar strums and dreamy, yet haunting vocals. The track also marks Weinberg's vocal debut, with the multi-instrumentalist whispering lyrics and blending into twins Phoenix and Mercedes Arn-Horn's ambient harmonies. "'Drown Fountain' is this weird song I started writing back in 2013 that I'd keep revisiting over the years," Weinberg said, via Blabbermouth, "but I could never figure out how to get it across the finish line." After stumbling upon the meditative sound of Softcult, he said the song finally came to fruition. He also admitted that the track is one of the most personal recordings he's ever released. 'It's an honor to work with them on this song,' he said, 'especially because it feels more vulnerable than anything I've created in the past. I've never sung before; I've always had my loud drums to 'protect me' in a way. ... It's all new and exciting territory, and having Mercedes and Phoenix help me bring it to life in this beautiful way has been an artistic dream.' Along with the song, Weinberg released an official lyric visualizer featuring shifting artwork by Paul Romano, known for his work with Mastodon, Trivium, and other metal acts. 'I've been an avid fan of Paul's work ever since I was in an Ozzfest mosh pit seeing this insane painting of Moby Dick (Romano's cover for Mastodon's Leviathan) raised up as a stage banner. Ever since then, I've been enamored with the worlds that he creates for the artists he works with.' 'Drown Fountain' follows Weinberg's other collaborations, including 'Sandstone,' featuring George Clarke of Deafheaven, and 'Drone Operator,' featuring Nowhere2Run, which includes members of Code Orange. Each track, he said, is tied to a color of the rainbow, and a way for him to tap into his roots while also stretching his range with friends in the biz. 'That's pretty much the spirit of this project anyway,' he said, 'not really starting a full-on new band with different groups of friends, where we all have busy creative lives and responsibilities filling our schedules ... but rather a low-pressure, single-song way to make something that's eclectic and exciting, that creates a larger, dynamic picture altogether. I'm so stoked to see where it goes from here.' Beyond his latest collabs, the son of Max Weinberg, legendary longtime drummer for Bruce Springsteen's E Street Band, also performs with Fuming Mouth, whose next album, The Ringing Bell, is set for arrival next week, July 17.