Behind the Beats: An Exclusive Interview with Jordan, Drummer of Atlas At Hold

Hawk-IT Interviews
18 hours ago
18 min read

Welcome to Hawk-IT Interviews

I recently had the opportunity to interview Jordan, drummer of Atlas At Hold, whose passion for music began at an early age through his exposure to rock and metal. From attending live shows as a kid to eventually finding his own place behind the drum kit, Jordan has developed a style built around energy, creativity, and bringing a strong presence to every performance.

During our conversation, Jordan opened up about his childhood, the concerts and musicians that first inspired him, and the experiences that ultimately led him to pursue drumming. We also explored some of his biggest influences behind the kit, how he developed his own identity as a drummer, and the journey that led him to become a member of Atlas At Hold.

Beyond his personal journey, we discussed Jordan’s creative role within the band, including how he approaches writing drum parts, balances technical ability with serving the song, and adapts his playing between the studio and the stage. Jordan also spoke about his drum setup, the physical demands of performing, creating drum playthroughs, and how drumming has become an important creative and emotional outlet in his life.

Jordan also reflected on some of the milestones he has achieved with Atlas At Hold, including sharing stages with artists who have influenced and inspired the band. Looking toward the future, he remains focused on continuing to grow as a drummer, pushing himself creatively, and reaching new milestones alongside his bandmates.

Join us as we go behind the kit with Jordan of Atlas At Hold and learn more about the musician, his influences, his creative process, and the passion that continues to drive his journey forward.

Let's Begin!!

Amit Ahuja: Let’s start at the beginning. What was your childhood and hometown like, and what kind of environment did you grow up in?

Jordan: I grew up in a small town right on the edge of Maryland in part of northern Pennsylvania For most of my life, I spent living there. The environment I grew up in I feel like was a very laid-back outside kind of environment and then my mom started taking me to hard rock and metal concerts as a kid and that just became a thing that we started to do pretty frequently, Aside from that of these, it really spiked my interest into wanting to pick up playing On a drum set with the interest already in mind, I acquired my first kit, and upon sitting on the throne for the first time, it felt very natural and effortless!

Amit Ahuja: Looking back, how did those early experiences and the people around you shape the person and musician you are today?

Jordan: The early experiences was getting to meet some of the artists. I was going to see because back in that time. It was a very regular thing that bands would go to the merch table after they played their set and so that really changed my outlook on things and being able to converse eight back-and-forth with some great people in that early on industry really gave me the confidence to just be myself and if there that I like to do or something that I like to wear to just stick with it no matter what anyone says, and that really helped shape me not only into the musician. I am today but a person as a .

Amit Ahuja: When did music first become something meaningful to you rather than simply something you enjoyed listening to? Was there a particular artist, album, concert, or moment that made you realize you wanted to become a musician yourself?

Jordan: I think honestly it would have to be my first ever show that I attended. I was about seven or eight years old and the first show I attended was ghost, deftones, and avenged sevenfold, Being as young, as I was all of the older people me out with keeping me front and center on the barricade at the Baltimore I believe at that time Avenged Sevenfold was touring their hail to the king and it was a very surreal experience for me because I never got to experience things like that prior and get to experience things like crowd, surfing, and moshing things of that nature it really just clicked with me right away !

Amit Ahuja: Out of every instrument you could have chosen, what initially attracted you to the drums? Do you remember the first time you sat behind a kit and realized this was the instrument you wanted to seriously pursue?

Jordan: So originally one of the first things I tried was guitar specifically electric guitar because it was just very interesting and I thought of it as a challenge now looking back on things it definitely was a challenge trying to learn that, but I got pretty impatient with the learning process of it and wanted to try the drums and as I said in a previous question, the first time I sat behind a kit, it was just so natural like I already knew what I was doing, and it felt very normal for me.

Amit Ahuja: What originally drew you toward rock and metal? Was it primarily the music itself, or did you also connect with the emotion, intensity, culture, atmosphere, and community surrounding those genres?

Jordan: I think all of those things mentioned there are all the reasons that I chose rock and metal. I believe that there is a very strong community behind the genres as I believe that there’s multiple different genres of rock and metal but I feel like the community still remains the same. Everyone is there for each other. They are supportive. They even provide a healthy amount of constructive criticism where necessary Only in which I believe is for growth and to push forward whether it be a frequent concert goer or a musician.

Amit Ahuja: Who was the first drummer who really made you pay attention to what was happening behind the kit? Was there a particular song, album, or live performance that made you think, “That’s what I want to do”?

Jordan: So the first drummer that ultimately drew my attention to fully lock in with playing the drums, I can undoubtably say is Aaron Gillespie of Underoath, The reason I would say him out of everyone else was because I used to watch his lesson videos and live performances on YouTube and the first ever song. I to by his band discovering it was “it’s dangerous walking out your front door”, upon watching his live performances, I really took in the essence of raw energy and raw emotion, and the overall concept of pouring your heart into something you’re passionate about and I really just got that energy from every single Fill In beat that he played and it really just influenced me incredibly!

Amit Ahuja: Who are some of the male or female drummers who have had the biggest influence on your playing over the years? What is it about their groove, technique, creativity, dynamics, stage presence, or overall style that has influenced the drummer you’ve become?

Jordan: Ultimately, I would say, Rook, the drummer of Machine Gun Kelly and of really influenced my playing over the years with different techniques, such as Aaron hits the kit very hard, and I have adapted to that playing style, as well as taking influence of as well watching him do all kinds of crazy stick tricks and tossing the stick catching it and staying on beat was just incredible to watch and in the midst of all of that I really just started telling myself that I wanna be able to do that I wanna do that because that’s awesome .

Amit Ahuja: Outside of rock and metal, are there other genres or styles of music that have influenced the way you play drums? Have you picked up certain grooves, techniques, rhythms, or approaches from genres people might not expect, and do any of those influences find their way into your drumming with Atlasathold?

Jordan: I definitely would say that there is a genre that people might not quite expect and that is of gospel in ghost notes and keeping the beat very tight is something that has always stuck around with me on top of all the other things and it really helped shape the way that I perform as well with the very big posture and keeping the energy high has just always worked great for me and throwing in ghost notes and complex fills has always been a challenge for me, but I enjoyed that because it made me push harder for what I wanted and the way I wanted to sound and be original in that sense !

Amit Ahuja: When you’re starting out as a musician, it’s natural to imitate the people you admire. At what point did you begin developing your own identity behind the kit, and what would you consider the defining characteristics of your drumming style today?

Jordan: I think ultimately upon joining Atlas At Hold I started to finally form my own identity for my because ultimately that is considered my first actual band that I’ve played in and I’ve been with them all, but I think a month off of the beginning because when I started, they had an EP written, but as far as the defining characteristics to me, I think I bring my own presence to the stage as where when I’m doing a show, I don’t feel as if I’m just playing another show. I’m putting on a show back behind the kit all by myself every single night that we play and I want to bring my own energy to the crowd from back I engage the crowd frequently, and as I said prior, I do stick tricks I stick my tongue out at people I pose for I in the crowd, etc. all of these things I me as a and really just make what I and worth

Amit Ahuja: Before joining Atlasathold, what was your experience as a drummer like? Were you the drummer for any other bands or musical projects, and if so, what kind of music were you playing? How did those experiences develop your skills behind the kit and prepare you for where you are today?

Jordan: Before joining Atlas At Hold, my experience as a drummer was very different for me to start out because I thought I would start out playing for my own project, but I spent most of the years prior to joining Atlas At Hold doing fillings and tech gigs to just get the experience in the connections I felt would benefit me in the future so all in all I think I spent a lot of of that prior time, making connections and networking and doing a lot of behind-the-scenes work to try to be somewhat of a multi talented individual that can be capable of doing many things as far as the music industry goes .

Amit Ahuja: Do you remember the very first show you ever played as a drummer? What was going through your head before you got behind the kit, and when you look back at that performance with the experience you have now, what stands out to you the most?

Jordan: The first ever show that I played as a drummer was with a punk rock band out of Frederick, Maryland, and there were a lot of things going through my head before getting behind I was very nervous. I had some fear of messing up and how I was gonna get out of it and I’d say that things are pretty regular for the first time hitting the stage, but I believe it was 10 times worse for me because my nerves and fear killed me the most so looking back on that performance from where I’m at now would just say that I needed more confidence back then, but it was the first time so I hadn’t really had that built up yet .

Amit Ahuja: How did the opportunity to join Atlasathold come about? What do you remember about meeting or playing with the band for the first time, and was there a particular moment when you realized there was genuine musical chemistry between you?

Jordan: The opportunity to join Atlas At Hold was a very different experience for me. I was really good friends with a studio and in the midst of just trying to practice and better my craft and and Fill In that producer had reached out to me one day and told me that he was working with a group of guys and he that he believes there’s lots of potential and that the music is good. He then after that tells me that they’re looking because the one they had prior that was supposed to start that up with them bailed out on them so him telling me that he then asked would you be willing to at least meet up with them hang out chat a little bit and maybe have a little jam session and sure, With that in mind, he then gave me the contact of one of the guys as they were already starting to check out my stuff on socials, etc. The first thing I remember about meeting, the guys was just an overall laid-back environment. The second I walked into the room.

Everyone was so welcoming. They were excited they were passion driven, and they seemed like they had the vision to go far so that was ultimately the first green flag for me and then upon actually getting to jam with the guys and hang out and chat the chemistry was there right off the bat. I really do believe that this opportunity came across me for a reason because I was looking for a project to take to the next level and be a project that I could claim as my own band the only word I could still use this day to explain the chemistry in the room. The first time we all got together it was just electric everyone was locked in. They were in The present and everyone just seemed to know their role super well.

Amit Ahuja: Once you officially joined Atlasathold, what was it like finding your own place within the band? Did you have to adjust certain aspects of your playing to fit the band’s sound, and how has being part of Atlasathold challenged or changed you as a drummer?

Jordan: I wouldn’t say much has changed other then the fact of me not having to consistently play other people‘s drum parts I actually was able to have a say and find things that were comfortable with my playing and that adapt to my playing style within the writing process overall.

Amit Ahuja: Someone who doesn’t play drums might think the job is simply hitting the drums and keeping time, but there’s obviously much more happening musically. When you’re developing your part for an Atlasathold song, what are you actually listening for and thinking about—from groove and dynamics to how you complement the guitars, bass, vocals, and overall emotion of the song?

Jordan: I believe there are lots of factors that come in to play when developing a drum part for an Atlas At Hold song Honestly, it could be from the tempo I’m playing playing many fills I put in the song and what style of a fill I decide to go with, other things might include accenting notes on specific pieces of the kit, adding pauses into the groove there’s many things that come in to play when writing for sure.

Amit Ahuja: When Atlasathold begins writing a new song, how do you typically build your drum parts? Has there ever been a song that changed significantly once you added the drums—maybe because of a groove, fill, transition, or rhythmic idea you introduced that took the song in a different direction?

Jordan: I would say when writing a new song building the parts is ultimately off of the flow that the singers decide to go with, and the main riff itself from the guitarists really helps me hone in on the idea that I direction that I take my drumming to put some thought into it. There was definitely one song that we made where adding pauses into a breakdown and really changed different parts of the song in whole. And made the song better I believe, and that song would be a immortalized.

Amit Ahuja: Is there one Atlasathold song that you feel best represents who you are as a drummer? What about the groove, fills, dynamics, technical elements, or overall feel of that drum part makes it a good representation of your individual style?

Jordan: There is one Atlas At Hold song that very much best represents me as a drummer and that would be our song deadweight part two it’s very technical, but it also has an overall groove that just keeps a very up pace song and I feel like when we play that song it just drives itself. The technical elements would primarily be in the fills and the breakdown section, but it really shows my style off a lot.

Amit Ahuja: As a drummer, how do you balance technical ability with serving the song? Have you learned over time that sometimes pulling back and playing something relatively simple can have a greater impact than trying to make every section as technically impressive as possible?

Jordan: Absolutely I think playing something relatively simple, and that still keeps the temple of the song moving forward, but also adding in small of technical elements has always been my sweet spot with my drumming because I’m not doing too much of one thing I’m giving it a very good even and that has always been beneficial to live performance with stamina and with the overall sounds just being full bodied.

Amit Ahuja: Of all the Atlasathold songs you currently perform, which one is the most challenging for you behind the kit and why? Is it the speed, endurance, timing, coordination, technical complexity, or something else that makes that particular song difficult to play?

Jordan: We do have one song that is relatively difficult for me to play and that song is “my last breath”, Off of our debut album “when oceans rise”, And also released as a single this song changes, tempo multiple times and challenges, my abilities with hand to hand, coordination and speed within all Which for me takes practice just keeping time on one limb, by itself and then adding them all together.

Amit Ahuja: How different is your mindset when recording drums in the studio compared with performing live? Once a song reaches the stage, do you stay faithful to the recorded version, or do you give yourself freedom to change fills, improvise, and react to the energy of the audience and the rest of the band?

Jordan: I feel as if studio, drumming, and live performance differs for and it does go along the lines of what you’re saying on playing different things live in the I go by the method of what I like to call playing it safe in as far as keeping the relatively but also complex enough to embody the sound of the band as a Whole but still keeps the track within a good range to play on the radio every time now where that changes coming into a live performance setting, I do like to change up fills and what symbols I play on and how I perform the song as a whole live.

Amit Ahuja: Rock and metal drumming can be incredibly physical. How do you maintain your endurance and take care of yourself while continuing to improve technically? Are there particular warm-ups, exercises, practice routines, or techniques that have become essential to keeping yourself consistent behind the kit?

Jordan: I do a lot of the standard warm-up techniques to get ready for a such as parasites and other modern normal exercises and routines, these exercises and routines very much help the endurance for me during performance and also when building a set, we apply enough in between songs water and take a breath before jumping into the next one as well, which helps with endurance and stamina.

Amit Ahuja: Drummers can be incredibly particular about their equipment because every part of the kit can affect how they play and sound. What does your current drum setup look like, and which pieces of gear are essential to your sound? And if you could build your absolute dream kit with no budget or equipment limitations, what would that setup look like?

Jordan: My current set up is a 22 x 18 kick 14 x 16 floor 10 x 12 rack and a 14 x 6 ½ snare drum the cymbals that I currently run in my set up is 14 inch high hats, a 16 inch crash on the far left a 10 inch splash and 18 inch crash on the front left on the front right a 19 inch crash a 20 inch ride cymbal and a 16 inch of these things that listed are essential for my and I play every single piece of the kit during every set and every practice I have found comfort and peace with way that I have adapted my playing style to the way I set my kit up as well The shells are DW drum company and the cymbals are all Zildjian company, I would say that it wouldn’t be necessary to build my dream kit because what my dream kit entails is what I’ve already built over the course of about five or six years

Amit Ahuja: Outside of being a drummer and creating music, what are some of your favorite hobbies and interests? When you have time away from Atlasathold, rehearsals, shows, and drumming, what do you enjoy doing to relax and recharge? Are there any hobbies or interests you have that fans might be surprised to learn about?

Jordan: Some of the things that I like to do to relax and recharge is playing some video games, relaxing, and watching a movie with my and all in all I’m a very family oriented kind of guy so I very much enjoy spending time with my fiancé and my little it brings peace and light to my time I get to do it and it is very essential to me constantly having a good headspace for the

Amit Ahuja: You also create drumming-related content, particularly drum playthroughs. What inspired you to start making that type of content, and out of all the songs you’ve done a drum playthrough for, which one has been the hardest to perform and why? Was it the speed, timing, endurance, technical complexity, or something else that really pushed your abilities?

Jordan: I do create content, and I believe that Drum always been the best form of content for me because it’s a little bit of a break away from original for my fans and they get to see my abilities in adapting to other genres, and softer, and I really enjoy putting those types of content out for my viewers now as far a song that has been the hardest for me to play, I would undoubtably have to say it was false Meridian by invent animate.

Amit Ahuja: There’s often a very real connection between creativity and mental health, especially within emotionally intense genres like rock and metal. Throughout your journey with Atlasathold, how have you learned to navigate that balance and protect your well-being? Has drumming become an emotional outlet for you, and has your relationship with creativity and mental health changed over the years?

Jordan: I think my relationship with creativity and mental health has not quite changed but evolved into something really I would say drumming has always been an emotional outlet for me. Yes because when I am sitting behind kit, I feel very powerful. I feel like every hit is like a coming down and it’s just a very surreal feeling all around especially playing live shows in a personal sense playing live really helps me with my personal mental health as well keeping it at if you will challenging my brain while at the same time giving me a bit of an adrenaline rush, which really just empowers me and embodies me.

Amit Ahuja: When you look back on your journey so far, what are some of the goals or milestones you’re most proud to have achieved, both personally and with Atlasathold? Are there accomplishments that once felt out of reach but became especially meaningful when you finally achieved them? Looking ahead, what goals are you still determined to accomplish as a drummer, musician, and member of Atlasathold?

Jordan: Some of the milestones that I’m very grateful and appreciative to have achieved so far with the band is playing some of the best shows that we ever have with some of our inspirations and playing shows with some of our inspirations such as the word alive, saliva, earshot, Melrose Avenue, king 810, ded, dropout kings, Vrsty, eyes set to kill, It has been such a great journey, and we are looking forward to accomplishing many great goals and striving to achieve more great shows with an assortment of great bands that have influenced us, and as of recently pursuing some music with features on them as well.

Amit Ahuja: For someone who is just getting into drumming and might be picking up a pair of sticks for the first time, what advice would you give them? What should a beginner focus on when it comes to technique, practice, patience, and developing their own style, and what do you wish someone had told you when you were first learning to play?

Jordan: I would say for somebody just starting out I would highly recommend finding your style and being true to yourself. Make sure whatever you’re doing with. It is something that you enjoy something that can help you as an outlet can help your message reach many and I would also to be very patient when a style that sits good with you. It is not expected that it’s always going to come right away, but only with time and if patient enough, I believe that you can do anything that you set your mind as far as what I wish someone had told me when beginning to play is for me to be more patient with things as well and not try to rush things and make them move so fast .

Amit Ahuja: Finally, every artist’s journey is filled with lessons learned along the way. If you could sit down with the younger version of yourself who was just beginning to dream about becoming the artist you are today, what advice would you tell him about creativity, success, perseverance, and staying true to yourself? And for anyone reading this who’s chasing their own creative dreams, struggling to find their voice, or feeling misunderstood, what message would you like to leave them with?

Jordan: There is very many lessons to be learned going down a path in a career like this. It doesn’t matter what path you’re on, but whichever one it might be is always going to lead to something great if you make it great your story doesn’t tell itself without you being the driving force behind it. If I had to tell my younger self one thing from the position, I’m in now, it would just be be more patient and keep consistent confidence in yourself knowing that you will get there one day it doesn’t matter what day it is, but it will be one day.

As for anyone who is chasing a dream or interested in pursuing a musical career or even for someone that just uses music as an outlet I would sayIf you’re struggling to find your voice, take a step back reflect on where you are in your life in your other hobbies and then circle back around to this topic with yourself and let your voice find you if you allow yourself to be heard you will be, but just always remain confident push through the struggle along the way because the outcome that is to come for you on the other side is so much bigger than the hardships along the way.

Amit Ahuja: That concludes our interview with Jordan, drummer of Atlas At Hold. A huge thank you to Jordan for taking the time to speak with Hawk-IT Interviews and share his journey, influences, and passion for drumming.

Be sure to follow Jordan and Atlas At Hold for new music, upcoming shows, and more.

Thank you for reading and stay tuned to Hawk-IT Interviews for more conversations with the artists behind the music.