On Friday, December 27, 2024, Jeff Loomis and Van Williams shared a one-minute teaser video featuring various images related to NEVERMORE, as well as the silhouettes of Loomis and Williams accompanied by the message “Resurrecting The Dream.” The video concludes with the NEVERMORE logo, the phrase “A New Chapter Rises” and the year “2025.”
Let us remind you that NEVERMORE disbanded in 2011 when Loomis and Williams announced their departure from the band due to personal differences with vocalist Warrel Dane and bassist Jim Sheppard. In a later interview, Warrel Dane described NEVERMORE as “the greatest band destroyed by alcohol.”
Warrel Dane passed away in December 2017 in São Paulo, Brazil, at the age of 56, during the recording of his (posthumously released) solo album “Shadow Work”. The instrumental parts for the follow-up to his 2008 album “Praises to the War Machine” were nearly completed, and Dane had started recording his vocals shortly before his death. As later revealed, Dane suffered a heart attack during the night and could not be revived. According to guitarist Johnny Moraes, who was part of Dane’s solo band at the time, Dane had a history of alcohol dependency, and his health was already severely compromised due to diabetes.
In a 2019 interview, Jeff Loomis was asked whether there were any plans to revive NEVERMORE without Warrel Dane. Loomis responded:
“One of the reasons NEVERMORE had such a distinct sound was simply due to all the musicians who were part of the band at that time. Van, myself, Warrel, Jim. We had various guitarists over the years—Chris Broderick, Tim Calvert, who sadly passed away. So many great musicians. Steve Smyth, Curran Murphy. All of these people were part of NEVERMORE in the past. Honestly, from my perspective, it’s important to move forward in life. I’d really like to carry the spirit and attitude we had as a band in the music and go forward from there. Because without Warrel, it’s just not feasible, in my opinion. He is tragically absent. He was one of my best friends. Things like this happen, and it’s a very sad situation, but we have the music to remember everything about it.”
Right below, you can watch the video shared by Jeff Loomis and Van Williams, preparing us for the return of NEVERMORE!
