In a single, flooring, gutpunch-to-uppercut combination, drummer Van Williams and guitarist Jeff Loomis announced their departure from Seattle metal titans Nevermore. From a joint statement:
“In a mutual decision Jeff Loomis and Van Williams have decided to leave Nevermore. The time has come to pursue our own paths from the group. Due to internal struggles and ongoing issues within the band, we feel it is our time to move on. We would like to thank all of our fans around the world for their years of love, support and enthusiasm. This was not an easy decision but a very necessary one at this point, may we all meet again someday, somewhere in time.”
I like how the ending makes it sound like they’ve already planned to form an Iron Maiden tribute band in Mos Eisley. But this is serious bomb-droppage, dudes. I began to wonder what was up when both Loomis and Warrel Dane recorded solo albums back in 2008. There is no way Nevermore can continue without them, despite the strengths of their replacements. Could be that Pete Wichers weighed too heavily on The Obsidian Conspiracy? I waited five long years to love that album and it still doesn’t resonate. And Wichers did okay work on Dane’s Praises to the War Machine, but maybe they should’ve gotten the guy who produced not only Loomis’ Zero Order Phase, but Nevermore‘s first three albums and only EP. Or how about Andy Sneap, who both recorded their masterpiece and fixed the album that Kelly Gray decided to record in another room, through a hole in the wall, with a specially-designed-knob-turning-asshole-wand.
Well that’s a creepy path to have headed down. See what you’ve made me do, guys? Anyway, we’re done here. Warrel should simply rejoin Sanctuary with bassist Jim Sheppard, and no one looks back for now. A twenty-year run is respectable and there is no need to force the matter with member replacement. As it is, they have bowed out of all 2011 tour dates—just sayin’.
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