Singer WARREL DANE Says NEVERMORE 'Is Not Dead', Focuses On SANCTUARY

Reunited '80s cult metal outfit SANCTUARY, which features in its ranks current NEVERMORE frontman Warrel […]

By Elina

• July 4, 2011

Reunited '80s cult metal outfit SANCTUARY, which features in its ranks current NEVERMORE frontman Warrel Dane and bassist Jim Sheppard, is working on material for a new album which it hopes to begin recording later in the year. Dane calls the new SANCTUARY songs "monumental" and claims that guitarist Lenny Rutledge "is writing some amazing thrash [that is] gonna cut your brains in half."

Despite the fact that NEVERMORE guitar player Jeff Loomis and drummer Van Williams announced their departure from the group in April, Warrel insists that "NEVERMORE is not dead" but adds that "SANCTUARY is just the focus now, and oh, holy shit, when you hear [the new material], you will know why."

A "major SANCTUARY announcement" will be made in the next few days, according to Dane.

SANCTUARY played its first U.S. show in more than 20 years on January 21 at El Corazon in Seattle, Washington. Fan-filmed video footage from that concert can be seen below.

In a late 2010 interview with the San Antonio Metal Music Examiner, Dane was asked why he chose to reform SANCTUARY after 20 years, especially with NEVERMORE doing so well. "Well, I said years ago that it would never, ever, ever fucking happen, but that was at a time when we weren't really friendly with each other," he replied. "But we are now. 'Water under the bridge' would be the best way to describe our relationship, and I've heard some of the new material Lenny, the guitar player, has been working on, and it's fucking killer. So I had to re-evaluate the situation. It's kinda weird, because NEVERMORE has been doing so well."