Warrel Dane of NEVERMORE Recording Debut Solo Album

NEVERMORE frontman Warrel Dane is currently recording his debut solo album, which is tentatively due in early 2008. Dane has written about eight tracks with former SOILWORK guitarist-turned-producer Peter Wichers and has also collaborated with ex-HIMSA guitarist Matt Wicklund on a few songs.

Wichers has issued the following update on the project: “I just came back from Baltimore (Wrightway studios) after recording drums together with Dirk Verbeuren [SOILWORK, SCARVE] for Warrel's solo record.

“Now, this record will be friggin' sweet, and I just started laying down some guitars for it a couple of says ago.

“The record will be tracked here in Nashville [where Wichers currently resides after relocating from Los Angeles].”

Dane previously stated about his solo CD: “The recording will start pretty soon, but since I have NEVERMORE shows coming up in August Pete [Peter Wichers] can get this thing going and I'll end up doing vocals on my off time from NEVERMORE shows. Matt's songs are killer as well…I just have to take a step back sometimes and say to myself, 'Fuck, I'm lucky to get to jam with these killer songwriters.”

In a September 2006 interview with Metal-Rules.com, Dane had the following to say about the musicail direction of his solo material: “I've been working on it for like the last year off and on, just writing songs with Peter Wichers, and at some point we'll finish them then go in the studio . . . It doesn't sound like NEVERMORE, and I think, you know, if it did, there wouldn't be much point in doing a side project. If it sounded like NEVERMORE I think it would be a little redundant . . . Of course it's metal! Kind of like metal-infused hard rock, I think. It's different and it's a chance for me to explore myself — explore myself in other ways! [laughs] Well, for me, and for Peter from SOILWORK as well, it was kind of a chance for us both to 'step outside the box,' because people expect a certain thing from both those bands and with this we don't have to fulfill any expectations. We can do whatever we want.”