VAN WILLIAMS On NEVERMORE's Return To Live Stage: 'It's Been Nothing But Goosebumps Every Day'

In an interview with Jorge Botas of Portugal's Metal Global, guitarist Jeff Loomis and drummer Van Williams spoke about the new lineup of NEVERMORE, which made its live debut on April 1, 2026 at IF Performance Hall Beşiktaş in Istanbul, Turkey. Joining Loomis and Williams in NEVERMORE's current incarnation are the band's latest additions, Jack Cattoi on guitar, Semir Özerkan on bass, and new vocalist Berzan Önen. Regarding what it was like to return to the live stage after 15 years, Van said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "Dude, it was awesome. I mean, it really was. I can't explain it. 'Cause just to find the guys, the right dudes to be with us to do this, we knew that they had to be special, but also just really fit with us. And they totally do. From the first day we got together in Sweden with them to jam, it was amazing. Right out the gate, I think we played, like, 20-something songs, 24 songs, right away, all the way through. So it was pretty cool. So to be on stage and playing again with my buddy over here, man, it's just been nothing but goosebumps every day. And we wake up on the bus laughing. Everyone's having a good time. The crew's cool. So it's been a really awesome time so far."

Asked if they were skeptical about bringing NEVERMORE back, considering that the new lineup of the band wouldn't include singer Warrel Dane, who died in 2017, Jeff said: "Not really. I mean, of course there's gonna be some skepticism there for many, many reasons. Obviously, it's a large pair of shoes to fill. Warrel's not the easiest singer to replicate. But at the same time, once Van and I decided to do it and put the band back together, it was nothing but onwards and upwards kind of thing. You have to kind of have that mentality to do something like this. It's a little bit scary, but I think that's why we spent a lot of extra time during the audition process to really hone in on the people that sent in the videos and the songs and stuff like that. We got to spend almost two, three months looking at all these and examining them. And with taking that time and really focusing on that, I think it made for the right choices for the band to choose the perfect people that we needed for this. And it's one of those things where I don't wanna say we got lucky; it's just we're very fortunate that we have gentlemen like this to make this band work. And it's not the easiest thing. It's fantastic. Berzan has his own identity, but he's still able to really sing like Warrel in a way. So you can really sit back and close your eyes at a live show and feel that. That's a really cool thing. But we also want him to put his own interpretation on things as well. We want him to be his own person. Same goes for the other guys. Semir — killer bass player who's really locked in with Van, to even make the band sound tighter. Just a killer bass player, a good presence on stage and a very, very nice guy. And Jack, who's an amazing guitar player. He's the quiet one in the band. He doesn't talk much, but he's like the sweetest guy. And Berzan is just laughing every morning, making sure the day is gonna be perfect. So it's a beautiful thing, man, to find these three individual guys to make this whole band work as it does now. So we're very fortunate. There was a bit of skepticism there, but I think now that we've had the opportunity to be with one another and play all these live shows together, it makes us feel more confident now to move on to the next chapter of what we need to do."

Asked if it surprised them to see how many people wanted to be in the new lineup of NEVERMORE, Van said: "Yeah, it surprised me, for sure. I didn't realize there was that many people that knew the lyrics or could even pull it off as well as Warrel could. And there was a few people that were pretty good at it. But with Berzan taking it, you could really just hear it in him that he listened to this all his life. So he didn't need lyrics. He wasn't trying to force how to sing the next line. He just knew how to sing the next line. And the same thing for me. I was getting goosebumps [when I was watching his audition video] the whole time. I watched 'Sentient 6', and towards the end of it, I was, like, 'Fuck.' And I called Jeff. I'm, like, 'Dude, I think we got the dude already.' It was week one. By the third day, I kind of knew he was the guy to beat. And I just give everyone props for auditioning. It's not an easy process. It's kind of a scary thing, I would imagine. It was great."

Added Jeff: "Van and I made sure that we watched every single [audition video], obviously out of respect to the people that put the time and effort into doing it. But that took a long time, to watch every single one, which was around 750 auditions, I believe. It took around two months — something like that. But it enabled us to really find the perfect people."

As previously reported, NEVERMORE will return to the road next spring for the "Liminal Spaces" European tour 2027, a 21-date headline run beginning in Berlin on April 29 and taking the band across Europe before culminating with two shows in Turkey at the end of May — a fitting return to the country where this new chapter of NEVERMORE first took to the stage.

Joining NEVERMORE as special guests across the European dates will be RIVERS OF NIHIL and URNE, bringing together three distinct forces for one formidable touring package.

Before hitting the road again, NEVERMORE will continue work on its highly anticipated new album.

Forged in the aftermath of SANCTUARY, NEVERMORE carved out a sound defined by precision musicianship, fearless songwriting, and emotional intensity. From its self-titled debut in 1995 through landmark releases such as "Dead Heart In A Dead World" and "This Godless Endeavor", NEVERMORE built a global following and a reputation as one of modern metal's most distinctive voices.

New music is already taking shape. Van previously said about the early results: "If the new music had to be described by one word, that would have to be delicious. Because it's so good it's gonna leave you hungry for more." The writing process is unfolding alongside preparations for the stage, with the band focused equally on honoring the catalog and building what comes next.

The history of NEVERMORE includes an extraordinary lineage of musicians who shaped its evolution. Guitarists Pat O'Brien, Tim Calvert, Steve Smyth and Chris Broderick each left a distinct imprint on the band's catalog and live presence. Bassist Jim Sheppard played a central role in shaping the band's identity during its defining years.

Following the band's disbandment, Jeff Loomis released the acclaimed solo albums "Zero Order Phase" and "Plains Of Oblivion", co-founded CONQUERING DYSTOPIA, and spent nearly a decade as a member of ARCH ENEMY, contributing to releases including "Will To Power" and "Deceivers". Van Williams remained active through projects such as ASHES OF ARES and GHOST SHIP OCTAVIUS. Warrel Dane continued creating until his passing in 2017, leaving behind a body of work that continues to inspire musicians and fans worldwide.

Photo credit: Cüneyt Özer