BraveWords was crushed when the powerful, dynamic, legendary singer of Nevermore and Sanctuary, Warrel Dane, passed away last year on December 13th. He was in the midst of working on a new solo album, the follow-up to 2008’s Praises To The War Machine, and what we have left is 40 minutes of music with Warrel’s voice tracked during pre-production, demo, and recording sessions. The posthumous release is a bittersweet addition to his discography and helps provide closure for someone the metal world lost too soon. This exceptional album takes its place at #8 on our countdown.

“Metal” Tim Henderson was left in awe of the album in his review stating, “Warrel Dane’s demise is truly tragic and gut-wrenching, and with one listen to this swan song, you gotta wonder how his band pulled off such a magnum opus with a deceased leader. Where Praise To The War Machine was a glorious debut, it was a bit scattered with its peaks, valleys and melancholic nature. It truly showcased all the inner feelings that seemingly were slowly tearing the singer’s soul apart. Sure, his appetite for personal destruction was witnessed by so many. An artist just overflowing with incredible talent, but possessed by inner demons that ultimately pointed to his grave. Sad. Terribly sad. But Shadow Work takes you to a grandiose place and warms the metal heart, as it were. And I gotta say, when I’m walking or biking to this opus, I could feel his eerie and ghostly presence. Not just in my headphones, but swimming everywhere, in a sea of darkness.”