[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PkjBC-UBZDA[/youtube]

Back in February, it was revealed that Nevermore bassist Jim Sheppard had undergone brain surgery to remove a benign tumor. While Sheppard was apparently starting to recover well early on, his status in the band was less than clear. This was partly because Nevermore has had Dagna Barrera (who has also played bass for singer Warrel Dane’s solo project) filling in for Sheppard for quite some time now. However, in a recent interview with Austrian webzine Stormbringer.at, Nevermore guitarist Jeff Loomis confirmed that Sheppard will indeed rejoin the group eventually.

Loomis gave the following update about the bassist’s current condition and where he stands with the band:

“I was talking with him right after he got the surgery. A lot of people don’t know, he actually had a brain tumor that was removed from his… you know, head. [laughs] The surgery was very successful and he came out of it with flying colors. So yeah, he’s gonna be returning to the band very soon. He just needs time to recover and relax for the time being.”

You can watch the entire interview with Loomis above, where he also talks about how guitarist Attila Voros has become a permanent member of Nevermore. It is unclear as to how soon Sheppard will be able to rejoin the group, but unlikely it will be in time for Nevermore’s tour with Symphony X. We’ll keep you posted if more develops.