Roughly a week ago, Soilwork guitarist David Andersson passed away. Per an initial statement provided by the band, pertaining to Andersson’s passing, they mention struggles involving “alcohol and mental illness.” In a new statement provided via the band’s Facebook account, Soilwork share how they will continue on the band’s legacy and thank fans for their love and support.
Here is what the band had to say: “Today marks the 1 month anniversary of ‘Övergivenheten’ – David’s final work with us. He poured so much of himself into this album and together we created something really special.
“In the wake of last week’s tragic event, we would like to emphasize that we will carry on the musical legacy of this band and continue to present ‘Övergivenheten’ to our fans, and bring the new songs on the road around the world in David’s memory. We are soon ready to announce upcoming touring activities and as of our announced Australian tour it will move on as scheduled.
“We would also like to thank everyone for reaching out paying their respect and condolences as well as sharing beautiful memories with this band and David. Thank you for your compassion and understanding.”
The Night Flight Orchestra, another band that Andersson was part of, also provided a statement via their Facebook page, speaking to their plans to move forward. This is what they had to say:
“The Legacy continues… September 14th, in the year of 2022 will be a date that none of us will ever forget. Our guitarist David Andersson shut his eyes forever. It was the day we’ve all dreaded for quite sometime. Our hearts are grieving. As Björn went to visit David for the last time at the hospital, he gave him the blessing to continue the musical journey that they both embarked on some 12 years ago.
“Despite David’s fairly long absence from the band as a touring member, we’ve had an amazing and busy summer with unforgettable shows. However, there’s one thing we haven’t done in a long time: playing club shows. We can’t see a better way to celebrate David’s life and music, than to embark on this mini European tour in November, that we’ve been planning for quite a while.
“We encourage you to join us in this celebration and dance the night away. This winged and nocturnal journey must continue. In David’s honor, we’ve also named the tour ‘Death to false AOR’. He would’ve loved that – cause if there’s one thing he loathed, it was false and non organic AOR.”
We send all our love to Andersson’s loved ones and to both bands. We hope that you are at peace David <3
If you or someone you know is struggling with mental health issues, please know that help is available through the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration. Please call 1-800-622-HELP (1-800-622-4357) or send a text message to 1-800-487-4889.