Soilwork Guitarist: Returning to Band ‘Felt Like Yesterday’

When Soilwork guitarist Peter Wichers left the band, metal fans were legitimately bummed, even though he went on to produce and even filled in for Killswitch Engage guitarist Adam Dutkiewicz when he was sidelined with a back injury. While he remained friends with his ex-bandmates, Wichers divorced himself from the music and didn't really follow what they were doing musically after he left.

"I've known [vocalist] Bjorn [Strid] since I was a teenager, but I honestly did not follow what they were doing," Wichers told Noisecreep. "I tried to separate myself from it when I left. I spoke to them and was still friends with the guy, who does front of house sound, so I heard how things were, but I wasn't on Blabbermouth looking for information."

Wichers left the band after 'Stabbing the Drama,' citing tour fatigue as one of the main reasons. Also, after six albums, he felt like he had gone the distance, creatively. "I didn't have much more to offer musically! I didn't know what direction to go on on the next record. But as soon as I kicked into the first song, 10 seconds into it, it felt like yesterday. I didn't know if I could remember everything," he said.

As for his return, Soilwork approached their prodigal son, who said returning wasn't a difficult decision. "I know what to do songwriting-wise," he said. "So many metal bands keep on plowing, doing record after record and are more and more uninspired. They do it because they have nothing else to do. I didn't want to feel like that. I wanted it to mean something and to feel genuine."

Wichers return to the band coincided with another momentous occasion in his life. "My wife and I were trying to have a child and it didn't happen," Wichers said. "The same day that it was posted that I rejoined the band, my wife came up to me told me she was pregnant!"