▁to ▁personal ▁conflict ▁and ▁h ired ▁Bruce ▁Wa ib el , ▁who ▁had ▁played ▁in ▁The ▁Gre gg ▁All man ▁Band ▁for ▁ 1 0 ▁years . ▁Le ver ty ▁met ▁Wa ib el ▁in ▁Sar as ota , ▁Florida ▁and ▁was ▁im pressed ▁with ▁his ▁bass ▁guitar ▁skills . ▁When ▁the ▁band ▁had ▁an ▁opening ▁for ▁a ▁bass ist ▁due ▁to ▁Richard son ' s ▁departure , ▁Le ver ty ▁contact ed ▁Wa ib el ▁and ▁asked ▁him ▁to ▁join ▁the ▁band . ▁With ▁Wa ib el , ▁they ▁recorded ▁their ▁next ▁album , ▁O 2 , ▁and ▁tou red ▁on ▁the ▁Metal ▁Edge ▁ 2 0 0 2 ▁tour ▁with ▁Dok ken , ▁R att , ▁W arr ant , ▁and ▁LA ▁G uns . ▁After ▁the ▁twelve - week ▁tour , ▁Wa ib el ▁part ed ▁ways ▁with ▁the ▁band ▁to ▁spend ▁more ▁time ▁with ▁his ▁family . ▁In ▁ 2 0 0 3 , ▁Wa ib el ▁died ▁unexpected ly ▁at ▁age ▁ 4 5 . ▁Gu itar ist ▁Bill ▁Le ver ty ▁expressed ▁the ▁band ' s ▁sad ness ▁over ▁his ▁death ▁in ▁a ▁statement ▁shortly ▁after ▁the ▁news ▁broke . ▁Initial ly , ▁Wa ib el ▁was ▁replaced ▁by ▁Brazil ian ▁D ario ▁Se ix as , ▁who ▁played ▁bass ▁on ▁the ▁band ' s ▁ 2 0 0 3 ▁crit ically ▁acc laimed ▁album ▁Prime ▁Time , ▁but ▁Se ix as ▁left ▁the ▁band ▁shortly ▁after , ▁so ▁the ▁band ▁announced ▁that ▁they ▁were ▁in ▁need