Overkill bassist and founding member D.D. Verni has opened up about his absence from the band’s current tour and provided an exciting update regarding their next studio album.
Speaking with Drew Stone on “The New York Hardcore Chronicles Live!,” the musician explained why he is sitting out the “Thrash Of The Titans” U.S. trek, which features Overkill supporting Testament alongside Destruction. He cited the need to recover from a recent shoulder surgery as the primary reason for his absence.
“Ah, well, there’s a few different reasons for that, but I would say probably the main one at this point is that I just need to kind of rest this arm some. And we’re just support on this [tour]. This isn’t our tour; this is a Testament tour. We’re just kind of tagging along. I had another surgery done a little while ago, and just at this point, for something like this, I’m, like, ‘All right, maybe it’s best I just sit this one out.’ So our friend Christian [Olde Wolbers, ex-Fear Factory] is filling in. And it’s just rolling on,” he said (as transcribed by Blabbermouth).
Expanding on the physical toll of his injuries, the bassist revealed he suffered a torn rotator cuff and bicep tears on both shoulders, requiring multiple procedures and intensive rehabilitation.
“I had the surgery once, I did all the P.T. [physical therapy]. They told me I was good. I went out on the road, and I completely ripped it off again. And I came back and I had to do it all over again. [I had] rotator cuff and a bicep tear — on both shoulders. It’s just old-guy s**t. But now if I blow it off again, if it tears off again, it’s shoulder replacement, and I’m really trying to avoid that. But you know what’s f**ked up, though? It’s only playing bass. I can’t play sitting down anymore at all. I can play standing up, but if I sit with my arm kind of locked like that, I can’t play it. I can’t even get through a single song. But I can on a guitar. I don’t know. It’s something about the way I hold the pick and the amount [of weight and pressure] I’m putting on a specific spot. But that’s the way it goes right now. I gotta get strong and get it back to place so I don’t have to f**king worry about that shit anymore.”
Despite his physical setbacks, D.D. Verni assured fans that his role in Overkill remains unchanged and that he is deep into the writing process for the legendary thrash metal group’s next record.
“Oh, yeah. I’m writing right now. I have most of the new Overkill record done, demoed up, for the most part ready to go. I just did a couple of new things yesterday. I thought it was ready to go. Then I had a couple other things that I wanted to add. So, for the most part it’s all done. I gave it to Blitz [Overkill singer Bobby Ellsworth], I guess, a while ago, and he’s been noodling around with it. So over the next — I don’t know — six months or so, probably we’ll jump in the studio somewhere along the way. And I would think we’re probably looking at a release early next year, February, March, something like that. We got a couple of calls about some tours and some things then. So we’ll see.”
For the ongoing run with Testament and Destruction, Overkill is currently performing as a four-piece. The temporary live lineup features frontman Bobby “Blitz” Ellsworth, bassist Christian Olde Wolbers, drummer Jeramie Kling, and guitarist Dave Linsk. Longtime rhythm guitarist Derek Tailer is also sitting out the current tour for undisclosed reasons.
2026 “Thrash Of The Titans” Remaining U.S. Tour Dates:
- April 3, 2026 – Houston, TX – House of Blues
- April 4, 2026 – Dallas, TX – The Bomb Factory
- April 5, 2026 – San Antonio, TX – Aztec Theatre
- April 8, 2026 – Phoenix, AZ – The Van Buren
- April 9, 2026 – Los Angeles, CA – The Belasco
- April 10, 2026 – Berkeley, CA – The UC Theatre (no Overkill)
