New Jersey thrash metal legends Overkill are actively preparing to unleash their next studio album. During a March 11 appearance on SiriusXM‘s “Trunk Nation With Eddie Trunk,” frontman Bobby “Blitz” Ellsworth shared crucial details regarding the progress of the highly anticipated follow-up to their 2023 release, Scorched, targeting a potential late 2026 launch.
“I think we’re always working on new music. That’s been the motif since all the way back in the [early Overkill] days. You’re always kind of in a writing mode. You’re keeping your eyes open, you’re in a writing mode, or at least my end of it. But we look to record it maybe at the end of [our upcoming U.S.] tour [with Testament and Destruction]. It’s pretty much done musically. I have to add a few melody lines and a few harmonies and melodies and a few lyrics here and there. But we’re looking at a ’27 tour [and] maybe a late ’26 release,” Bobby said (as transcribed by Blabbermouth).
Despite the new album nearing completion, the vocalist confirmed that fans attending the upcoming U.S. tour alongside Testament and Destruction should not expect to hear any unreleased material just yet.
“No, we’re not. We’re just gonna get out there on the road and stretch our legs again. It’s gonna feel good. [Overkill bassist] D.D.‘s [Verni] been going through a rehab for a long period of time with his shoulders and stuff, so it’s kept everybody from going out and doing this stuff. I think he’s gone through three operations at this point — it’s, like, two on the right and one on the left, and all three of them are rotator cuff injuries. I’m just looking to get out there and sing again.”
Due to these ongoing and severe health issues, founding bassist D.D. Verni will be forced to sit out the upcoming tour entirely to focus on his recovery.
“No, he’s not gonna be able to do [those shows]. Christian [Olde Wolbers] from Fear Factory‘s coming out. He sat in for D.D. in ’24. But that’s when D.D. only had one operation, so D.D. did some of [the shows], but this one, it’s just too much. He just said he couldn’t do it.”
Former Fear Factory bassist Christian Olde Wolbers is no stranger to the band’s live setup, having previously stepped in for D.D. Verni in the fall of 2024 during Overkill‘s North American support run alongside King Diamond.
Additionally, the upcoming late 2026 record will mark a significant milestone for the thrashers’ rhythm section. It will be the first full-length album featuring drummer Jeramie Kling, who officially joined Overkill in August 2024 following the departure of Jason Bittner.
2026 “Thrash Of The Titans” U.S. Tour Dates
- March 14, 2026 – Portland, OR – Roseland Theater
- March 15, 2026 – Boise, ID – Treefort Music Hall
- March 16, 2026 – Salt Lake City, UT – Rockwell at the Complex
- March 18, 2026 – Denver, CO – Summit Music Hall
- March 20, 2026 – Milwaukee, WI – The Rave
- March 21, 2026 – Minneapolis, MN – The Fillmore
- March 22, 2026 – Chicago, IL – Ramova Theatre
- March 24, 2026 – Detroit, MI – St. Andrew’s Hall
- March 25, 2026 – Cleveland, OH – Agora Ballroom
- March 27, 2026 – Worcester, MA – The Palladium
- March 28, 2026 – Sayreville, NJ – Starland Ballroom
- March 29, 2026 – Reading, PA – Club Reverb
- March 31, 2026 – Atlanta, GA – Buckhead Theater
- April 1, 2026 – St. Petersburg, FL – Jannus Live
- 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)
