OVERKILL bassist and main songwriter D.D. Verni has plans to release his first solo CD this year, and the official artwork and tracklisting for the album – entitled “Barricade” – has just been unveiled, along with a lyric video for the song “Fire Up,” featuring Mike Orlando on guitars. The record will see the light of day next October 12 via Mighty Music, was mixed and mastered by Chris “Zeuss” Harris (ROB ZOMBIE, QUEENSRŸCHE, HATEBREED), and is said to be a mix of all of Verni‘s influences. “There’s some metal, punk, and classic rock… it’s all in there, from QUEEN to GREEN DAY to METALLICA, I think we covered all the basses!” declares D.D.
Verni‘s first effort features a host of guitar players doing guest spots, including Jeff Loomis (ARCH ENEMY), Angus Clark (TRANS SIBERIAN ORCHESTRA), Jeff Waters (ANNIHILATOR), Bruce Franklin (TROUBLE), Mike Romeo (SYMPHONY X), Mike Orlando (ADRENALINE MOB), Steve Leonard (ALMOST QUEEN), and Andre “Virus” Karkos (DOPE), who also contributed the rhythm guitar tracks. Rounding out the recording lineup is former OVERKILL drummer Ron Lipnicki.
“Barricade” Album Artwork
In addition to OVERKILL‘s 18 full-length albums, Verni has four releases with his side band THE BRONX CASKET CO.. Verni states: “So, why do a solo record… well I never really stop writing material, and after some time, it starts to pile up and take shape and I wonder what it will be. In the past, anything that was not OVERKILL material I would put aside for my other band THE BRONX CASKET CO., but when I starting pulling these songs together, it was clearly not that, and I thought, ‘Okay, I guess it’s a solo record.’ The material was kinda metal and kinda rock and kinda punk, so those really are my basic influences. In OVERKILL, I take all that background and funnel it into our thrash sound. But these songs were not thrash but a combination of the other stuff. I would never really have an interest in doing a record that was thrash-sounding outside of OVERKILL; I just don’t think it could be any better. The fun is trying new shit and seeing where it goes for me”
“I could always do all the instruments myself, as I have in the past on projects, but thought this could be a good opportunity to try working with some new people. My wife was hearing me thinking out loud and basically said, ‘Why don’t you just call some guys whose work you like and see if they would be interested?’ And so that’s what I did.”
“Barricade” track listing:
- Fire Up
- Miracle Drug
- Off My Leash
- (We are) The Broken Ones
- Lost In The Underground
- The Party Of No
- Night of the Swamp King
- We Were Young
- Slow My Ride
- Heaven Calling
