D.D. VERNI: How OVERKILL Goes About Finding Replacement Musicians

In a new interview with DJ Ramo (a.k.a. Omar Rodriguez) of The Metal Mixtape, bassist D.D. Verni of New Jersey thrashers OVERKILL was asked about how he and his bandmates go about seeking replacement musicians for their group, particularly as it relates to drummer Jason Bittner’s recent decision to leave OVERKILL. Verni responded (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): “Well, we knew about this for months — a long time, for a long time — so it wasn’t really that big a thing. And usually for us, the first thing we do is you start going down names on lists.”The main thing for us at this point where we are is — there’s a million great drummers out there; they’re everywhere,” he continued. “But is this somebody that we can get along with, somebody that can hang out with us, get along with the crew and the band and kind of fit into the family? Because I don’t care how good a drummer you are or how good a musician you are or a producer or anything else, if you’re not fun to be around… We have a really good group of guys with OVERKILL — our crew, the band, we’re all kind of best buddies, best friends. We get together, there’s a lot of laughs, there’s a lot of fun. And the crew, too, is part of our family. And it’s a good time on an OVERKILL tour. And so that’s kind of the main thing, is us finding somebody who can kind of gel with us. And that’s why [new OVERKILL drummer] Jeramie [Kling, formerly of VENOM INC.], who’s in the band now, we’ve known him for years and years. And so he was our first call because we knew he was a good player, but we liked him personally. So, we just finished up a tour in Europe, and things couldn’t have been better. Really, really good.”OVERKILL played its first concert with Kling on August 30 at the Posada Rock festival in Câmpulung Muscel, Romania.When OVERKILL announced Kling’s addition to the band on August 23, the group said in a statement: “We’re gearing up for an epic European and North American tour this August through December and are excited to announce a special addition for the tours. Here comes a thunderous old friend, who had done work with us, as well as THE ABSENCE & VENOM INC. Please welcome, with drum sticks in hand, Jeramie Kling!”Jeramie added: “Words cannot express how stoked I am to share the stage with my good friends in OVERKILL. We will be laying waste to everyone throughout Europe and North America (with KING DIAMOND). Check the dates online and come out to see an unforgettable night of metal m/”.A founding member of THE ABSENCE, Kling appeared on VENOM INC.’s second album, 2022’s “There’s Only Black”, and has played with such acts as FORE, RIBSPREADER, GOREGÄNG and NECROMANCING THE STONE. He was also briefly affiliated with the reunited Florida death metal band MASSACRE, which led to the formation of INHUMAN CONDITION, alongside Terry Butler (OBITUARY, ex-DEATH) and Taylor Nordberg (DEICIDE). In addition to being a drummer, Kling is a recording engineer, producer and live sound engineer.Bittner joined OVERKILL in 2017 and played drums on the band’s last two studio albums, 2019’s “The Wings Of War” and 2023’s “Scorched”When Bittner has announced his departure from OVERKILL on August 5, he said in a statement: “On August 1, 2024, I played the Vagos Metal Fest in Portugal, and it was the last show I will play in the band OVERKILL.”For a while now I have been juggling a few different bands along with OVERKILL, and I knew at some point something would have to give since I simply can’t be three places at once. Over the course of this last year, my schedule has reached that breaking point.”At this time SHADOWS FALL is working towards completion of our new material that will take us back out on the road sometime in 2025, as well as our fall shows we have booked for the rest of this year celebrating 20 years of ‘The War Within’. Compounded on top of this is my new band, Metal Blade recording artists CATEGORY 7, whose album just hit the shelves last month and will start touring soon through 2025. All of this adds up to something having to ‘take a break’, so as of today I no longer play drums in OVERKILL so I can concentrate solely on the bands that I am a full member/owner of.”Now don’t worry — they currently have another great drummer already learning the material, and he will be ready to do battle for the upcoming tours.”I would like to thank EVERYONE in the OVERKILL extended family for 7 1/2 years of laughs, killer shows, and fun around the globe. All our crew members throughout my run, our agents Dolores Lokas and Mike Monterulo, my tech Animal for always having my back (Shake and Bake),as well as all of our crew past and present, the SKULLKRUSHERS (much love Jurgen),and all the fans who supported my tenure in the band, I love you all, thank you, and will miss you on the European and KING DIAMOND tours… but I’ll see you out there with SHADOWS FALL and CATEGORY 7.”[embedded content]