OVERKILL delivered a full-throttle set at the 2026 Sweden Rock Festival in Sölvesborg, Sweden, maintaining the band's reputation as one of thrash metal's most relentlessly active touring outfits. Fan-filmed footage of the performance has surfaced online, capturing the band in their element on one of Europe's premier festival stages.
The current live lineup features Bobby "Blitz" Ellsworth on vocals, Dave Linsk on guitar, Jeramie Kling on drums, and a notable addition: Christian Olde Wolbers — longtime guitarist and later bassist in FEAR FACTORY — handling bass duties while founding bassist and primary songwriter D.D. Verni continues to sit out touring commitments due to shoulder injuries.
Verni spoke candidly about the situation: "I had rotator cuff and a bicep tear — on both shoulders. It's just old-guy shit." Despite missing the road, he has remained productive in the studio, actively writing material for the band's next record.
And a new album is very much in the works. Verni has demoed approximately 9–10 songs and recently handed them over to Ellsworth for his input. If the recording schedule holds, fans can expect a release in "February, March" 2027 — another quick turnaround for a band that has maintained one of heavy metal's most consistent release schedules across four decades.
Drummer Jeramie Kling, who joined OVERKILL in August 2024 after replacing Jason Bittner, brings an impressive CV to the kit: he is a founding member of Floridian death metal outfit THE ABSENCE and has worked extensively as a recording engineer and producer. His double role as a live powerhouse and studio professional complements Verni's methodical songwriting approach well.
With nineteen studio albums and over four decades of unbroken activity, OVERKILL have outlasted trends, lineup changes, and industry upheavals. If the current timeline holds, album twenty may arrive sooner than anyone expects.