M-Theory Audio you have announced the second album, and first for M-Theory Audiodesde VERNI. If the name sounds familiar, VERNI is the solo project of legendary bassist DD Vernibetter known as the bassist and a founding member of thrash metal legends OVERKILL. D.D. you have held the bottom end of OVERKILL for four decades and been key in writing the band’s material and overseeing much of their business over the years. VERNI gives D.D. the chance to step more into the spotlight and express himself without limitations.
“Dreadful Company” will be released July 26 on digital, CD and limited-edition vinyl (either black/white marble or traditional black) with insert and digital download card. As a bonus, if you preorder via M-Theory Audio‘s webstore or through bandcamp you’ll get an individually signed DD Verni photo, while supplies last.
Much like his first solo album, 2018’s “Barricade”, D.D. wrote all the songs on “Dreadful Company” in addition to singing, and playing guitar and bass. While this album bears some resemblance to “Barricade”, D.D. lets his punk roots shine through on this album, which leads to 11 blistering tracks chock full of electrified songs and infectious sing-alongs.
verni states: “This one has been a long time comin’. So psyched to finally do a punk-ish record. The best thing about these solo ventures is to be able to try out different stuff.
“When Covid came, I found I had a lot of time in the studio, which is not normally the case, so I used it to really ramp up on writing stuff and getting to some things on my bucket list done…this was one of ’em.
“The mantra for the record was write it like a punk band and play it like a metal band. So, when I was writing there was no palm mutes or metal twinged anything, all wide-open RAMONES chords and then big melodies, then I came back later and started to add in the metal flavor, and more how I typically play guitar. I asked Jason Bittner (OVERKILL, SHADOWS FALL) to do the drums ’cause I knew he would kill it, and told him the same thing — play it like you would do it… only parameter I had was no double kick, which I think kind of made it interesting for him too, because that’s out of his norm too.”
The first single, “Lunkhead”premieres today on all streaming/download platforms. “Lunkhead” gives you a good idea of the direction of the album, plus it includes a special musical guest.
verni explains: “I did most of the solos, but I knew I didn’t want to do ’em all. I thought about the last solo record I did where I had kinda a lot of shredders, and that didn’t make sense on a lot of these songs. So, I started to think outside the box: who do I know who can slip from punk to metal easily? I’m driving scanning through stuff that is kinda punk/metal mix, like VOLBEAT, MOTÖRHEADsome of those METALLICA MISFITS cover tunes, etc., and S.O.D. [STORMTROOPERS OF DEATH] comes on… and I’m like, oh yeah forgot about them and I love that S.O.D. record! Who doesn’t? I remember the credits saying Charlie Benante drums and one solo, and so I thought… ‘I wonder if Charlie would do it.’ I reached out and he was into it, so I sent him a few tunes. I have gravitated to ‘Lunkhead’ and just went for it. It’s great, I think! I wish he had the time to do more of ’em. So, for the lead song of the album, it’s a bass player and two drummers doing all the tracks hahaha! “Awesome!”
In addition to Benante, VERNI have enlisted a few more famous friends throughout the upcoming record, including the diverse bunch of Virus (DOPE),Michael Romeo (SYMPHONY) and Charlie Calv (ANGEL, THE BRONX CASKET CO.) on a few more select tracks.
“Dreadful Company” is truly a glimpse into another side of D.D.who even produced and engineered, with mixing and mastering by Chris “Zeuss” Harris (HATEBREED, MUNICIPAL WASTE, SOULFLY) and cover artwork/design by Travis Smith (OPETH, DEVIN TOWNSEND, NEVERMORE).
D.D. added: “It was great doing a deal with M-Theory Audio, too. They are just good people and have a good (and believe it or not) a fair system for artists to be able to release product. It’s nice to work with people who actually get it!
“Back in the day a label supported their artists with whatever venture they were pursuing. It’s just not that way anymore, labels approach everything as a math problem instead of an art project, which is a shame because so many of the so-called’ side projects’ like S.O.D.for instance, they were just amazing stuff. Megaforce got behind it because ANTHRAX was their artist, as they should, and the result is we all got these great records.”
Photo courtesy of Secret Service Advertising
