[Cover photo credit to Rob Shotwell]

Category 7 is a new Heavy Metal outfit with the all-star lineup of John Bush (Armored Saint, Anthrax), Mike Orlando (Adrenaline Mob, Sonic Universe, Noturnall), Phil Demmel (Machine Head, Kerry King, Vio-Lence), Jack Gibson (Exodus), and Jason Bittner (Shadows Fall, Overkill). They have announced that they will release their self-titled debut full-length album on July 26th, 2024 through Metal Blade Records.

With veteran musicians from so many seminal bands, this is clearly a supergroup.

Guitarist Phil Demmel comments jokingly:

I think we‘re pretty super. Really, I feel like this is a band, not a side project. And I feel like we have written this incredible piece of music, and we‘re not done. I‘m so proud of the way this came together and the people who were involved. And I think we all feel super positive about this and what else we can do with it going forward.

Category 7’s new album is a mixture of NWOBHM, Thrash, Punk-Metal, and traditional Metal .

John Bush explains about “In Stitches”:

I read an article on an unhoused pregnant woman named Stitches who resided in Los Angeles obviously living a very difficult life that was compounded by mental illness and drug abuse. The encampment situation in my beloved city drives me bats. I balance between serious empathy and complete anger. The combination of imagining her life as well as my own internal turmoil led me to an almost humorous insanity state while writing this scathing album opener.

Category 7 was produced, engineered, mixed, and mastered by Mike Orlando at Sonic Stomp Studios with art and layout by Carlos Fides at Artside Studio (Angra, Evergrey, Kamelot). The record will be available on CD and digital formats as well as vinyl color variants.