[Cover photo credit to Rob Shotwell]

Category 7, the new Heavy Metal collective featuring 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), have revealed their latest single and video, “Exhausted.”

The track comes from the band’s self-titled debut full-length album, set for release on July 26th, 2024 through Metal Blade Records. “Exhausted” features the twin lead guitars of Demmel and Orlando.

Named after the numerical designation for the most powerful windstorms, Category 7 came together because a group of musicians wanted to play music they loved and weren’t hearing elsewhere, and wanted to do so with bandmates they enjoyed playing with. They bring together a mixture of NWOBHM, Thrash, Punk-Metal, and traditional Metal.

Guitarist and main songwriter Mike Orlando says:

It’s all about big verses and big songs, and it has a lot of the elements we’ve explored in our other bands.

John Bush says about the single:

Insomnia happens more frequently as I’ve aged. Usually in connection with nightly visits to the loo. The frustration to just slumber and dream only makes matters worse. This is all a little exaggerated for me ’cause people truly struggle with this, using medication or whatever remedy will hopefully solve the problem. Truth be told, my primary goal is to avoid all those deep dark thoughts in the middle of the night that seem to grow because I just can’t sleep.