Category 7, the new project featuring John Bush (Armored Saint), Mike Orlando (Adrenaline Mob, Sonic Universe), Phil Demmel (Machine Head, Kerry King, Vio-Lence), Jack Gibson (Exodus) and Jason Bittner (Shadows Fall, Overkill), will release their debut self-titled album on July 26th via Metal Blade Records. The album’s art and layout by Carlos Fiders at Artside Studio (Angra, Evergrey, Kamelot) and the record was produced by Orlando at Sonic Stomp Studios. Today (2nd) the group has unveiled a video for their new single “In Stitches,” to share a glimpse for what’s to come.

Demmel comments:

“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.”

Orlando adds:

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

Bush states:

“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.”

Orlando continues:

“It gets heavy, it’s thrashy at times, but it opens up in the verses, and then the double-bass drums come in and knock you off your chair, but in a great way.”

Watch the clip below and pre-order the album here:

Track List:
01) In Stitches
02) Land I Used To Love
03) Apple Of Discord
04) Exhausted
05) Runaway Truck
06) White Flags & Bayonets
07) Mousetrap
08) Waver At The Breaking Point
09) Through Pink Eyes
10) Etter Stormen