Written: 24th July 2024
The word supergroup is used all too often when members of various (semi) well known bands come together. However, with the line up of Category 7 featuring John Bush (Armoured Saint, Anthrax), Mike Orlando (Adrenaline Mob), Phil Demmel (Machine Head, Kerry King), Jack Gibson (Exodus) and Jason Bittner (Shadows Fall, Overkill), it is difficult not to categorise them as such. “I think we’re pretty super,” jokes guitarist Demmel. “Really, I feel like this is a band, not a side project. And I feel like we have written incredible pieces 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.”
Opener In Stiches has moments that are redolent of Mastodon and the band are a controlled frenzy of pounding drums, soaring guitar solos and chugging riffs before John Bush has even uttered his first lyric; the quintet set out their stall from the first moments. Orlando and Demmel drive the track as relentless rhythms from Bittner are delivered with cutting precision. “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,” Orlando says. Bush’s vocals soar above the music delivering a vocal with a raw intensity that contributes to a first track that is a perfect amalgamation of each member’s strength. Lyrically vivid and making use of ominous imagery, In Stitches depicts a protagonist experiencing significant hardship and the struggle for survival amidst adversity. Dig and scratch and claw / Oblivious to all / Human cockroach / Peddle in the streets / Filth upon my feet / Strongly advise, you think twice, to approach.
Across their debut, Category 7 balance melody and power and Land I Used To Love is a track that displays this particularly effectively. Although, belligerent and ferocious, the guitar interplay is infectious and swathed in a swaggering confidence that is unsurprising from two such seasoned professionals. Apple of Discord sees the band play with tempos as fast verses (with some incendiary drumming from Bittner) complement the slightly slower choruses. One of the standout tracks on the album, it does not let the listener relax for a moment as the impressively cohesive dual guitar work and opportunity for individual solos from Demmel and Orlando enchant and ensnare.
Exhausted (a reflection on calculated, repetitive actions that fail to bring true satisfaction and the need to start anew) is an unrelenting piledriver that crackles with vehement electricity and an inherent groove. Bush delivers an anthemic and memorable hook that combines blistering guitar solos and admirable bass work from Gibson, and delivers it with a chemistry that one might expect from a band that had been playing together for years. As the album progresses, the listener might be waiting for Category 7 to drop the ball and while Runaway Truck may not be the most original sounding offering here, it rattles along with enough zeal to make it enjoyable enough.
White Flags and Bayonets is an aggressive social commentary on the complex and often contradictory nature of human conflict and resolution. It underscores the inherent challenges in achieving true reconciliation, whether on a personal, societal or global scale. Pat on the back with a butterfly knife / Superficial inner life / Meaningless talk never felt so boring / Watch as the waves keep / Rising, rising, breaking. Mousetrap - a rapid-fire furious barrage - opens with some truly stunning drumming from Bittner that will make any metalhead’s heart race. The same could be said of the outstanding Waver At The Breaking Point, which fully demonstrates the technical abilities of each member of the band, with Bush’s vocals particularly hostile and combative.
As the only vocalist approached to join the group, Bush recalls listening to the music submitted to him by the other members. “I listened to the music they sent me, and I was like, wow, this is pretty scathing stuff. It was awesome, but the question was, what could I do with it vocally that would fit? These guys are riff maniacs, so, I wasn’t totally sure right away that I was the right guy for it. But I started tinkering around with it and writing, and, to my satisfaction, everything came out relatively easy.”
Ending with Through Pink Eyes and Etter Stormen (an eight-minute instrumental), Category 7 throw everything they have to offer into the mix. While the former offers something a little different in terms of dynamics and groove (the Pantera vibes are strong on this one), the latter might split listeners in terms of its inclusion. There is no doubt that the technical proficiency on show from each of the four instrumentalists is of the highest quality but some fans may wonder if this is necessary to display via a long instrumental at the end of an album when they have already done so with such aplomb throughout the preceding songs. Nevertheless, once Etter Stormen really gets going, it twists, turns and surprises like the proverbial rollercoaster and it is impossible to not be drawn into its wondrous spell.
Category 7 is strong debut album from a group of excellent musicians. It could be argued that the album lacks variety in its overall approach but like the destructive hurricane from which they take their name, delicacy, sensitivity and moments of relaxation are not in their remit. Each member of the band makes a full contribution to the overall experience and with Category 7 walking a line between hard rock, thrash and heavy metal, it is likely to appeal to a wide range of metal fans as well as the bands in which the members have their day jobs. Dive into the storm…
Category 7 is released on 26th July 2024
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