Written By Kevin McSweeney
Welcome to Seven Deadly Songs, Metal Lair’s weekly feature where we highlight a song from seven of the best new releases of the week, with a particular emphasis on those artists who have yet to achieve the level of exposure their talents deserve.
We also like to squeeze in a word or two about releases by more established acts beforehand, and there is plenty to discuss this week!
Most exciting for me is the return of Kenny Hickey and Johnny Kelly. I am a huge Type O Negative fan – and I don’t mean huge like Peter Steele famously was in the trouser department! – so I’m very pleased to announce that two of the Drab Four are about to release The Interpretation of Nightmares, the second full-length Silvertomb album, via Steamhammer on November 13th.
Speaking of New York icons, NYHC pioneers Cro-Mags are releasing The Age of Quarrel: 40 Years of Quarrel, a newly re-recorded 40th-anniversary edition of their landmark 1986 debut, via BLKIIBLK Records, also on the 13th.
If you’re unsure whether MC stands for metalcore or Merry Christmas, then you no longer have to worry, as Ice Nine Kills have released a festive EP, full of breakdowns and baubles aplenty. A Very Vicious Christmas was released on the 9th via Fearless Records, and it’s sure to make your holidays heavy and happy.
Looking to Europe, there’s the small matter of the 23rd studio album from Sweden’s Sultan of Shred, the one and only Yngwie Malmsteen. Hell or High Water is due on the 13th via Music Theories Recordings.
There’s also the German power metal powerhouse Iron Savior, who bring us their 18th full-length album, and second of 2026, in the form of Deathbringer, which comes courtesy of Frontiers Records on the same day.
Finally, there’s the brilliantly-titled System Error: Humanity, the sixth full-length album from Detroit hardcore legends Walls of Jericho, which is out on the 13th via Napalm Records. It’s good to see them back after a decade. We can only hope they haven’t experimented with wind instruments by adding a trumpet to the mix. Anyway, on with the list!
Seven Deadly Songs: Assumption – Paradox of The Arrow
Our opening selection references the Greek philosopher Zeno of Elea, who used the titular philosophical riddle to argue that motion is an illusion. That explains why I never lose weight, no matter how often I go to the gym. There was me thinking it was because I can’t stop shoving cakes in my gob, but I digress!
Musically, this is an offering from Italy rather than Greece, and it is fired at us from a bow strung with death and doom metal. It is both the opening and title track from Assumption’s third full-length album, which is due to be released on November 13th via 20 Buck Spin.
It’s beautifully brutal big-brain energy from the Italians. There’s plenty of good metal from their compatriots this week as well, such as Asphodelia’s Unfairy Tale, which comes courtesy of Kraempus Records on the same day, and Compendium Horribilis by Canticum Diaboli, which was released independently on the 11th.
Seven Deadly Songs: Burning Creation – Nothing’s Gonna Save You
Poland’s Burning Creation are due to release their second full-length album through Via Nocturna on November 13th. Its title is Breath of Fire, which gives me a welcome opportunity to reprise my Friday night curry joke from last week, but I’m going to try and be sensible for once in my life.
Their sound leans more towards the death metal than the melody, on this track at least, and there’s even some black metal tremolo picking in there for good measure. The album cover art is quite the spectacle as well.
The 13th is a big day for melodic death metal, with other notable releases in the form of The Pit and the Pendulum from Sweden’s Serpent, courtesy of Hammerheart Records, and Bitter Harvest from dubiously named German band Night in Gales, courtesy of Apostasy Records. There’s also more good Polish metal, but more on that later.
Seven Deadly Songs: Cervus – Black Masquerade
Why has it never occurred to me to look to the Netherlands of all places for stoner metal before? It’s like not thinking of looking to Germany for Neue Deutsche Härte.
Black Masquerade is the opening track from the Amsterdam band’s debut offering Axis, an album that promises to be bold as love when it is released independently on November 13th. It’s going to be so good, you’ll get the munchies for it.
For more Dutch delights this week, there’s Lucid Nightmares, the 15th full-length album from death metal veterans Sinister, which is available from the 13th via Massacre Records.
There’s also a thrash/death hybrid in the form of The Spider’s Code from Anomic, courtesy of Pest Records on the same day. The 12th saw the release of Solips by black metal band Asgrauw via Void Wanderer Productions. All are guaranteed to do Amsterdamage to your eardrums. I’m cringing at that one already.
Seven Deadly Songs: Deathinition – The Soil of Gods
I love a good portmanteau! I also love good thrash metal! Deathinition is an appalling portmanteau – almost as bad as my last joke, in fact – but the thrash is absolutely top notch! The Soil of Gods is taken from our second Polish entry’s second full-length album.
Titled Nowhere, it is due to be released independently on November 13th. They’ve added an element of groove metal to proceedings since their debut, 2017’s Online.
We sincerely hope it won’t be another nine years until we hear their third album. Those who are hungry for more metal thrashing madness this week could do worse than to turn their attention to Wyoming’s Dystopioid, whose Zero Theorem EP is due to be released on the 13th via Highplains Wasteland Records.
We also recommend The Great Filter by German thrashers Tempest, which is due to be released independently the following day.
Seven Deadly Songs: Dirty Tricks – Not Gonna Stop
And they’re only just getting started! This is both the opening and title track from the debut full-length album by Chicago hard rockers Dirty Tricks. The album is due to be released on November 13th via High Roller Records, and is their first release since 2021’s Bright Lights, Big City EP.
Chicago is a very big city, to be fair. The track’s accompanying video looks like it’s from the 1980s, and that’s very much the case with the sound as well. This is old school rock ‘n’ roll, just as it was done way back before Nirvana came along and smudged everyone’s eyeliner.
Their name brings to mind Cheap Trick and AC/DC’s Dirty Deeds Done Dirt Cheap, and probably not by accident.
There’s plenty more in the way of traditional hard rock and heavy metal this week, such as Wolf’s Hour of The Wolf, Night Cobra’s Beware The Dark Future and Viper Queen’s Munich City Nights. There’s another big city for you!
Seven Deadly Songs: Sable Hills – Labyrinth
Japanese metalcore masters Sable Hills have a name that sounds like a shit American teen drama from the early 2000s. I’m going to ask you not to judge them on that, even though the strikingly handsome Tokyo quintet certainly have the looks to appear in such a series.
The aesthetically-pleasing Asian band are due to release Homura, their fourth full-length album, from which this track is taken, via Arising Empire on November 13th.
There’s more great metalcore to savour on that day in the form of Usurper, the fifth full-length album from Sacramento’s Kingdom of Giants, which comes courtesy of Sharptone.
For more Japanese metal, check out Re:Raign, the second full-length album from Tokyo shredder Sally, which was released on the 11th via Avalon, the same day as the independently-released Leading The Way by power metal band Xanadu. Top marks to Tokyo for that lot!
Seven Deadly Songs: Wraith – Over The Top
Our final offering this week comes from Crowne Point, Indiana, from whence rides the blackened speed/thrash metal/punk of Wraith. Over The Top was the second single to be released from Descent Into Darkness, their fifth full-length album, which descends upon us on November 13th, courtesy of Prosthetic Records.
War is one of the major themes in their work, and this song is no exception, as the accompanying video makes clear.
For more music of a blackened nature, there’s the blackened heavy metal of Blackened Steel – does exactly what it says on the tin! – by New Zealanders Forsaken Age, which was released independently on the 11th.
There’s also the blackened industrial metal of Slovakia’s Khadaver on Xaosblack, available from the 13th via Khadaver Industries.
Then there’s the blackened thrash of Massachusetts band Graviton’s self-titled second full-length album, via Skepsis Recordings on the 13th. That should keep you going for a while! See you in seven for another seven.
Catch up on last week’s Seven Deadly Songs roundup.
Seven Deadly Songs is A Metal Lair® Original Series
Seven Deadly Songs Q & A
Q: What is Seven Deadly Songs?
A: Seven Deadly Songs is Metal Lair’s weekly roundup of the heaviest new releases across the full metal spectrum. Each week we spotlight seven standout tracks you shouldn’t miss.
Q: When does Seven Deadly Songs update?
A: We post a new edition every Friday, typically highlighting weekly new releases.
Q: Where can I find the best new metal songs?
A: Right here. Seven Deadly Songs is your go-to source for discovering the latest metal tracks including fresh black, death, thrash, doom, and speed metal releases, all curated in one place.
Q: How can I listen to the songs featured?
A: Every featured track links out to the artist’s official release, streaming platform, or label page so you can dive deeper and support the bands directly.
Q: Does Metal Lair have other weekly series?
A: Absolutely, Try:
- Deep Cuts: Metal’s Hidden Gems and lost recordings from rock and metal history.
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- Women in Metal – A series celebrating the voices, pioneers, and rule-breakers reshaping heavy music’s DNA.
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- Metal Legacy Profiles – Deep dive essays honoring artists who shaped metal’s sound, culture, and philosophy. These aren’t timelines or greatest-hits lists, but examinations of impact, conflict, evolution, and what each figure left behind.
- Road Riffs: Metal On The Map – We take metal beyond the speakers and onto the highway, exploring legendary venues, scene-defining cities, historic landmarks, local haunts, and travel stops tied to real
metal scenes around the world that every metalhead should experience.
About The Author
Kevin McSweeney is Metal Lair’s resident scribe of the underground, eternally rummaging through the global metal scene for riffs worth your time.
As the guiding hand behind Seven Deadly Songs every Friday, he has an uncanny knack for finding the track you didn’t know you needed, usually before finishing his pint.
Equal parts loyal, kind, and quietly razor-witted, Kevin brings deep knowledge, impeccable taste, and a steady, reliable presence to Metal Lair.
Read More From This Author:
Mawiza IÑ MONGELETEW EP Review: Beyond the Distortion
Saor Caledonia Album Review: Scotland’s Black Metal Reborn
Look What Happened – Weak Minds for the Weekend EP Review
Leng Tch’e Hammered Into Collapse EP Review: Five Minutes of Grindcore Brutality
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