Written By Kevin McSweeney
Welcome to Seven Deadly Songs, Metal Lair’s weekly feature where news is brought to you of the best new releases by a man whose nonsense never ceases.
You might be familiar with the drill by now: seven songs from seven bands who deserve more exposure than they are currently getting, with a word or two about new releases from more established acts in the intro.
Established acts such as the progressive metal institution that is Voivod. The French-Canadian veterans are to bestow upon their fans a recording of their baffling live brilliance titled Symphonique via Century Media Records on June 5th.
We also have the return of the band that is largely credited with the creation of metalcore, as the iconic Converge release Hum of Hurt, their 12th studio album, and remarkably, their second of 2026, via Epitaph/Deathwish Inc. also on June 5th.
Speaking of metalcore, fans of the much-maligned subgenre will be thanking the Lord for the return of August Burns Red, who are due to release their eleventh studio album Season of Surrender via Fearless once again on June 5th. But it’s the legends of tomorrow that we’re concentrating on here, so with that in mind, let’s get on with the list!
Seven Deadly Songs: Bloody Falls – Mother, Your Son is Bleeding
Seven Deadly Songs just wouldn’t be the same without representation from Finland.
So, we’re pleased to kick things off with a sturdy blend of groove metal and melodic death metal from that sparsely populated Scandinavian nation that so consistently punches above its weight when it comes to producing metal bands of the finest quality.
It’s the groove metal that is dominant here, with not much melody to be found. Antero Hakal’s vocal approach might remind some of Lamb of God’s Randy Blythe, whereas the band’s name might remind you of the title of a crime novel set in a scenic area, possibly in Devon.
I’m imagining the lovely Becky Falls bubbling with blood now. Thanks, guys! Their fourth full-length album, cunningly titled IV, is out on June 5th via Art Gate Records. Go get it before they ruin any other local beauty spots on me!
Seven Deadly Songs: Guilt Trip – No Love Lost
Now this is a blast from the past! That might seem like a strange thing to say about a band who look like they’ve just left school, but then you shouldn’t judge them by their appearance – not least because Lily Kilcoyne looks like she’d be more likely to play bass for Olivia Rodrigo than for a metalcore band from Manchester.
Despite their apparent youth, they’re already got three albums under their belts, the latest of which, Armour of Angels, is coming out on June 5th.
The reason it’s a blast from the past is because it’s being released via Roadrunner Records, who gave me some of my fondest metal moments way back when I looked as young as Guilt Trip.
It’s nice to have something new from that legendary label. It comes in the form of a band who remind me very much of Code Orange, and not just because one member is minus a Y chromosome. (Shout out to the awesome Reba Meyers!)
Seven Deadly Songs: Iron Kingdom – Blood and Steel
I said last week that you couldn’t go wrong with a band with Iron in its name. Seven days later, Canadian trad metal troops Iron Kingdom have illustrated my point beautifully.
As We can’t overlook the fact that they have a very similar name to a certain iconic British metal institution, and the title of this song is notably similar to Sun and Steel, from said metal institution’s Piece of Mind album.
Hell, they even hail from Surrey in British Columbia, so could their style of music be deemed NWOBCHM?
Possibly not, but their sixth studio album Shadows and Dust, from which this track is taken, is due to be released independently on June 6th, and it’s well worth a listen, however you might define it stylistically.
There might be another band next week with a name that references the chemical element with the symbol Fe, so keep your eyes peeled for that.
Seven Deadly Songs: Iselder – Glory
Welsh black metal artists don’t burn churches like the Norwegian bands of the 1990s. They might be investigated for inciting arson as a result of printing t-shirts bearing the slogan “Burn Your Local Holiday Home”, however.
We couldn’t possibly condone such behaviour, but we can certainly condone the music made by the insanely talented multi-instrumentalist Gofid.
Glory is taken from The 38th Division, his fifth full-length album, which kicked off the week in emphatic style on June 1st, courtesy of Marwolaeth Records.
The title is presumably a reference to the Welsh infantry division that was active during both World Wars, what with history and Welsh nationalism being prominent topics within his work. It’s black metal meets Max Boyce, and I absolutely love it!
Seven Deadly Songs: Nights of Malice – Gore Nest
Judging by the sound of this New Jersey deathcore quartet, I’m sure their days aren’t full of tenderness and grace either.
Bon Jovi this most certainly is not, and just the first few bars of it would be enough to put the shits up Snooki and Co.
I particularly enjoyed the Cannibal Corpse trills and the neoclassical-style solo, which gives the lie to the notion that deathcore is merely a more primitive form of its big brother death metal.
The nocturnal nastiness is visited upon all of us on June 4th when the band release their third full-length album, Chaos Exhordium, via Bleeding Art Collective. All I can say after hearing this is: fuck Jersey Shore! Give me some Jersey Gore!
Seven Deadly Songs: Seven Metal Sins – Eternal Downfall
Well, we had to include this one, didn’t we? The band that might become our mascot was formed in 2024 by former members of Pau-based progressive power metallers Manigance.
They alternate on this track between fast, double kick-driven power metal and muscular mid-paced chugging, and they do both equally well. Their debut album Legacy of Chaos is due to be released on June 5th via Rockshots Records.
The album’s dystopian cover art is actually quite moving. To quote the label, like the lyrics, it: “…reflects a world in crisis, addressing themes such as environmental decline, social instability and authoritarian drift.
These topics are often framed through dystopian and science fiction imagery, creating a narrative that resonates with both present realities and possible futures.” So, not exactly cheerful stuff, though finding this fine French band certainly put a smile on my face.
Seven Deadly Songs: Thorium – Abra Macabre
That song title makes me cringe! Anyone who has had to suffer my jokes will know that I have no business criticising others for their cringe-inducing content, but the title of the opening track from Thorium’s seventh full-length album Suburban Rot has me wincing in discomfiture.
There’s nothing embarrassing about the music, however, which is as fine an example of Danish death metal as you’re likely to find.
The Copenhagen crew’s latest release is due to be emancipated on June 6th, courtesy of Emanzipation Productions, and establishes beyond any doubt that the Danes make metal as well as they produce bacon and beer.
So many other bands could have been included this week: Cyhra, Medusa’s Wrath, Midnight Rider, Riler, Space Parasites, Sleepbomb, Tidal Wave, Evergrey, W.M.D. So many more!
All of them would have been worthy, but it’s Seven Deadly Songs, alas. We’ll see you in seven days for seven more.
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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.
- Metalhead Horoscopes – Weekly forecasts laced with riffs, attitude, and a lucky song for every sign.
- World Metal Weekly – A global passport through the underground, one country at a time.
- Women in Metal – A series celebrating the voices, pioneers, and rule-breakers reshaping heavy music’s DNA.
- Ministry of Metal – A satirical authority devoted to the laws, rituals, and unspoken rules of heavy music. Features proclamations, decrees, cultural edicts, metal lore, and an original comic book series, all delivered with humor and bite.
- 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:
ERDVE – EPIGRAMA REVIEW: LITHUANIAN SLUDGE METAL AT ITS MOST CRUSHING
Impure Wilhelmina – Le Sanglot Review Melancholy & Post Hardcore Beauty
Album Review: The Dark Overlords of The Universe by The Ghoulstars
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