Written By Kevin McSweeney
Welcome to Seven Deadly Songs, Metal Lair’s weekly feature where we bring you tremendous new tracks from seven of the week’s best releases in the world of rock and metal.
Our focus as ever is on those artists who have yet to receive the level of recognition that their talents deserve, with a word or two about the more established acts before we get started.
Indeed, we promise you legends in the opening paragraph every time, but this week’s offering might be the most legendary of all, as it’s the man who started it all.
Tony Iommi is quite literally the man who created heavy metal music, and even after 56 years, he’s still showing us how it’s done. The new Iommi album, From The Dark, is his first solo album since 2005’s Fused.
It’s out now and via BMG, and what else can I say? His is the moustache that launched a million riffs, and we must all pay homage. We actually have a few other master blasters among the seven this week, as well as the fresh-faced upstarts, so let’s turn to them now. On with the list!
Seven Deadly Songs: Boss Keloid – Pedestal
We begin this week’s list as we ended the previous one: with something from our friends at Church Road Records. Greater Manchester sludge merchants Boss Keloid released Pedestalearlier this month as a single from their sixth full-length album, Float & Aperture, which is due to be released on October 23rd.
According to the band: “The lyrics to Pedestalexplore both the positive and negative sides of isolation, as well as its causes and effects.” Interestingly: “The song also contains a 10 year old riff from the Keloid archive we finally found a way to use properly.”
Good things come to those who wait. Other notable UK albums on the 23rd include the independently released An Heir to All The Ills of Flesh by technical melodic death metal project A Distorted Utopia, which seems only to release an album every ten years. Oh, and something by a guy called Iommi. He’s a big deal, apparently.
Seven Deadly Songs: Dragonland – The Prophecy Unfolds
OK, so this unabashed blast of Swedish symphonic power metal might sound silly to some, and the video of the band green-screened onto a scorched landscape with dragons circling in the sky isn’t going to help in that regard, but I offer you the following reasons for Dragonland’s inclusion: the glorious vocal harmonies, the virtuoso musicianship, those pounding double-kick drums, the triumphant synths and that incredible guitar solo.
That just about does it for me! This melodious maelstrom of a track is taken from Prophecies, the Gothenburg band’s seventh full-length album, which is out now via Scarlet Records.
For more power metal magnificence this week, we recommend Beyond Eternity, the second full-length album from After Infinity, which is also out on the 23rd, courtesy of Rockshots Records.
Seven Deadly Songs: Earthbong – Third Eye
This eight minute-plus doomy stoner metal epic is taken from the green loving German trio’s fourth full-length album, Salutations to The Cultivators. Cultivators of what, I can’t help but wonder.
Whatever it may be, the cultivators are evidently as blessed as the cheesemakers. The album will be released via TLD Records, and is sure to be no half-baked affair.
It’s quite the week for stoner metal, as we can also look forward to Death Comes Twice, the second full-length album from Welsh wizards Goat Major, courtesy of Ripple Music, and Ascension Rock, the independently released third full-length album from Denver, Colorado’s Hexecutioner.
All three bands are trios, interestingly – each member representing an eye, perhaps, and all three albums are due on October 23rd. They are bound to be stuffed full of smoking hot stuff!
Seven Deadly Songs: End of Abyss – Astral Dreams
We’ll always be together, together in Astral Dreams! Sorry, I’m a relic from the arse end of the 20th Century and I simply couldn’t help myself. I also couldn’t help myself when it came to including a band from Finland.
It’s a rare week when we don’t have something superb from Suomi to offer you. This week, it’s the turn of progressive metallers End of Abyss, whose debut album, Escape to a New Empire, is out now via the always reliable Inverse Records.
Frankly, this song is worthy of inclusion on the basis of that incredible guitar solo alone. Also, they remind me a lot of their Norwegian neighbours, the mighty Green Carnation, which could never be a bad thing. We hope the end of the abyss will mark the beginning of a beautiful career for these fabulous Fins!
Seven Deadly Songs: Forbidden – Burning The Lungs of Earth
Any thematic continuity from a previous paragraph is entirely unintentional. Californian thrash metal veterans Forbidden are due to return on October 23rd with their self-titled sixth studio album, courtesy of BLKIIBLK Records, which is their first full-length release since 2010’s Omega Wave.
There is a melodiousness to this track that causes it to verge on power metal, thanks in no small part to the incredible vocals of Norman Skinner.
It’s as great a week for thrash as it is for stoner metal, with new releases to look forward to from Sweden’s Hostilia, whose second full-length album, The Curse of Khamun, is available courtesy of Hammerheart Records.
There’s also the third full-length album from Barcelona band Estertor. Evil Black Church is also available courtesy of Black Lion Records. I do hope they’re not talking about the Sagrada Familia. It’s a beautiful church!
Seven Deadly Songs: Litost – Tifón
Estertor aren’t the only Spanish band releasing an album this week. Tifón – Spanish for “typhoon” – offers us a tempestuous taste of Valencia band Litost’s blustery blend of black and death metal.
It whirls all around, wreaking devastation as it goes, much like the titular extreme weather conditions. It blows forth from their third full-length album Logos. This opulent opus will come via Art Gates Records.
For similar sonic blends, see the blackened death metal of Italy’s Obscura Qalma on Immortality Through Ashes, via Dusktone, and that of Pennsylvania’s Sathanas on Black Earth, courtesy of Moribund Records.
There’s also the progressive black/death metal of Norway’s Messier 16 on Shouts From The Cliffs of Heterodoxy, via Time to Kill Records, and the black/death metal of Aussies Sons of Erebus on the independently released Erebus. All are out on the 23rd except Erebus on the 24th.
Seven Deadly Songs: Savage Grace – On The Run
We’re taking you right back to the 1980s with our last selection. LA legends Savage Grace have been tearing it up for over four and a half decades, almost giving Tony Iommi a run for his money, though there was a hiatus from 1995 to 2010.
They’re a band whose sound has been described as speed metal previously, but this track at least is pure old-school hard rock, with a lot, and I do mean a lot, of lead guitar from Chris Logue.
It is taken from Underworld, which is actually only their fifth full-length album. (There was that hiatus I mentioned.) The album is available from October 23rd, courtesy of Back on Black.
They’ve clearly lost none of their energy over the decades, which is incredible. If I’d been operational since 1981, I sure as Hell wouldn’t be running. I must run now, however, so I’ll see you in seven for another seven.
Catch up on last week’s Seven Deadly Songs weekly weekly 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.
- 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:
Fail The Enemy Sandcastles EP Review: Gothic Synths Meet Alternative Metal
Album Review: Keep The Fire Burning by Mikey Ball and The Company
THE COLLAPSE OF A BITTER END ALBUM REVIEW: THE CARTOGRAPHER
Album Review: The Scars by LUGOSi
EP Review: Beyond The New Horizon by iAtlas
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