Deadlands Have Unleashed Their Deadly New EP SEVEN to the World

Ever heard of the seven deadly sins? Well they have come in the form of seven deadly tracks from up and coming metalcore band Deadlands hailing from Long Island, New York, who have unleashed their brand new EP SEVEN. This band has become probably one of the hottest rising bands in this scene with lead vocalist Kasey Karlsen captivating vocals changing the game in the metalcore scene.

Deadlands has been gaining speed with their music being able to combine the metalcore aggression sound with beautiful clean vocals, melodic synths with some trap elements and those traditional heavy breakdowns that are breaking the genre stereotype. With Karlsen’s unique social media engagement on TikTok and Instagram, she is able to amplify the band’s reach organically. The band has played notable festivals like Louder Than Life and Aftershock and has opened for multiple bands like Motionless in White, August Burns Red and Set It Off.

Their new EP Seven, released via Spinefarm Records, revolves around the theme of the seven deadly sins: Pride, Greed, Gluttony, Lust, Envy, Sloth and Wrath. Each song on the EP vividly personifies one of the deadly sins giving the album a thematic depth and raw emotion that gives you chills when hearing each song.

Starting with the opening track “Villain” representing the sin of Pride, you immediately get hit with a haunting synth layer and Karlsen’s vocals adding to the eerie sound. The pounding drums and the fierce screams just have you headbanging the entire time you are listening to the song. Lyrically tells you the story of the narrator flipping the script of their oppressor and embarrassing your inner villain. Using imagery like in the lines “You’re the villain// You’re a serpent in disguise//Cause you’re killing me//I can’t see a glint of mercy in your eyes” gives you the perfect description of someone holding you back and not caring that its hurting you showing no mercy. Throughout the song, you are hearing how the narrator is slowly using the oppressor’s pride as their downfall in that second verse: “I’m not the cause of your problems// But I’ll be front row for your downfall// I’ve set the trap, planned the attack// kingdom collapse”. When that bridge/breakdown came in it was all over. “Now the script is flipped// I’ll slice and dice until you say you quit// With your head on a stick, you’ll know that// I’m your villain”. Overall this was a great track to introduce the EP, that not only shows a great story but the versatility that Karlsen’s vocal ranges from melodic clean vocals to those heavy growls and screams.

With tracks like “Die In Paradise” and “MORE!” tackling the sins of Greed and Gluttony, you are getting those industrial/deathcore tinges and crushing breakdowns that make these tracks a bit more heavier. “Die In Paradise” zeroes in on the destructive pull of greed-wanting more than one deserves or can sustain. In “MORE!”, it captures the insatiable hunger, not just literally but emotionally. That compulsive need to want more attention, validation or power. These songs go hand in hand perfectly telling the qualities of each sin.

Lust is a sin that is so toxic that it leads to obsession, dependency and emotional manipulation that makes “Limbo” the perfect track to describe this toxic desire. Karlsen’s vocals are very alluring and siren-like that puts you in that trance-like state. With lyrics like “I fell for your temptation// I’ll lie in your damnation// I’’l die a thousand times// If you would just be mine”, shows the torment of lust into illusion. Karlsen’s delivery shifts between pleading, bitterness and rage showing the complexity of emotion in the song. This song is very guitar heavy, adding a floating, uneasy mood like if you were stuck in limbo. There is so much depth and layers to this song from being intense to melodic, emotional but still aggressive that makes this song so relatable to anyone who struggles with any toxic relationship that has shifted from love to obsession.

Probably one of my personal tracks on the EP, “Kundalini”, featuring powerhouse duo The Pretty WIld, blends metalcore, hip-hop, and nu-metal into one of the most genre-breaking tracks on the album. The combination of clean vocals to powerful growls and screams blending perfectly with the rap verses in the song. It pushes the boundaries of what metalcore can be. The song channels Envy not just as jealousy, but as an identity crisis giving a much deeper meaning to the song. The bridge portion of the song is one of my favorite breakdowns from this entire EP with lyrics like “Rip the scales from my face, put myself in your place, got a problem with it?// Bite me// Fucking bite me” and “I got too close, then green eyes swallowed me whole// My ego decomposed, down to the bones exposed” shows how unhinge someone can be.

When it came to listening to “Wither”, this was just a straight banger of a song. The song embodies the sin of Sloth in a different way than it traditionally is interpreted as. Normally when you think of sloth, you imagine someone being lazy, but the message given in “Wither” is more in the form of the music than the lyrics. This song is much heavier and slower pace with heavy drums and sludgy breakdowns plus those guttural screams just make this one of those perfect songs to be throwing hands down in the pit. “Wither” is a sludgy, haunting meditation on emotional paralysis. A powerful sonic portrayal of Sloth—not as idleness, but as the aching weight of being too empty to fight.

“While you fall apart, I’ll disregard// And watch your house of cards go tumble tenfold” is a line that sticks to me every time I hear “House of Cards”. This is the embodiment of Wrath and just being fed up and releasing out that anger that was kept in. With the double kick drumming and jagged guitar riffs plus Karlsen’s insane vocal talent from clean to throat-shredding vocals reflect that foundations built on lies, guilt, and trauma will ultimately collapse under pressure. Where all the sins come together to combust in one final breakdown, this song was a great one to end the story.

SEVEN is an intense, thematic journey—boasting crushing breakdowns, unforgettable melodies, introspective storytelling, and a cohesive yet multifaceted musical identity. Deadlands is a band that you definitely want to check out if you’re a fan of bands like Motionless in White, Spiritbox, and Bring Me the Horizon. Truly an incredible band that is working their way to the top.