A new era of Finnish metal arrives as the band unveil their most ambitious record yet, led by the single “Blood Diamond” and a cinematic shift in sound
by Paul Cashmere
Finnish metal band Lost Society have announced their forthcoming album, Hell Is A State Of Mind, due for release on March 6, 2026, via Nuclear Blast Records. Four years after the critical success of If The Sky Came Down, the Jyväskylä outfit return with what they describe as their most fearless and defining statement to date, a record that promises modern metal in its purest, most unrestrained form.
The announcement arrives alongside the album’s first official single, “Blood Diamond,” and a high-energy video that captures the band’s ferocious live presence. The track is positioned as a turning point in the album’s creative direction, shifting the band from straightforward metal aggression into a more cinematic and expansive sound.
For vocalist-guitarist Samy Elbanna, guitarist Arttu Lesonen, bassist Mirko Lehtinen, and drummer Tapani “Taz” Fagerström, Hell Is A State Of Mind represents the next logical step in a career built on rapid evolution. The band has remained restless since their formation in 2010, continually reinventing themselves while retaining the core intensity that first drew attention to their early work.
The album reunites Lost Society with long-term collaborator Joonas Parkkonen, who returns as producer, co-writer, and mixing engineer. Parkkonen’s involvement has been a constant through the band’s growth, and his influence is credited with guiding the record toward its more ambitious, orchestral textures. According to the band, the record’s trajectory shifted decisively when “Blood Diamond” evolved from a simple melody into a full-blown cinematic composition, complete with string-driven grandeur that expands the band’s sound beyond their earlier thrash-based foundations.
“I’m beyond excited to finally be able to announce our upcoming album and the new single off of it!” Elbanna said. “Lost Society sounds HEAVY in the year 2026, and you are all about to experience it first hand! I loved every moment of writing this album and especially preparing the story that I’m singing to you all, soon it will all be yours. Pre-order the album and blast out ‘Blood Diamond’ LOUD until your neighbours can’t take it anymore!”
The band’s trajectory has been one of deliberate transformation. Lost Society first gained attention in 2012 when they won the Finnish qualifying round of the Global Battle of the Bands, a contest organised by Nuclear Blast, and went on to perform in the London finals. That early momentum carried into their debut album Fast Loud Death in 2013, followed by Terror Hungry in 2014, which reached number six on the Finnish charts.
Their third album, Braindead (2016), marked a turning point as the band introduced groove metal and metalcore elements while moving away from the party-themed thrash of their early releases. By the time No Absolution arrived in 2020, Lost Society had fully embraced a more modern and melodic metalcore sound, incorporating death metal and nu metal influences. The band’s lyrical focus also shifted, exploring darker themes and social critique.
If The Sky Came Down, released in 2022, further refined that modern direction, blending metalcore, nu metal, and groove metal with themes of existential dread and personal turmoil. With Hell Is A State Of Mind, the band appear poised to take that evolution further, creating a record that aims to be as cinematic as it is aggressive.
The lineup remains stable and focused, with Elbanna and Lesonen sharing guitar duties and vocal roles, Lehtinen holding the low end, and Fagerström anchoring the band on drums. The band’s consistent lineup over the past decade has allowed them to develop a tight, cohesive sound that now seems ready to expand into broader sonic territory.
The release of “Blood Diamond” marks the beginning of a new chapter for Lost Society, one that suggests the band are no longer content to merely follow metal trends, but instead are determined to define their own.
Hell Is A State Of Mind is available for pre-order via Nuclear Blast Records.
Stay updated with your free Noise11.com daily music news email alert. Subscribe to Noise11 Music News here
Be the first to see NOISE11.com’s newest interviews and special features on YouTube. See things first—Subscribe to Noise11 on YouTube
Follow Noise11.com on social media:
Bluesky
Facebook – Comment on the news of the day
