THE RISE OF MALEVOLENCE TO UK METAL ICONS

Throughout more or less my entire time being involved in hardcore Malevolence have featured regularly, in one way or another. They have risen from UKHC (even though always very much a metal band) to an iconic international metal act, in a way I dont think anyone could have predicted despite their obvious talent and impeccable musicianship. 

The first time I caught Malevolence I was a teenager attending a show at Joseph's Well in Leeds (Acacia Strain, BWP, Martyr Defiled and about 70 other bands). Now to go watch them I'd maybe have to buy a ticket for Bloodstock to see them on mainstage. Having followed the journey closely I can safely say that they have been one of my most enjoyed/watched bands of the last 10-15 years. 

Having formed in school and all awesome musicians in their own right we should have, but could never have predicted what they are to become today. In tandem with playing amongst some real well known bands for violent crowd participation early on, Desolated, Heavy Hands, it felt like they offered something a little different. They were definitely falling into the vein of being one of the toughest bands in the UK while still holding tightly to the metal sound that has ultimately projected them to tours with Hatebreed, Thy Art is Murder, Trivium and Terror to name a few. Stark contrast from watching them play small club venues in Newcastle for example at the start. 

 

Early photo taken from https://www.dirtyskunks.org/bandinfo/malevolence.html (also an interesting read for the time) 

There had already been a two track featuring their re-recorded song 'Wraith' that was heavily on my radar but when the video for Serpents Chokehold release in the leadup to their debut record 'Reign of Suffering' it felt like something totally fresh for the UK in terms of HC/Metal. Capturing the attention now not only of the hardcore community but the wider metal audience.The singles to follow (Condemned to Misery and Eternal torment) featured notable performances such as Ghostfest 2013 and  displayed the DIY HC crew mentality / party vibe that had become so apparent in their early years perfectly. 

The debut album was perfect to be honest, their sound defined strongly with absolutely no skips and even what sounds like a Stampin Ground influenced track 'Turn to stone' which would be built on to define their success. Between this time and 2018 I witnessed them rip countless headline shows, each one as true to size as the other, always carnage, always unbelievably tight, always violent.

Between Reign of Suffering and Self Supremacy in 2017 saw Malev gain a hell of a lot of traction, while retaining their sound, they demonstrated on this record that their song writing had not only matured slightly but you could really start to hear them as we know them today. Touring Europe/Asia and establishing themselves as way more than just tough guy beatdown metal. 

These days Malevolence sound like a real metal band. Put together like an orchestra with some serious production value and thought that goes into every note. They’ve toured the globe , got a Nike sponsorship , designed amps , lived some of that tour bus life and have risen to being a true generational act that could destroy any stadium / festival stage. They haven’t lost what they were originally and have adapted into something much greater than your run of the mill metal band. 

If you managed to catch Malevolence in the early days do not take for granted how special it is to have seen this band rip in your hometown / in a small room / at a no barrier show with a tonne of hc bands. I feel blessed to have been there and when all is said and done and I’m old it’ll be interesting to look back on given their trajectory. Proud that these guys fly the flag for UK metal. 

Lights Out – Fall on your sword (2026) - REVIEW

Lights Out – Fall on your sword (2026)

Fall on your sword above all else has attitude, stays far away from the overproduced bullshit and hits right where you need it to. 

You're immediately made aware within the first two tracks that this band is for a sweaty dingy room and not for your corporate playlist and I say that in the best way possible. Its not trying to be too clever but purely because its got the style to back itself. Ultimately this project has a lot of grit in the teeth.  No excess, no distractions—just solid UKHC that does exactly what god intended. 

The first time I ever booked this band they had no music out and it was based entirely off of a glowing recommendation from a friend. Approx. a year on and that friend has put out their latest EP Fall on your Sword on a fresh Teesside label, Unit-E Records. Aside from the fact that this EP can run with the strongest its wicked to see the homie's team up here. 

Still to this day the best band I've ever witnessed in the hell hole that is Disgraceland (TS1) , some of the dopest guys on the planet and heavily, heavily slept on as we move into summer 2026. Go fuck with what they do before you regret that you didn't! Stream the full thing below. 

INTERVIEW WITH PRIMAL MEDIA

Words on violent participation at shows, root inspiration and bands that surprised them live with Joe from Primal Media. 

What is it about this sub/underground culture that really drew you towards it ? Is there any band or show you can note ?

Obviously the music comes first but secondary to it has to be just the culture of shows in general. Most people are friendly and regulars of hc shows understands the vibe so I feel it’s a great opportunity for people to just be themselves.

What turned that into eventually starting Primal Media ?

I’ve always loved filmmaking so as I imbedded my self more into the hardcore scene, through going to more shows and starting my own band. I just tried to see if I could combine the two really.

I think documentation in hc is super important at any level for the scene to continue to thrive and for people to look back on , what’s your take ?

I couldn’t agree more, I wouldn’t be shooting videos if I wasn’t influenced by people doing it before me. Even watching videos from like 20/25 years ago for inspiration.

Can you name a band that you’ve watched that really surprised you , and why ?

Headstone, mainly because I hadn’t listened to them before I filmed them at a show in Sheffield. Just an incredible band that I know are going to do big things. And Nelson street, just not what I was expecting before I listened to them but they just tick every box for me. Groove, riffs and unexpectedly heavy breakdowns. Incredible live band.

What have you got to say to people who believe that violent participation in hc is out of place and ‘ wouldn’t happen at a show if they were there ‘ ?

Get in the bin. Orrr, leave your ego at the door, take a backseat at a show and come to the conclusion that it’s not just people meeting up for a scrap. Talk to people, “most” people just want to have a good time.

Clockface - ST EP 2026 - REVIEW

Clockface - ST EP 2026

Clockface are a fresh band out of Chicago Illinois/Detroit that cite themselves as 'hardcore that sounds like hardcore' and I couldn't love that notion any more. 

They've been at it since 2024 and while their original demo maybe didn't make a wave on the wider scene I really think this EP is one that's worth its salt. There's no frills and no gimmicks here while keeping the quality levels high. 

As soon as I heard this EP I knew it was going to be one for me , and it didn't lose my attention throughout the entire project. 'Opposite and true' is a real hard hitter, its got the fast visceral start before snowballing into a breakdown that would bring you out of mosh retirement. 

This isnt a project that boasts a tough guy aesthetic and viewing the lyrics it manages to remain emotional while maintaining a certain level of stank face that every good HC project truly needs. 

'Blot' is probably my favorite track on this EP , the main riff being something indicative of an early NYHC banger or even comparable to some Combust material. This track shows that the clock has many faces and isn't confined to any boxes you would maybe put certain hardcore bands in. 

Its evident to see how hard this band have been working over the last couple of years from the amount of material they've put out and I think they've given themselves a massive platform to jump off of with this release. Would love to see them across the pond in the UK one day.

Check them out on Instagram @clockface_hc and check back in with this band, even if they don't blow the way I expect then well worth keeping up with either way. They're rocking with another one of my personal favorite's Jivebomb in Detroit on March 27th and I wish them the best of luck in the future. 

Break Them – To the Death (2026) - REVIEW

Break Them – To the Death (2026)

Straight away this record is giving UK’s answer to early Hatebreed/Smash Your Enemies. No peace for my enemies feels like a clenched fist militant anthem.

If you needed something to put the stomp in your step this record is for you. My favourite track across the EP is ‘Trench raid’ the mid track stomp section has got to be killer live and I am still yet to catch Break Them!! I think there’s a lot more to come from this band and have seen them and their team working hard for their local scene and surrounds for a number of years. The hard work is definitely paying off with this one! Go check out Break Them at the East Anglia takeover in Lincoln , hosted by Fenland hardcore on Friday the 10th of April.

Nylon – Single Shot (2026) - REVIEW BY @JDPROSHO

Nylon – Single Shot EP

Single Shot by Rhapsody favourite Sheffield Stormtroopers Nylon is exactly what it sounds like: fast, filthy, and fired straight from the wrist with no regard for recoil. It’s four tracks of pure Steel City chaos, an audio bruise that reminds you why Nylon are at the top of the Uk Hardcore tree.

Since their 2024 acclaimed Chariot of the Gods, Nylon have spent basically all of 2025 doing the touring equivalent of a triathlon — sprinting between cities, festivals and any space that will have them, including a couple of shows up in Teesside. Single Shot feels like a postcard from that road‑worn mission: battered, grimy, and absolutely vibrating with the adrenaline of dozens of shows’ worth of crowd‑kill energy.

Single Shot doesn’t waste time — or even acknowledge the idea of time. From the first snare crack, Nylon come in swinging like they’re trying to shake the rafters of whatever building you’re listening in. Their signature cocktail of brutish punk aggression and chugging, hardcore breakdowns remains fully intact, only now it’s been marinated in endless tour miles and shows a band shaped by their experiences out on the road.

The guitars scrape and grind with that classic UKHC grit — like a rusted buzzsaw held together with duct tape. The rhythm section sounds one minor inconvenience away from full structural collapse, what’s interesting about Single Shot, though, is the subtle shift beneath the carnage. Nylon are letting melody seep into the cracks of their sound — not via any singalong hooks, but in the sense that something more expansive is bubbling under the surface of the chaos.

If this EP is a pulse check on where they’re heading for 2026, the outlook is wild: bigger ideas, bigger swings, and possibly the most melodic direction they’ve attempted yet. Just South Yorkshire hardcore at its rowdiest, and a warning shot for what they’ve got cooking over the next year.

Eight minutes. Four tracks. Zero pretension.

Written by @jdprosho

Indigo Ice – No Closure (2026) - REVIEW BY @JDPROSHO

Indigo Ice – No Closure

Indigo Ice’s new offering No Closure arrives like a steel‑toed boot to the temple; it’s seven tracks of mathcore‑meets‑deathcore chaos.

A kind of sonic panic attack that acts as a phenomenal follow up to their 2023 record Phantom Limb which flirted with the established rules of the genre, whilst No Closure is the moment the band snaps those rules over their knee. This is Indigo Ice doubling down on their own identity — less mimicry, more mutation.

It’s still recognizably mathcore, yes, but now it feels like they’ve redrawn the blueprint in their own image entirely.

The first thing that hits you is the drumming — Spencer Brown’s fast, pounding, borderline‑cardiac rhythms form the backbone of the album. His kit might as well be a tectonic plate, everything else violently shifting around it. Each blast beat sounds like it’s trying to escape its body.

Then there’s Cliff Aubut, who doesn’t so much provide vocals as he does exorcise whatever demons lay deep within. His screeches and guttural screams feel physically unsafe, like they were recorded in violation of several workplace safety regulations.

Hovering above and occasionally detonating beneath everything is Mike James, whose multi‑instrumental contributions feel like he’s speed‑running a lifetime of musical training in real time. He shifts between twiddly intricacy and blunt‑force deathcore with the confidence of someone who has nothing left to prove and no concerns about whether your speakers survive.

“Death Diva” is the show-stealer — a writhing, concussive onslaught that grabs your nervous system by the shoulders and screams directly into its face. 

“Progenial Martyrdom” and “Your Celestial Drift” are other stand out tracks with heavy breakdowns and enough traditional hardcore DNA to satisfy the old heads looking for something familiar to lose themselves in. These tracks keep the record tethered to the genre’s roots, even as Indigo Ice gleefully shreds the rulebook.

No Closure is a short, savage, deeply considered assault that will satisfy fans of Car Bomb and Johnny Booth equally. It marks Indigo Ice not just as mathcore disciples but as innovators ready to carve their own serrated path forward.

Written by @jdprosho