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.
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