Malevolence

British quintet Malevolence fuse sludgy metal with brutal metallic hardcore in a manner that sidesteps the clichés of the metalcore genre. After steadily accumulating experience on the underground circuit, the group secured a contract with Nuclear Blast ahead of issuing their third full-length, Malicious Intent, in 2022.

Although the band took official shape in Sheffield, England, during 2010 upon vocalist Alex Taylor’s arrival, guitarists Josh Baines and Konan Hall had already been playing shows together under the Malevolence name since primary-school days in 2004, when both were only twelve. Bassist Wilkie Robinson and drummer Charlie Thorpe completed the lineup. Beginning in their hometown circuit, the musicians gradually expanded their following. Their debut album, Reign of Suffering, appeared on Siege of Amida in 2013 and earned widespread critical praise, which translated into European support slots the next year with Obey the Brave and Dying Fetus. American dates followed in 2016, and the second album, Self Supremacy, surfaced via BDHW in 2017. Further road work included runs alongside Despised Icon, Misery Signals, and Darkest Hour, plus a 2018 appearance at Download Festival. In 2019 the members established their own imprint, MLVLTD, and constructed a dedicated rehearsal facility to increase artistic autonomy. The 2020 EP The Other Side introduced more progressive arrangements and introspective passages. They returned to Download in 2021. After several friends died by suicide amid the COVID-19 pandemic, Taylor began publicly championing men’s mental health, especially within the often-reticent hardcore community. Nuclear Blast announced its partnership with the band in 2022; Malicious Intent arrived later that year, representing the quintet’s most refined work to date by incorporating clearer melodic elements and broader appeal while its lyrics emphasized positivity and self-worth. Guest contributions came from Trivium’s Matt Heafy and Kublai Khan’s Matt Honeycutt.