There’s something magnetic about a band that makes you sweat and swing fists before you even know their discography. That was my introduction to Malevolence at Brutal Assault 2023, a relentless, sun-scorched set that carved out one of the weekend’s most vicious moshpits. The Sheffield-based bruisers didn’t just play; they dominated, and with “Where Only The Truth Is Spoken”, they’ve captured that same furnace-forged energy in the studio.
This is their fourth full-length, recorded at Dave Grohl’s Studio 606 and produced by Josh Wilbur. It wastes no time in establishing its tone: raw, heavy, and convincingly live. The production doesn’t aim for slickness; it aims for presence. The drums don’t feel layered; they feel played. The riffs don’t shimmer, they punch. It’s a record built to feel like you’re front-row, half-submerged in adrenaline and volume.
Malevolence have long straddled the line between metalcore and straight-up metal, but this time they’ve tightened the leash and let it snap. Massive breakdowns serve as connective tissue between breakneck aggression and sludgy stomp, particularly in tracks like “If It’s All The Same To You.” But instead of falling into predictable genre tropes, the songwriting keeps shifting, but with purpose. “Counterfeit” is a masterclass in that balance: it opens with menacing distortion and ghostly vocals before crashing into a groove that practically dares you not to move.
What sets this album apart from its predecessors is the clarity beneath the chaos. Even the heaviest moments, like the spiraling intensity of “So Help Me God.”, never muddy the individual instruments. Every snare crack, every pick scrape is accounted for, giving each member room to breathe in the mix without diluting the impact. It’s a rare feat, and a testament to both the band’s evolution and Wilbur’s production.
One of the album’s most memorable peaks comes with “In Spite,” featuring Randy Blythe of Lamb of God. It’s a scathing tribute to ’90s US hardcore thrash, delivered with all the venom and reverence you’d expect. But even without marquee features, the band proves they can carry weight on their own.
This is more than just a solid album – it’s a statement. Malevolence have leveled up without losing their edge, stepping into the upper tier of modern heavy music with confidence and grit. Where Only The Truth Is Spoken doesn’t reinvent the wheel, but it does make sure that wheel is rolling over everything in its path.
More than anything, it makes you want to see them again. To sweat, to scream, to feel the floor quake beneath your boots. Because when a band manages to sound this real on record, you know what’s coming live will be something to remember.