Review MALEVOLENCE “Where Only the Truth is Spoken”

I first noticed Malevolence back in 2023. This was when the band opened for Heaven Shall Burn. One year later, they went on tour with While She Sleeps and 2025 is the year their new studio album will be released.

Malevolence formed in 2010 in Sheffield, England, and unleashed their debut album, “Reign of Suffering”, in 2013. Their new album, “Where Only the Truth is Spoken”, is the band’s fourth full-length release and features eleven intense metalcore tracks. A consistent line-up allows the Brits to evolve quickly, a quality that resonates in each of the tracks on the new records.

Malevolence play raw and spot-on metalcore with mighty breakdowns and harsh riff power. Songs like “If It’s All the Same to You” are a prime example of their aggressive musical approach, which always incorporates melodic elements.

While generally spoken, the band works on refining their musical expression, and the album also features two songs that are different. One is “Salt the Wounds”, which, in a broader sense, is a kind of ballad. It features extended acoustic instrumentation and clean vocals. Some outbursts remind us that we are dealing with a metalcore band, yet the song deviates from the usual pattern. This is further evidence that Malevolence has the capacity to perform a wider range of vocalisations than simply shouting and growling. This wider approach to music fits perfectly into the context of the album.

‘In Spite’, however, is a pulsating metalcore song featuring a guest musician. This roaring piece is given an extra twist by Randy Blythe, the frontman of Lamb of God, who adds some vocals. “Imperfect Picture” is another noteworthy song, as it maintains a steady pace and contributes to the overall flow of “Where Only Truth is Spoken”. Malevolence does not solely rely on blistering speed and furious riff attacks. They use their toolkit to add versatility to the album with the thunderous blastbeat moments being present too. The up-tempo closer, ‘With Dirt From My Grave’, sees the band place a massive song at the end of their latest release, showcasing their roots.

“Where Only Truth is Spoken” is a very powerful metalcore album that shows the variety of this extreme genre. Eleven songs have strong, memorable riffs, excellent hooks and are skilfully crafted. This release is a next step for the band. It will help them climb up the ladder to success.