REVIEW: Malevolence – Malicious Intent [2022]
I remember the first time I heard Malevolence, back in the day, as it were. At that time they were a young act erupting out of Sheffield, peddling a punishing amalgamation of beatdown hardcore and riff-heavy metalcore with their critically acclaimed debut record, Reign of Suffering. That was 2012, heading into 2013. Approximately one decade later, Malevolence are a different beast altogether. True—they’re still absolutely relentless—but they’ve transformed from a young, blossoming band into a robust and ruthless staple in the modern metalcore community. What’s more is that Malevolence went from a pioneering act in the UK’s “beatdown metalcore” (if there really is such a thing) scene to a perfectly aged and marvelously matured metal act. While they’ve still got more than their fair share of chunky breakdowns, Malevolence now happen to be the United Kingdom’s primary exporter of pure riffs. The result of this growth, refinement and, well, a lot of hard work is Malicious Intent, the band’s long-awaited third full length release. Malicious Intent is just that—malicious—and sees Malevolence explore elements of modern metal, murderously heavy metalcore and traditional thrash and melodic death metals both—among others. Here, the band are at their most sophisticated while simultaneously being at their most raw and unfiltered. What does that mean? It means that practically whatever song you’re listening to from Malicious Intent, you have a one-way ticket straight to riff city.
In the principles of common law and criminal culpability there are two chief elements: actus reus and mens rea—or the guilty act and the guilty mind. When it comes to the technically marvelous and gut-wrenchingly heavy that defines Malicious Intent, actus reus definitely seems to apply. Here, what Malevolence are chiefly guilty of happens to be pure musical misanthropy. The entirety of the release is built upon a firmament of monstrous percussion, with tracks “Life Sentence” and “Above All Else” serving as stellar examples. Sharp, cracking snare cuts through tidal waves of splashy cymbals and a cannon-like kick drum, which plods through “Do or Die” and it’s devastating breakdowns just as it rips through energetic metallic cuts like “On Broken Glass.” The depth and heft of the kick drum is amplified ten-fold by a low, rumbling bass that tethers razor-sharp riffs and lacerating leads to the band’s rich percussion. While the low end is full-bodied and engaging, make no mistake, it’s the perfect blend of thrash, metalcore and hardcore abundant in the band’s fretwork that truly sells Malevolence’s instrumentation. Malicious Intent is laden with examples of the band dominating with melancholic, looming leads (“On Broken Glass,” “Still Waters Run Deep”) and mosh-inducing barn burners (“Do or Die,” “Above All Else”) and everything in between. The group do an incredible job of maintaining diversity in their writing while still providing a cohesive feel to the fretwork throughout the entire release, keeping the listener firmly engrossed for its duration.
If the band’s instrumental element was actus reus, then the vocal component is most certainly a figurative mens rea. With an impressive range and lyrics that run the gamut from pure aggression to introspection, Malicious Intent is a chimera that capitalizes on the violent nature of Malevolence’s instrumentation to evoke fervor and fury within the listener. Malevolence boast a bold, ferocious roar that segues into both bitter bellows and beautiful, soaring singing—in many ways the same dynamic established on their recent three-track EP, but more refined and developed. Here, metallic hymns like “Still Waters Run Deep” walk in stride with “Karma” and “Do or Die,” retaining the band’s remarkable diversity. While there’s little question that Malevolence are at their best with ferocious screams and blistering yells, the band’s ability to include a variety of singing styles into a backbone of brutalizing, abrasive metal is absolutely noteworthy, and goes a long way to putting Malevolence well above their peers.
Between actus reus and mens rea, what you have with Malicious Intent is a criminally good record—pun intended. Drawing influence from a variety of styles, the band create a record that is a testament to their experience and dedication to all things aggressive. Defined by pummeling instrumentals, raw vocals and smooth, crisp production, the band’s latest effort is a remarkable testament to both growth and maturation within their style. On Malicious Intent, Malevolence continue to obliterate the conventional dividers between subgenres within heavy music while creating something that is truly, unapologetically barbaric.
9/10
For Fans Of: Desolated, Parkway Drive, Killswitch Engage, Knocked Loose
By: Connor Welsh
