Metalcore heavyweights Malevolence have returned with new single Trenches.
The song is the Sheffield aggressors’ first new music since their third album Malicious Intent dropped in 2022. It’s produced by superstar metal producer Josh Wilbur (Korn, Trivium, Gojira, Lamb Of God, etc.) and, according to the band, serves as a reminder of their hardcore roots as they ascend the ranks of the metal scene.
Singer Alex Taylor comments: “Trenches is possibly the most aggressive, ignorant and direct song we have ever written. Over the last few years, we’ve been playing more in the commercial metal circuit at festivals and arenas, so we wanted to take this opportunity to remind people that we still haven’t lost sight of where we came from.”
He also explains the themes of the single. “The lyrics are a declaration of not needing validation or approval, and a rejection of those who never supported the journey but only show their face when you achieve some level of success.”
Following the release of Malicious Intent in 2022, Malevolence toured with such metal heroes as Trivium, While She Sleeps, Five Finger Death Punch, Lamb Of God, Mastodon and Sylosis. They also performed at such festivals as Download and Bloodstock Open Air.
A wall-to-wall moshpit that they started at London’s Hammersmith Apollo went viral in January 2023. A week later, Taylor told Metal Hammer: “I’m surprised that it took so long for one of our pits to go viral, because we’ve been doing this for the last two years. It’s sick that it got the attention it did, but we did it at Ally Pally, Download and Bloodstock. It’s become a thing: that part in the Malevolence set where you get your steps in! Ha ha ha!”
Hammer attended Malevolence’s set on the main stage of Bloodstock Open Air this year, where they broke a festival record for number of crowd-surfers, and awarded it a glowing four-and-a-half-star review. Journalist Stephen Hill said the band were “unquestionably ready for the big time”.
Malevolence say Trenches is a standalone single and haven’t announced album four yet. However, Taylor said in an interview with Bloodstock this spring that the band are recording their next record with Wilbur in the US.
