Ever since ‘Walk’ came crashing into the public eye in 1993, groove metal has been begging one question: just how far can bands push that ‘badass’ aesthetic before it backfires on them? It’s a line Lamb of God have been treading for years, and one that seems to bite Machine Head every other album cycle— now in 2025, rising stars Malevolence are once again aiming to be the most all-American group since Pantera (ironic, given that the band hail from Sheffield). New record ‘Where Only The Truth Is Spoken’ is certainly bloodthirsty, bashing its way through more brutal breakdowns and gnarly riffs than you can shake a stick at: the group certainly make their mark on groove metal, even if their attempts can be hilariously overblown.

Malevolence treat this new album (as they do ever release) like it’s just short-changed them for a beer: that is, the band are royally p*ssed off. The five-piece thrive in unforeseen levels of aggression and malice, doing absolutely everything they can to beat the listener into submission over the course of these eleven tracks. Alex Taylor sounds positively monstrous at all times, resembling the most unhinged football fan you could ever be unlucky enough to share a stadium with: even his clean vocals carry with them a snarl of contempt on tracks like ‘If It’s All The Same To You,’ while his harsher deliveries go right for the jugular. The rest of the band aren’t lagging behind either— ‘Where Only The Truth Is Spoken’ comes at you thick and fast, with Josh Baines and Konan Hall unleashing all-manner of guitar-driven torment.

There’s very little reprieve to be found here, aside from the ballad-adjacent ‘Salt The Wound’— Malevolence aim to live up to their name, slamming you with wave after wave of skull-crushing fury. The band display a far greater focus on technicality than most groove metal acts, sprinting their way through some jaw-dropping riffs: opener ‘Blood To The Leech’ showcases just how far the band are pushing things, though the energy and aggression remain until the very final moments of ‘With Dirt From My Grave.’ Malevolence seem incapable of exhaustion on ‘Where Only The Truth Is Spoken,’ blazing their way through both dazzling solos (see the wondrous lead work in ‘Counterfeit’) and imposing breakdowns (like the obliterating force of ‘Demonstration of Pain’). There’s a weight to the group’s sound that’s simply intoxicating— hell, Randy Blythe of Lamb of God slots into the project seamlessly— fitting well against the odd moment of melody: the hooks of ‘In Spite’ and the aforementioned ‘If It’s All The Same To You’ are some of the most memorable moments the album has to offer.

As even groove metal legends have had to learn though, sheer force of will can only get you so far: upon reflection, ‘Where Only The Truth Is Spoken’ proves itself to be a disappointingly hazy affair. We’d defy fans to tell the blood-curdling screams and savage riffs of tracks like ‘So Help Me God,’ ‘Imperfect Picture’ and ‘Heavens Shake’ apart— each track is enjoyable on its own, but grows increasingly monotonous and stale as the album winds its way to its conclusion. The fourth Malevolence album is not lengthy, but it’s sure to exhaust you nonetheless: a greater focus on melodic hooks and diverse songwriting might’ve gone a long way here, though it’s difficult to criticise Malevolence for suffering from the genre’s usual pitfalls. Every track here is an exercise in musical brutality: for many, that will surely be enough.

It’s in its lyrical content that ‘Where Only The Truth Is Spoken’ crosses the line into parody: Taylor and company seek to prove they’re the meanest, toughest band out there, and they’re trying just a little too hard to do so. There are only so many ways you can promise someone a thorough beating— Malevolence execute on them all, only to repeat them again and again across the record.

“Everybody's always looking for a handout

Who the f*ck are you?

Never fu*cking heard of you

Something's changed in me

And now my eyes can see

We're still f*cking enemies”

There are moments where the band step out from underneath this shadow of arrogance, like the jabs at authoritarianism on ‘Demonstration Of Pain:’ in practice though, these are only brief diversions. The anti-social rhetoric Malevolence are spouting fits the album, sure, and is largely inoffensive, but it does contribute to the feeling that the record is trying desperately to prove itself as an important and imposing force in modern metal. In all honesty, the group might benefit from stripping their lyrics back a little for future releases— as is, the LP’s messaging is forgettable at best, and distracting at worst.

“Born into chaos and raised on neglect

Fed from birth with a burnt silver spoon

Still crying out for help

Only the walls talk back to you”

‘Where Only The Truth Is Spoken’ does exactly what you’d want it to: it’s big, it’s fast, it hits like a truck and doesn’t stop to check that you’re alright. Malevolence may be the premier groove metal act in 2025, delivering some truly cutthroat riffs and diabolical breakdowns— beyond that, there just isn’t much to say. The band have yet to prove themselves as interesting songwriters, instead relying on pure aggression to see them through: if that sounds appealing to you, then you really can’t go wrong with Malevolence.