Malevolence – Where Only the Truth Is Spoken Review

From the press release we got this, huh, let’s call it statement:

‘Lyrically, “Where Only The Truth Is Spoken” reflects the principles that Malevolence have lived by since day one—honesty, loyalty, and integrity. These are not just themes woven into the album but values the band holds in their personal and professional lives. This record doesn’t deal in facades or empty gestures; it’s an unfiltered expression of the struggles, victories, and unshakable brotherhood that have carried them this far.’

Hmm, at first sight very cool. I love bands with an agenda, moreover, I love bands that tell a story. Bands that put their lives into their music because, from where I am standing, they are both inseparable. Metal music is about life, about the struggles of life and all the emotions in-between. Metal music captures them very well musically. Ok, then, so let’s listen to the album and see if it makes justice to the words up here.

Ok, then, this is the first Malevolence album I review, I mean, the first Malevolence album I listen to whatsoever. Well, first of all, my first impression was their music to be very near Pantera’s without the awesome guitar solos what gives it a harder knocking feeling as one of the concepts of this music is to hammer down one’s head. That is why “Where Only the Truth Is Spoken” gives the fan a headache, but it is the good headache due to the violent audial tapestry the album emanates. Musicwise, interestingly, it is the bass that gives the core of this kind of sound by a constant pounding that sounds to be hammering the fan’s head. In general, guitar leads break this feeling giving a somewhat more melodic verve, even though I don’t believe this is not the real intent. The low guitar’s tones help a lot with this feeling. If one thinks it carefully, this is also a kind of statement because the band is playing the music that they really believe in all senses.

Second of all, Malevolence gave their songs a monolythic cadence as they seem to be evolving very slowly to reach their peak. Most times they do not reach a peak at all. This is because they evolve at the same pace without any ups or downs as “If It’s All The Same To You” does. This reinforces the good headache feeling and the idea of the constant punching.

“Where Only the Truth Is Spoken” commences with “Blood To The Leech” which pretty sums up what my dear child of the night might find in the album. It’s all there, the hard punching, the pungent low tuned guitars, the hammering bass, and the very intricate blast beats. Following track “Trenches” somehow passes the idea of being in a muddy iced trench under heavy artillery fire. It is possible to fell all the anguish a soldier would feel. Great music has this power. As I said before, the lack of any kind of melody reinforces the hammering heads feeling even though the guitars are a tiny bit more melodic here with some licks here and there. There is also a, uh, ballad called “Salt The Wound“ that is exactly what the tittle says, salt on the wound. Everybody who has ever had the feeeling knows what I am talking about.

The best thing about “Where Only the Truth Is Spoken” is the it passes the all emotions the tracks tell in the tittles. Hard emotions, but true ones. If “Where Only the Truth Is Spoken” were a talk, it would be that difficult one.

Malevolence “Where Only the Truth Is Spoken” will be released on June 20th via Nuclear Blast Records.

Track Listing:

1. Blood To The Leech
2. Trenches
3. If It’s All The Same To You
4. Counterfeit
5. Salt The Wound
6. So Help Me God
7. Imperfect Picture
8. Heavens Shake
9. In Spite (feat. Randy Blythe)
10. Demonstration Of Pain
11. With Dirt From My Grave

Watch “Salt the Salt” official music video here: