Malevolence Crush Stay Gold: Sheffield's Finest Bring the Ruckus to Brunswick by Mark Jenkins. Pics by Dan Mckay.

Stay Gold, Brunswick – May 28, 2025

There's something beautifully unhinged about watching a room full of punters lose their absolute minds to some proper heavy music on a Wednesday night. Sheffield's Malevolence rolled into Stay Gold like a wrecking ball wrapped in feedback, and what followed was two hours of pure, sweaty chaos that reminded everyone why underground venues are the lifeblood of extreme music.

Fresh off the back of their Australian tour circuit, these lads weren't here to fuck about. Alex Taylor prowled the cramped stage like a caged animal, that familiar Yorkshire growl cutting through the venue's perpetual haze of beer and anticipation. From the moment they kicked into opener Malicious Intent, it was clear this wasn't going to be one of those polite nod-along gigs. The pit opened up immediately—a proper circle of destruction that had the venue's floorboards creaking under the weight of flying bodies.

The Sound of Controlled Violence

What sets Malevolence apart from the endless parade of breakdown merchants clogging up festival bills is their understanding of dynamics. Sure, they can pummel you into submission with the best of them, but they know when to pull back, when to let a riff breathe before smashing your face in again. Josh Baines' guitar work was particularly vicious tonight—those signature grooves hitting like sledgehammers wrapped in barbed wire, each note perfectly placed for maximum pit carnage.

The setlist leaned heavily on Malicious Intent and newer material from Where Only The Truth Is Spoken, with Self Supremacy getting the biggest reaction of the night. When that breakdown hit, even the bar staff stopped pouring pints to watch the madness unfold. It's rare to see a crowd this unified in their desire to completely lose their shit.

That said, when the band ventured into their more melodic territory—particularly during Higher Place—things got a touch... well, cheesy. Not their fault entirely; it's hard to sell emotional vulnerability when you've just spent twenty minutes encouraging people to kick each other in the head. The ballad-like moments felt like awkward intermissions between the real business of causing grievous bodily harm through rhythm.

Support That Actually Supported

Before the main event, Newcastle's heavy kings Splinter reminded everyone why the Australian underground scene continues to punch above its weight. These guys brought genuine fire to their thirty-minute slot, serving up a blend of hardcore aggression and metalcore precision that had early arrivals properly warmed up. 

Their frontman worked the small crowd like a seasoned pro, building energy for what was to come. Unfortunately missed Gravitate due to real-world responsibilities and admin issues from the venue (the eternal struggle of the working music writer), but word from the locals was they brought the noise appropriately.

The Venue, The Vibe, The Verdict

Stay Gold despite being very local to me is not my fave venue with it's weird packed in floor layout—but often for international touring bands, the magic happens. The intimacy meant every feedback squeal felt personal, every crowd surge pushed you closer to the action. This is how heavy music should be experienced: up close, uncomfortable, and utterly cathartic.

By the time the final note rang out and the crowd stumbled blinking into the Brunswick night, sweat-soaked and grinning like idiots, it was clear Malevolence had delivered exactly what was promised: an honest-to-god heavy music experience. No gimmicks, no bullshit, just five blokes from Sheffield proving that sometimes the best nights happen in the smallest rooms.

In a year already stuffed with arena spectacle and festival compromise, nights like this remind you why you fell in love with heavy music in the first place. Essential.

Malevolence has finished their Australian dates through June. Support your local venues, support real music, and for fuck's sake, support each other in the pit.

THANKS TO JOHN FROM NUCLEAR BLAST FOR THE ACCESS.

ALL THINGS MALEVOLENCE:

https://linktr.ee/malevolenceriff

GET SPLINTERED:

https://www.facebook.com/splinter.hcbd

AND ALSO SUPPORT GRAVITATE:

https://www.instagram.com/gravitatemhc/