Road To Download 2014: Malevolence

Ahead of Malevolence's performance on the Saturday of Download next week, we caught up with frontman Alex Taylor to find out just how psyched they are to play Donington. And how excited they are to see Linkin Park.

So Alex, just how excited are you guys to be playing Download festival?

“We have been looking forward to it since the moment we were asked. We’ve all grown up watching videos of the festival and to finally be up there on the bill with bands like Linkin Park, Killswitch and Aerosmith is pretty crazy! We’re looking forward to seeing the response the crowd give us and how much carnage we can incite!”

How important is it to you to play the hallowed ground of Donington?

“I think for a band, especially UK bands, its something that you grow up wanting to do and something that you aim for. Its a massive opportunity play to a huge audience who wouldn’t necessarily have heard of us before and hopefully make an impression on people. It’s also something that in later years, I’ll be able to turn around to people and say ‘We’ve played Download!’ Not many people are able to say that.”

Who do you recommend to watch at Download this year?

“I think I can speak for the whole band when I say we recommend seeing Linkin Park, naturally, as Hybrid Theory and Meteora were albums that we all grew up listening to and still listen to now, so to finally be able to see them live is mint! I am also really looking forward to see Flint’s King 810. I first heard their Midwest Monsters EP about a year ago and their newest release (Proem) is hard as nails. Definitely worth checking out! There are also our friends in While She Sleeps on the main stage Saturday, Dying Fetus opening the main stage Saturday as well as Suicide Silence and Thy Art Is Murder on the Pepsi Max stage on Sunday.”

Condemned To Misery

Who is more metal out of the headliners Avenged Sevenfold, Linkin Park or Aerosmith?

“I’d say Linkin Park because I will probably be down the front pitting to them. Avenged have riffs to be fair and Aerosmith are great for the ballads, but I don’t think it matters too much when it comes to ‘who is more metal?’. I try and avoid genre debates. That stuff is for YouTube comments. Just listen to who you want and mosh to who you want.”

What is your best festival memory?

“My best festival memory is probably seeing Limp Bizkit smash the main stage at Leeds Festival in 2010. The crowd was crazy and the performance was spot on. Close behind that is seeing Hatebreed in a small tent at the same festival. They’re one of my favourite bands, and the whole set was absolutely mental!”

What are your three essential items to take to Download?

“Lager, a rubber dinghy, and Nivea Daily Essentials Refreshing Facial Cleansing Wipes”

What is the most metal thing you’ve ever done?

“I’m not sure to be honest, however our guitarist, Konan, once built a furnace at the bottom of his garden on a Sunday afternoon whilst we were having a BBQ and melted a bike frame down, just for fun. I’d say that is pretty fucking metal!”

Malevolence play the Red Bull Stage on the Saturday of Download. Get your tickets here.

Luke Morton joined Metal Hammer as Online Editor in 2014, having previously worked as News Editor at popular (but now sadly defunct) alternative lifestyle magazine, Front. As well as helming the Metal Hammer website for the four years that followed, Luke also helped relaunch the Metal Hammer podcast in early 2018, producing, scripting and presenting the relaunched show during its early days. He also wrote regular features for the magazine, including a 2018 cover feature for his very favourite band in the world, Slipknot, discussing their turbulent 2008 album, All Hope Is Gone.