Sheffield metalcore band Malevolence is currently embroiled in an unusual conflict with the UK’s National Trust, a nature and conservation charity. The charity reportedly compelled Malevolence‘s label, Nuclear Blast, to remove the music video for their latest single, “Salt The Wound,” from YouTube, citing a lack of permission for filming on properties featured in the video.
Malevolence maintains that the “Salt The Wound” video was created as a celebration of their local heritage. Vocalist Alex Taylor had previously commented on the video’s scope, stating: “The video was entirely shot in Sheffield and the surrounding areas.” He elaborated on the inspiration, noting, “From the industrial depths of Sheffield, a 900-year-old ruined Abbey, to a perfect sunrise over some of the incredible hills of Derbyshire, there is some incredible scenery in the north of the UK which we sometimes take for granted, so this song felt like the perfect opportunity to showcase some of that.”
However, the National Trust seemingly disagreed with this artistic endeavor. In a statement released by the band, Malevolence claimed they were met with threats of legal action, and that attempts by their team to resolve the situation were rejected.
The band’s full statement expressed their frustration: “SADLY OUR LATEST VIDEO FOR ‘SALT THE WOUND’ HAS BEEN FORCIBLY REMOVED FROM THE NUCLEAR BLAST YOUTUBE CHANNEL DUE TO THREATS OF LEGAL ACTION MADE BY @nationaltrust.”
“APPARENTLY PRETENDING TO PLAY THE GUITAR FOR A COUPLE OF HOURS ON A PUBLIC PATH THAT THOUSANDS OF TOURISTS WALK UP EVERY SINGLE DAY IS A CRIMINAL OFFENCE WORTH PURSUING. ATTEMPTS WERE MADE BY OUR TEAM TO FIND A RESOLUTION FOR THE SITUATION, WHICH HAVE BEEN ENTIRELY REFUSED. THE VIDEO IS A CELEBRATION OF WHERE WE COME FROM AND WE’RE PROUD OF WHAT WE MADE.”
“FORTUNATELY…. SOMEONE HAS ANONYMOUSLY UPLOADED A VERSION TO BACK TO YOUTUBE.. YOU CAN WATCH IT NOW AT THE LINK IN OUR BIO THANK YOU ALWAYS FOR THE SUPPORT.”
In a show of support for Malevolence, the “Salt The Wound” video has since been anonymously re-uploaded to YouTube by a channel named “Trust Issues.” Vocal supporters of the band have also been criticizing the National Trust’s actions in comments on the charity’s recent social media posts. Metal Hammer has reportedly reached out to the National Trust for their perspective on the matter.
Despite this unforeseen setback, Malevolence is pushing forward with the release of their fourth album, Where Only The Truth Is Spoken, which is due out on June 20. To celebrate the album’s arrival, the band has scheduled a series of special release events across the UK, including in-store appearances and acoustic performances. Following these, Malevolence will embark on their biggest UK headline shows to date in November, performing at Manchester’s O2 Victoria Warehouse and London’s Brixton Academy.
Upcoming UK Release Events include:
- Jun 20: Think Tank, Newcastle
- Jun 21: Sheffield (details unreleased)
- Jun 22: HMV Vault, Birmingham (acoustic)
- Jun 23: The Exchange, Bristol
- Jun 24: Joiners, Southampton
- Jun 25: Jacaranda, Liverpool
- Jun 26: Resident, Brighton (acoustic)
