The Malefic Grip are a Bristol based Industrial, Sludge and Doom Metal band made up of bassist/vocalist Liam Wolf and guitarist/backing vocalist Helen Kinsella. They formed as a four-piece band back in 2015, overtime they released an EP, a smattering of singles before reconvening in the heat of the pandemic as a two-piece and subsequently releasing their debut full-length album in 2021, Yesterday’s Problems, Today! In December of 2024 they bring us their new vision with their appropriately titled EP, Virtue and Industry.
Track one, A Nice Guy immediately drops us into a world under siege with an interlude that sounds like aliens conquering a busy city and spying on very personal conversations between innocent bystanders. Featuring rising and falling synthesizers, bursts of sonic noise and a backward Jazz drum solo as a spaceship chugs along to make its landing.
Going into track two, Death By A Thousand Cunts we have an anthem which has a gun where the barrel is pointed directly at all of our “glorious” bullhead politicians that have come and gone over the past few decades. As cutting as humanly possible Liam and Helen’s guitar and bass combo is tied together at the hip with a scratching sound that is like viciously ripping feathers off of a poor chicken.
Track one, A Nice Guy immediately drops us into a world under siege with an interlude that sounds like aliens conquering a busy city and spying on very personal conversations between innocent bystanders. Featuring rising and falling synthesizers, bursts of sonic noise and a backward Jazz drum solo as a spaceship chugs along to make its landing.
Going into track two, Death By A Thousand Cunts we have an anthem which has a gun where the barrel is pointed directly at all of our “glorious” bullhead politicians that have come and gone over the past few decades. As cutting as humanly possible Liam and Helen’s guitar and bass combo is tied together at the hip with a scratching sound that is like viciously ripping feathers off of a poor chicken.
The drum machine carries on the spacey vibes from the previous interlude feeling like a ray gun destroying everything in its path before Kinsella erupts with a shattering vocal hook of “WINNER FAKES IT ALL” which is screamed from the top of the tallest building before both members of The Malefic Grip come to a point of agreement, blaming these ass holes in there comfortable offices for its all their thought, Death By A Thousand Cunts!
Now this song takes this thunderous repetition to another level entirely for their not only making a point but instrumentally out of nowhere, pulling the rug beneath us as they were teasing to a beautiful melodic bridge from 2:25 to 3:00. This doesn’t only feel like a shout out to classic Stoner Witch era Melvins but also a calling out to the gaping crater left by a meteor that is the 1998 Queens Of The Stone Age debut album with the song You Would Know. Death By A Thousand Cunts is beautiful and is my favourite song on this EP, not only that but one the best songs that I’ve heard this year!
At track three we have Unnatural Selection which was on their debut EP, Sludge, Fury And Executioner but here on Virtue And Industry, it has been re-grown from the rotten soil of the earth. In the first few seconds we hear a siren as generals are gathered in their masses as a countdown takes place and we brace for nuclear war. Everything about this song screams anxiety to me with Helen’s guitar work having a sinking feeling as it drowns in blood as Liam’s vocals are hiding in the shadows, pretending that they aren’t there.
At track three we have Unnatural Selection which was on their debut EP, Sludge, Fury And Executioner but here on Virtue And Industry, it has been re-grown from the rotten soil of the earth. In the first few seconds we hear a siren as generals are gathered in their masses as a countdown takes place and we brace for nuclear war. Everything about this song screams anxiety to me with Helen’s guitar work having a sinking feeling as it drowns in blood as Liam’s vocals are hiding in the shadows, pretending that they aren’t there.
These two elements combine with again a drum machine that is struggling for solace as it’s shaking from a panic attack from this world being to much for us all sometimes, it feels like its teeth are chattering from the cold whilst their hands can’t keep still and damaging themselves by constantly hitting a metal gate behind them by accident. Unnatural Selection is giving Black Sabbath meets Electric Wizard with its true presence being soaked by trapped emotional unpleasantries.
Next we have track four with Blank Masses. It starts off extremely loud with only two elements being at play with an anti-rhythmic drum machine and Liam’s bellowing voice. This feels like soldiers marching into sudden death, staring at hell through their crusty eyelids as they all march continuously, slowly pacing until they start to sprint before they reach their breaking point.
Next we have track four with Blank Masses. It starts off extremely loud with only two elements being at play with an anti-rhythmic drum machine and Liam’s bellowing voice. This feels like soldiers marching into sudden death, staring at hell through their crusty eyelids as they all march continuously, slowly pacing until they start to sprint before they reach their breaking point.
To the surprise of no one, an earthquake shakes this horrible planet to no end as buildings, vehicles, everything stars rising up in the air, “The black hole is up there, can you see it?”, the soldiers cry. By 2:09 every object in the atmosphere begins to move in tandem with each other as one with the worst intentions, it’s a train coming to kill you whether you like it or not with a black whistle that puts out an unrelenting screech at an unthinkable volume that mere mortals cannot recognise.
Here’s the recipe of Black Masses for you:
- Take a song like Kashmir by Led Zeppelin
- Gut its insides and remove every vital organ known to our species
- Replace them with razor blades, empty cider bottles, and a pair of Steve Albini’s glasses
- Lastly smear all in what you think is black paint, I’m still not sure myself!
- The result?: You have created a monster, one that your deepest darkest fears can’t even recognise.
Lastly we have track five with The Swarming. The Bees at the beginning of this song genuinely makes my skin crawl but then things only get more disgusting as a dirty synthesiser comes plotting through the sludge of this swamp until HOLY FUCKING SHIT! Brother Wolf stands at the head of a church choir and this doesn’t feel normal as you start sweating as unbeknownst to you, Sister Kinsella is in the rafters with a Sniper Rifle with the crosshair locked precisely on your skull.
Here’s the recipe of Black Masses for you:
- Take a song like Kashmir by Led Zeppelin
- Gut its insides and remove every vital organ known to our species
- Replace them with razor blades, empty cider bottles, and a pair of Steve Albini’s glasses
- Lastly smear all in what you think is black paint, I’m still not sure myself!
- The result?: You have created a monster, one that your deepest darkest fears can’t even recognise.
Lastly we have track five with The Swarming. The Bees at the beginning of this song genuinely makes my skin crawl but then things only get more disgusting as a dirty synthesiser comes plotting through the sludge of this swamp until HOLY FUCKING SHIT! Brother Wolf stands at the head of a church choir and this doesn’t feel normal as you start sweating as unbeknownst to you, Sister Kinsella is in the rafters with a Sniper Rifle with the crosshair locked precisely on your skull.
Your world has ended and it’s all down to the clutches of The Malefic Grip, who you thought were your saviour were your enemy all along. The choir continues its satanic hymn over a backwards orchestra, as this happens Liam’s vocal is double tracked to a flawless degree, they’re helping each other scale up a mountain and this gave me chills.
Overall, The Malefic Grip takes their love of Melvins, Godflesh and every Steve Albini project known to man and constructs something that the human eyes can’t look at without going blind and death in terms of hearing of course. They’ve built A Neglectful Throne that inhabits abrasiveness, intensity and no rules, making for a terrifying album. Children should not partake in the listening of this EP with laces in their shoes.
Overall, The Malefic Grip takes their love of Melvins, Godflesh and every Steve Albini project known to man and constructs something that the human eyes can’t look at without going blind and death in terms of hearing of course. They’ve built A Neglectful Throne that inhabits abrasiveness, intensity and no rules, making for a terrifying album. Children should not partake in the listening of this EP with laces in their shoes.
I’m very lucky enough to be great friends with both Liam and Helen and I always knew that they had a potential to do this, to make me cry with joy! They make me so proud to be involved in the Bristol scene and Virtue And Industry is an absolute testament to that, I love them and this EP dearly, like an older scary sibling who may come across as intimidating, inside they are a sweetheart. OK TO GO AWAY, REJECTED, QUARANTINE, HELP YOURSELF! I know you’re a nice guy, I do. 10/10
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