15. Malevolence - Ronnie James Dio Stage - Saturday, August 10th 2024

When their special guest slot was announced at last year's festival, having Malevolence in such a prestigious position felt like an enormous gamble. 12 months on, it makes complete sense. There is so much traction about them at the present moment, that it now feels inevitable that they will be the first extreme metal band to break out of the underground and into arenas since Slipknot. They managed to produce a brand of metal that feels aggressive and antagonistic but simultaneously speaks to the masses and our shared insecurities. They have stripped away all of the pretention and the self-deluded masculinity, leaving a heavy pendulous sound that is swamped with emotion and vulnerability.

This is a band that has paid its dues a dozen times over. This is their third time at Catton Hall, and they have earned the right to sit at the near summit of Saturday’s bill. They forego metal’s fantastical daydreams for a grim reality that speaks to the everyday world we all dwell in. Saturday's set will be one of those moments where band and audience come together in unity. When Malevolence are sat pretty atop of a Download bill in five years’ time you will be able to say that you saw the moment where it truly came together.