Metalcore merrauders Malevolence — hailing from Sheffield, U.K. — are currently engaged in a feud with the National Trust, a nature and conservation charity group.
It all seems to have started, Metal Hammer explains, when the British band dropped their new music video for the song “Salt The Wound,” from the band’s upcoming fourth album, Where Only The Truth Is Spoken, due out June 20. At the time of release, Malevolence vocalist Alex Taylor explained that the band intended to use the video to celebrate their hometown pride.
“The video was entirely shot in Sheffield and the surrounding areas,” he said. “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.”
Subsequently, the National Trust forced Malevolence’s record label, Nuclear Blast, to take the video down, claiming the band didn’t have permission to film in some of the locations.
In response, the band issues the following statement:
“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 [National Trust]. 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 back to YouTube.
You can watch it now at the link in our bio.
Thank you always for the support.
Love, Malev
In response, the National Trust issued its own statement, implying that Malevolence didn’t pay the proper “fees” to be able to film in some of the areas. “We want people to use the landscapes we care for to be creative and inspire others,” the group said. “We always have to balance the needs of people with the needs of nature and wildlife, and our costs as a charity.”
“Any filming for commercial activity needs permission and sometimes a fee, which will go toward the care of landscapes and nature,” the National Trust added. “Unfortunately the video was uploaded before an agreement could be reached.”
The video is currently available on YouTube, uploaded by an account called “Trust Issues.”
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