The origins of the Malèfica del Coll date back to 1985, when a devil group, the Colla de Diables del Coll, was set up at the suggestion of the Pioners of the local scout group, the Agrupament Escolta Jaume I del Coll, who wanted to give the Coll neighbourhood a popular culture organisation. Later the colla acquired a dragon, Marianu, and took part in Gràcia's festa major and the La Mercè correfocs. In 1994 they broke away from the scouts, and in 1996 they adopted their current name and moved to the Centre Cívic el Coll.

On their outings the Malèfica del Coll's diables are accompanied by their dragon, Gaudiamus, a reproduction of Gaudí's dragon-fountain in Parc Güell, which they made in 1999. It needs six people operating it in a correfoc but only three in a cercavila parade without fireworks. The chief of the dragon section, known as the Senyor de la Bèstia, is voted in annually at the group's Akelarre, their social get-together at the end of the season.

The Malèfica also have their own tabalers. These drummers accompany the devils and the dragon with their own rhythms based on the Catalan fire culture tradition. They play snare drums, bass drums, and a variety of side drums with different pitches and cowbells. They perform various dances to help to get the public going. The drum section also chooses their coordinator, called the Trencaorelles (Earbasher), at the Akelarre.

For their dances, the diables wear a long black coat adorned with two red horns on the hood, a coloured crest and a muffler. Thier warbdrobe is completed with black trousers decorated with coloured triangles. The group leader, the Duc de l'Infern (Duke of Hell), sports a black skirt emblazoned with their logo in red. To carry their fireworks they use aluminium sticks topped with a support for three cartridges.

The Malèfica del Coll has a varied and interesting repertoire of routines, which they perform in the cremades conjuntes  - where they all let off their fireworks at the same time - at particular moments during the correfoc. The head of the group coordinates these routines so that the diables use the effects of the sparks and the movement. Some of the most popular routines are the "Sardana", the "Lighthouse", the "Revolving Lighthouse", the "Croquetes", the "Castle" and the "Boat".

Every year since 2003, the Malèfica have organised the local youth festival, the Festes Joves del Coll. One of the events they hold is the Diada de la Malèfica, a day dedicated to popular culture.

In 2002 they were awarded the Barcelona Medal of Honour.