– March 31st, 2023 –
UK Medieval Metal Phenoms Fourth Album Overflows with Affecting Hooks, Ageless Melodies; Stream Video for New Track ‘Angel of Light’
Ascending British hard rock sect, Wytch Hazel, will release its new album, ‘IV: Sacrament‘, on June 2 via Bad Omen Records. Recorded with longtime producer Ed Turner (Purson) and tracked in a converted Baptist chapel in rural Wales, the record is a resounding achievement and glittering treasure chest that builds on the momentum of the band’s celebrated 2020 album ‘III: Pentecost‘.
Having been glorified by Under the Radar as “an invocation of rock and roll at its purest and, more specifically, of all that made the New Wave of British Heavy Metal in the late ’70s so special“, causing Metal Injection to opine, “Wytch Hazel is arguably one of the best heavy metal bands out there right now and everyone should be listening to them” and described by Metal Hammer as “Quintessentially British-sounding proto-heavy metal, steeped in the mystical harmonies of Wishbone Ash, the heartfelt balladry of Thin Lizzy and the eccentric folk rock of Jethro Tull” each Wytch Hazel album has embodied that old-fashioned notion of unstoppable progress culminating in this, their fourth outing; the point where youthful years of febrile creativity and progressive momentum culminate in a masterwork for the ages, setting the seal on an early signature sound while opening it up to future possibilities.
Pre-orders for Wytch Hazel‘s ‘IV: Sacrament‘ are now live at: wytchhazel.bandcamp.com
In advance of the new record’s release, Wytch Hazel unleashes a music video for the new song “Angel of Light”. Created by Wild Stag Studios (Angel Witch, Rick Wakeman), the clip features Wytch Hazel performing in a devout setting, showcasing the radiant energy of its purified live sets.
Watch Wytch Hazel‘s “Angel of Light” video at: youtu.be/oE3nTaafv8w
Led by vocalist / multi-instrumentalist Colin Hendra, Wytch Hazel is a singular source of hard rock/heavy metal dominion, offering a never ending quantum of mediaeval melodic structures and to uplifting hymns, ‘IV: Sacrament‘ is overflowing with indelible ear-worms the likes of which must be heard to be believed. And believe, you shall.
“I’ve blown my own mind a bit,” Colin states, “and even after all this painstaking work, I still feel like I’ve only scratched the surface of what Wytch Hazel could be doing musically. I wish I could have a month to work on one song, and go on a tangent a bit. I will in the future, it’s going in the right direction. It’s some of the most honest songwriting I’ve ever done, and the lyrics come from a darker place, I think. I’m getting older, that comes through in some lyrics: ‘see my body breaking’, ‘I’m digging deeper’, ‘time’s running out…’ – I struggle to see the positive a lot of the time, so the songs end up being negative, the subject matter coming from constant striving.“
It’s these deeply personal lyrics, coming from a place of faith and conviction, which make Wytch Hazel stand out further from the modern herd; although we’ve been bombarded with the cartoon diabolism of the ‘occult rock’ revival for the best part of two decades, no other band has dared to offer the other side of the story. Yet lest any heathen headbanger start to fear any kind of evangelical conversion agenda, Hendra expands on his position: “Music is created for all, it’s a common grace for everyone,” he affirms, “which is why the music that shows the glory of God the most, in my opinion, is not music created by Christians. It’s Black Sabbath, you know!“
Photo Credit: Sam Scott Hunter
Track listing:
01. The Fire’s Control
02. Angel of Light
03. Time and Doubt
04. Strong Heart
05. Deliver Us
06. A Thousand Years
07. Gold Light
08. Endless Battle
09. Future Is Gold
10. Digging Deeper
In addition to vocalist/guitarist Colin Hendra, Wytch Hazel features Alex Haslam (guitar), Andy Shackleton (bass) and Aaron Hay (drums).
“Wytch Hazel may be a somewhat eccentric proposition (they perform in full ‘battle wear’, rope belts and all), but this is the sound of a deeply assured band, melodically astute, raw and idiosyncratic; hymns of vim propelled by duelling Thin Lizzy-esque licks and a musical aesthetic that reaches back not just decades but centuries“. The Quietus
“Each song is piled high with quadruple-tracked guitar melodies, honed into optimum shape and given richness and weight with a clean, classy, Martin Birch style production job. Even dressed like wood-dwelling medieval Samaritans Wytch Hazel’s knack for an infectious, emotionally charged tune makes them one of the coolest bands around“. Metal Hammer
“Retro heavy rockers Wytch Hazel have drawn quite a bit of attention these last few years with a consistent stream of excellent and always-improving albums-and for their unabashed love for their lord and saviour Jesus Christ…their third album III: Pentecost came out on Bad Omen Records to near-universal acclaim (aside from a bit of grumbling from metalheads who that are less interested in Christian lyrics). For the uninitiated, Wytch Hazel sound quite a bit like the glory days of early heavy metal just before Iron Maiden and Saxon took over the world; some good references are Ashbury, Wishbone Ash, and Pagan Altar, but Wytch Hazel’s sound is all their own” – Invisible Oranges
Follow the band:
https://www.facebook.com/wytchhazel
https://twitter.com/wytchhazelband
https://www.instagram.com/wytchhazel
