Album review: Wytch Hazel – IV: Sacrament

Thank the metal gods for bands like Wytch Hazel. Classic rock revivalists might be 10 a penny at this stage, but too many of them feel incapable of wielding the magic of the old ways – or simply come on with a sort of faded copy-of-a-copy-of-a-copy bloodlessness. This Lancastrian quartet make records that feel authentically more likely to have been dusted off from a forgotten corner of your cool uncle’s vinyl collection than crafted in the glare of modern metal’s sterile high sheen.

There is a lot to be dug into thematically here, should you care. Unlike, say, Lamb Of God, these guys’ Sacrament follows on from 2016’s Prelude, 2018’s Sojourn and 2020’s Pentecost to explore Christian theology with a remarkably straight face, albeit no holy-roller reverence. Song titles like Deliver Us and Endless Battle pretty much speak for themselves. Far more interesting is the open worship of countless heroes from Iron Maiden and Saxon to Dio and Led Zeppelin, Blue Öyster Cult and Jethro Tull. They absolutely nail the guitar harmonies and acoustic ballads while Colin Hendra’s reedy vocals are full of enough spirit to bring these tales to life.

They’re at their best when wringing out the sweet, rich textures of songs like A Thousand Years and The Fire’s Control, but they nail pedal-down stomper Strong Heart and wiry ballad Future Is Gold with just as much conviction. Obviously, there’s very little here that fans of these sounds won’t have heard before, but it’s a great new version of what they have. After all, if it ain’t broke, why fix it?

Rating: 4/5

For fans of: Iron Maiden, Saxon, Dio

IV: Sacrament is out now via Bad Omen