ALBUM REVIEW: IV: Sacrament – Wytch Hazel
The richly historical city of Lancaster is a jewel in the north of England, home to great medieval buildings such as Lancaster Castle, Lancaster Priory Church and Lancaster Cathedral as well as being the seat of the former royal house of Lancaster who notoriously fought the house of York in the Wars Of The Roses. Residing in this illustrious city under the glow of a radiant and angelic light with gloriously spiritual melodies announcing their presence is WYTCH HAZEL.
The Lancastrian retro rockers have made a name for themselves over the last few years with their captivating 2016 debut Prelude. With sumptuous vintage metal melodies, harmonies and riffs providing the back drop to emotionally stirring lyrics imbued with Christian concepts and medieval imagery, WYTCH HAZEL’s sound is celestial and triumphant. The band’s fourth album IV: Sacrament offers up more of these electrifying anthems that makes you wish you were galloping across the plains in the days of yore.
Rising to and surpassing the incredible heights of their stunning 2020 album III: Pentecost gave WYTCH HAZEL a phenomenal challenge. With blood, sweat, tears and the band’s ruthless perfectionism, IV: Sacrament has not only risen to the task but conquered it with ease. Arguably, IV: Sacrament sees some of WYTCH HAZEL’s finest melodic and harmonic work to date. Like a glittering treasure chest, each song shimmers and shines, and collectively it is a resounding achievement and testament to the band’s unstoppable pursuit of continuing progression.
There is a raw honesty at the core of this album, as a result it is unlike the band’s previous albums. IV: Sacrament comes from a darker place, a place of constant striving. Yet there are glimmers of radiant, spiritual optimism that shines through in Colin Hendra’s (vocals/guitar) lyrics, no matter how bad it gets, there’s always a way through if you embrace your situation and what life has to offer. While Hendra’s Christian faith continues to inform the band’s lyrical direction, the incredible openness and emotional honesty on this album will resonate with anyone, follower of the faith or not. It is hard not to feel your soul stirring when listening to the bands angelic melodies.
IV: Sacrament as a whole is comparable to an ornately embroidered tapestry, sewn together with the finest threads of silk and worthy of a place on the wall in an illustrious great hall for all to see. The crux of the album is the brilliantly layered and interwoven melodies and harmonies that are driven forward by a tight and cohesive rhythm section that feels plucked straight out of the 1970s golden era of rock. WYTCH HAZEL’s sound is rooted in the 1970s rock era but is compellingly contemporary.
This timelessness quality that is innately imbued into the band’s songwriting is a testament to their absolute dedication and focus to creating the best music they can, yet the brilliant thing is that IV: Sacrament (and predecessor III: Pentecost to a similar extent) feels like the start of an upward trajectory for the band. They are only just scratching the surface of their true musical capabilities.
Opening up this glistening collection of saintly songs is Fire’s Control. It kick starts the album in true WYTCH HAZEL fashion, glorious vintage riffs and soaring, anthemic melodies that move into beautifully textured softer passages before the momentum builds and erupts in an array of shining light. Angel Of Light continues to ramp up the energy, with an uplifting message of fighting through darkness with a glorious chorus and guitar harmonies that defy description. Time And Doubt brings a raw power to proceedings and a darker tone. Lyrically it’s brutally honest about the ravages of time, musically it is an all out rock rager. Strong Heart is reminiscent of the powerful 1970s rock ballads, uplifting lyrics set to anthemic riff with the woody tones of an acoustic adding some emotional depth. Deliver Us and A Thousand Years offer up incredibly catchy choruses and by this point the album takes a more reflective tone, and the songs melodies become beautifully melancholic as the acoustic guitar becomes more prominent. This is exemplified in the brief interluding track Golden Light.
It smoothly transitions into Endless Battle, where you’re then struck by a soul stirring, raw, emotive ballad that demonstrates the power in well crafted vocal melodies and harmonies, as you feel a spiritual pull with WYTCH HAZEL’s heavenly voices. Future Is Gold is a stand out track, stripped back and acoustic with a striking optimism, it is a moving listening experience. The album is rounded off with Digging Deeper which consolidates the album in spectacular fashion. Seven minutes of luscious vocals, driving riffs and delicate acoustic guitar and piano passages.
Despite the amount of toil that went into this album, IV: Sacrament is undoubtedly WYTCH HAZEL at their very best. A truly delightful listening experience that marks the beginning of something special for the Lancastrian quintet.
Rating: 9/10
IV: Sacrament is set for release on June 2nd via Bad Omen Records.
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