Back in the spring, MV found itself watching Michael Schenker race through the songs of UFO. That night, the opening act came from Lancashire looking like some cape-wearing cult, and by the end, we said: “Sometimes all you need is the sound of electric guitar, bass, and drums. Keep it simple. Keep it old-school. But my God, Wytch Hazel are brilliant at it.”
On their new record, “V: Lamentations,” that brilliance is writ large.
“I Lament” is a window into their world: old school metal – proto-metal, if you will – but never dated. “Run The Race” gallops along, driven by riffs, infectious choruses, and a scream that’s hard to beat. “The Citadel” takes things slower but is no less powerful, especially when the mighty guitar solo cuts through.
Then there’s “Elements,” which is almost perfect rock music. The double guitar work would make Thin Lizzy jealous, while the mystical air running through it is pure Wytch Hazel. Even “The Demon Within” bounces with a jaunty swagger, and “Facing Backwards” underlines again that this is a riff-driven record above all else.
Yet there’s another side to them. Given half a chance, Wytch Hazel could easily be a folk band. “Elixir” is but a flute away from Jethro Tull, and it weaves seamlessly into “Woven.” “Heavy Load” – ironically one of the gentler moments – still feels like it could have been transported straight from the late 1960s.
And then comes the ambition. “Healing Power” doesn’t just play – it soars.
Wytch Hazel are a band who can look backwards and still sound like they have a future.
“V: Lamentations” proves it.
