– May 1st, 2025 –
British Metal Band Drops New Song “Woven”, Confirms Live Dates Supporting Michael Schenker on ‘My Years With UFO’ UK tour
“gloriously bright heavy metal” – Metal Injection
Acclaimed British hard rock band, Wytch Hazel, will release its new album, ‘Wytch Hazel V: Lamentations‘, on July 4 via Bad Omen Records (Pøltergeist, Satan’s Satyrs). Recorded with longtime producer Ed Turner (The Ettes, Heavy Trash, Purson), ‘Lamentations‘ delivers uplifting, powerful hard rock rife with a Maidenesque jubilance that builds on the momentum of the band’s lush catalog, including the LPs ‘Prelude‘, ‘II: Sojourn‘, ‘III: Pentecost‘ and 2023′s ‘IV: Sacrament‘, a record hailed as “gloriously bright heavy metal” which landed at #15 on Billboard’s Top New Artists Albums in its first week of release. Pre-order/pre-save ‘Wytch Hazel V: Lamentations‘ at this location.
Led by vocalist/guitarist Colin Hendra, Wytch Hazel is a singular source of hard rock/heavy metal dominion. The quartet have continually underscored and bolstered a signature sound rooted in heroic days of yore, finessed to an elegant apex. The fifth Wytch Hazel album is overflowing with indelible earworms the likes of which must be heard to be believed. And believe, you shall.
“I believe things have meanings and significance,” Hendra emphasizes. “Music isn’t just a self-indulgent, entertainment thing, for me it’s a huge part of my life, very special, very magical and very meaningful. I want Wytch Hazel to be a force for good, a healing power.“
Credit Elly Lucas
The first track released from ‘Lamentations‘ is the galloping “Woven“, a shining example of Wytch Hazel‘s avant-garde songcraft. “Woven” radiates a wholesome rustic charm tempered with pensive melancholy, its scrupulous simplicity belying its ability to continue blossoming with every spin. Stream “Woven” now at this location.
“On “Woven”, in particular, you can hear us locking in and playing off each other in the room” says Hendra of this crafty singalong. “I really wanted to write a heavy rock song about sensitivity and gentleness which you don’t hear too much of really. There’s this section where it goes quiet after the lyrics “be sensitive” then a big guitar solo comes in where I try my best to shred and let it all loose“. This heavenly lead, initially improvised, then had to be slowed down and meticulously relearnt.
‘V: Lamentations‘ track listing:
01. I Lament
02. Run the Race
03. The Citadel
04. Elements
05. The Demon Within
06. Racing Forwards
07. Elixir
08. Woven (stream visualizer)
09. Heavy Load
10. Healing Power
In celebration of the band’s new single drop, Wytch Hazel has announced very special live dates in support of iconic guitarist Michael Schenker as part of the shredder’s “My Years with UFO” UK tour. “Michael Schenker a childhood hero,” confesses Hendra. “I am incredibly privileged and do have to hold in equal measure the wonderful adventure that it is to be in this band. There’s so much to be grateful for, too many things to count.” The upcoming tour dates are as follows:
MICHAEL SCHENKER + WYTCH HAZEL 2025 Tour Dates:
May 08 – Wolverhampton, KK’s Steel Mill
May 11 – Manchester, O2 Ritz
May 13 – Glasgow, The Garage
May 14 – London, indigo at The O2
May 15 – Bristol, O2 Academy
Over time, Wytch Hazel‘s indelible sound has caught the ear of many of today’s tastemaker indie platforms, with the quartet being hailed as “the most badass Christian metal outfit out there today” by Invisible Oranges, while the band and its music lauded as “a hard-rocking, foot-stomping good time” by MetalSucks, “powerful and emotive” by Heavy Music HQ, “one of the hookiest bands around” by Angry Metal Guy, and “excellent rock” by Nine Circles, while Metal Injection pegged Wytch Hazel as a band to watch as part of its “Lesser-Known Modern Heavy Metal Bands You Need In Your Life” hot list.
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 hip diabolism of the ‘occult rock‘ revival for the past two decades, no other band has dared to offer the other side of the story. 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!“
In addition to vocalist/guitarist Colin Hendra, Wytch Hazel features Alex Haslam (guitar), Andy Shackleton (bass) and Aaron Hay (drums). Follow the band on Facebook and Instagram.