WYTCH HAZEL

Charm goes a long way, even in the tough and unforgiving world of heavy metal. WYTCH HAZEL have defied the odds over the last decade, producing a series of incredibly uplifting and imaginative records that made the Christian beliefs of frontman Colin Hendra abundantly clear. But rather than provoke metalheads into torching the nearest church in sheer annoyance, WYTCH HAZEL have slowly become darlings of the underground. Whether you have any inclination towards their spiritual leanings or not, Hendra's band are virtually impossible to dislike. Their unpretentious but nuanced cheeriness runs in parallel with wonderful, life-affirming tunes, and that's a formula that even the most misanthropic, cave-dwelling troll would struggle to resist.

It also helps that WYTCH HAZEL have never sounded like preachers. As with their previous four albums, "V: Lamentation" is all about the healing power of beautiful music, albeit music that also rocks hard and borrows liberally from classic '80s metal, the smarter end of the NWOBHM scene, and folk-tinged, pastoral roots rock. It includes some of the band's moodiest material to date, including "The Citadel", an absolutely magnificent slice of stately serenity, with sublime guitar hooks galore. In contrast, songs like "Elements" and "I Lament" are lean and gritty, laced with power-pop punch, and gently sprinkled with AOR fairy dust.

Simultaneously old fashioned and zing-fresh enough to make your eyes water, WYTCH HAZEL's sound exudes such warmth that it would stroke the soul even without acknowledging the breezily poetic lyrics. "The Demon Within" is a gorgeous, brooding affair, delivered with a disarming lightness of touch and plenty of THIN LIZZY swing; "Racing Forwards" tells a tale of mortal struggle ("I gave my best, I gave my all!") that drips with pathos and stoicism, as rich, harmonized guitars paint the sky; and the rumbling glee-shanty of "Elixir" dissolves into "Woven"'s surging, doom-rock rumble. Even at its most downbeat, "V: Lamentations" is alive with energy. "Heavy Load" is a magnificent ballad that begins in a dour, tearful mood, before mutating into something more stirring and triumphant, airy wisps of Mellotron adding to an atmosphere of surreal grandeur. In response, "Healing Power" sums up the entire WYTCH HAZEL ethos in a garrulous, God-fearing nutshell. Full of MAIDEN-esque lead lines and expert vocal harmonies from the URIAH HEEP school of multi-part excess, it brims with heart and hope, and demands to be played loud, and in the sunshine.

With hints of introspection and even the specter of doubt rearing its head during "The Citadel", "V: Lamentations" presents a more thoughtful and diverse version of Hendra's vision, but his band's blaring, neon charm is still bright enough to scorch retinas. Consider your spirits raised, even if it's under protest.