Purson premiere new single "Leaning on a Bear"

A few weeks ago in my second annual 20 Metal Albums to Look Forward To feature, I mentioned British band Purson, whose haunting single “Rocking Horse” and performance at Roadburn 2012 showed enormous potential. Named after a Great King of Hell and led by powerful-voiced singer/guitarist Rosalie Cunningham, Purson tap into the “occult rock” sound that’s risen to prominence over the past couple years, their combination of early heavy metal and late-‘60s psychedelic rock feeling at times like a blend of Coven and Uriah Heep.

Their debut album The Circle and the Blue Door is slated to be released April 30 on Metal Blade/Rise Above, and the first single, the curiously titled “Leaning on a Bear”, has been posted online by the band. With its swinging groove, spiraling organ melodies, fuzzed-out guitars, and Cunningham’s commanding vocals, it’s a bewitching song that gets in your head immediately. Needless to say, it’s a splendid lead-off single, enough to make you even more eager to hear the rest of the new record. Listen to it below.