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REVIEW – Earth Rocker the last album by CLUTCH was in my top 10 of 2013. When I reviewed the album I used the sentence, “Clutch has been one of those bands that seem to always put out great albums. The true test is to follow this record up which is not a great album, but I feel the best record of their 23 year career.” People were fast to email me about Blast Tyrant being the best record of their career, which I will agree that is another classic record, but Earth Rocker was that record. That being said, Psychic Warfare is here and boy is this record a contender for Album of the Year as well. Neil Fallon opens up the album with a spoken word piece called “The Affidavit”. The album has a concept record feel but plays out like some sort of soundtrack of sorts. You have this elevator like music playing as Fallon has this monologue that when it ends we break into “X Ray Visions”. Holy crap are the band hungry and energized. This is an instant CLUTCH classic which will have the fans excited. Tim Sult really shines on this song and compliments Neil Fallon’s vocal delivery. Just as you think you can catch your breath here comes “ Firebirds” which is another CLUTCH classic that showcases the riffs of Sult once again. This is a one two punch, that keeps the faithful happy. “A Quick Death in Texas” is a song that felt like Black Crowes meets ZZ Top, it has this funky feel with this classic rock radio feel that should get the band on modern radio. The next track is “Sucker for the Witch”, this is another song that fans of Earth Rocker will be happy about. What a kick in the gut this song is with Fallon showcasing yet again his vocal prowess. (How this guy is not a bigger deal in Rock Magazines or websites when it comes to best vocalist, is a fucking shame!)
We move on to the funk infused “Your Love is Incarceration”. This is a song that I will say I was not that big of a fan of at first, but I decided to give it some more listens when it was stuck in my head, and I started to warm up to it more. “Doom Saloon” can be seen as the break we needed from this pounding of sonic metal and alternative rock from CLUTCH. Then we get into “Our Lady of Electric Light” which is going to be a great song to get people talking. It has a psychedelic and tripped out space feel to it. Tim Sult’s guitar work is just phenomenal on this track. “Noble Savage” is our next track and it has this Aerosmith bluesy fast rock feel. The last two tracks help end this album on a very positive note with the riffs and hit you in the rib cage beats. I loved this record a lot and love when this band evolves its sound album to album. I loved Earth Rocker more, but this album is a stand on its own great record as well. If you are new to the band and just saw this review and clicked the link, I would recommend you to buy Earth Rocker, Psychic Warfare or Blast Tyrant first. This is a band that seems to be bonded by passion and every record their goal seems to prove themselves and really showcase what happens when the image and sex appeal of the band is instruments and not people. This band should be such a bigger deal in music. Twenty-five plus years in and they are still killing it. Great record!
CLUTCH is:
Vocals/Guitar: Neil Fallon
Guitar: Tim Sult
Bass: Dan Maines
Drums: Jean-Paul Gaster
For more information about CLUTCH, please visit:
Website: Pro-Rock.com
Facebook: www.facebook.com/Clutchband
Twitter: https://twitter.com/clutchofficial
YouTube: www.youtube.com/user/OfficialClutch
Vevo: www.vevo.com/artist/clutch
