I've been told that an album isn't worth a five-star rating unless it changes my life. Although "Blast Tyrant," the latest release by Clutch, didn't exactly change my life, it rocked harder than any other album I've reviewed this semester.
The album, set for a March 30 release on Clutch's new label, DRT Records, is more musically diverse than any of Clutch's five previous albums.
"Blast Tyrant" is all new material for Clutch-heads to digest. The group has released multiple albums since forming in 1991 and still has that dark early '90s sound heard in everything from Pantera to Pearl Jam.
Singer Neil Fallon's grunt is still there in all of its deep and angst-filled glory that launched the band to success with its 1995 self-titled release.
But Clutch has some serious messages in its music. The band's 1998 release, "The Elephant Riders," is a good example of this. While some songs on "Blast Tyrant" aim to move Clutch fans from the U.S. to Canada to engage in excessive, recreational marijuana indulgence, other songs directly attack the ultra-shady U.S. government.
The music is fast, it's loud and "Blast Tyrant" is full of sweet guitar solos, more so than any other of the Clutch albums.
"Regulator" deviates from the usual Clutch format when it opens with a deep blues acoustic guitar. After the beautiful intro, the distortion and other effects come in on the bass and guitar, and the drums keep the steady beat which surprisingly fits with both blues and metal. The song is full of intensity and the melody is amazing.
One aspect that always has set Clutch apart from other metal bands is the sole focus of the music isn't just on the guitar or vocals, but equally strewn through the rhythm section.
Check out "English Pounds" and witness how well bassist Dan Maines holds the rhythm down. That's not to discount guitarist Tim Sult in any way; his style is unique and fits together with the rest of the band in an exemplary fashion.
Clutch is a band whose albums can be listened to over and over and over - and over.
If you liked this, you'll also like: Primus, Tool, System of a Down
Suggested listening: While doing doughnuts and burnouts in an empty parking lot.
