Clutch - Full Fathom Five

The awful truth is Clutch is basically unkown among the MTV generation. They aren't radio friendly and they aren't pc. They do not compromise their songs to make money or their integrity to sell albums. But that has never stopped Clutch from beng one of the best bands to come along in the heavy metal/hard rock world in about 15 years.

With Full Fathom Five being released Clutch has not only released a stellar live album but a full length concert DVD as well to enlighten the masses that are willing to open their eyes and take a look. They even went as far as to create their own label, Weathermaker Music, so that they can retain complete creative control over their music and merchandising. Not only proficient and funky...but intelligent as well.

The set list is a masterful combination of songs the band's early successes, some follow-up glories and some very recent releases as well. The CD contains 15 live tracks and the DVD contains 13 of those songs and seven tracks that are not on the audio release.

And that is what makes this collection so great. As a band, Clutch has steadfastly refused to remain constant, changing up its sound and mixing in new twists and turns in its nearly 20 years of existence. Elements of hardcore punk, the blues, classic rock, heavy metal and even some funk have been present in the band's eight full-length albums.

The audio release is an interesting collection of the band's history, taking songs from various spots in the Clutch discography. They start with "Dragonfly" from their 1998 Elephant Riders release and then jump right into "Child of the City" and "The Devil and Me", two songs on 2007's From Beale Street to Oblivion, Clutch's last AMAZING studio release.

Keeping the audience on its toes, the band deftly mixes in songs from their self-titled album, as well as from Blast Tyrant, and Robot Hive/Exodus, bouncing from new to old and then right back. The tracks are definitely live as they take liberties with the band's studio sound. While it is not fair to call their live sets a jam session, there is a definite sense that the band feels a certain liberty when playing live. The result is often an interesting take on what most fans who have only heard them from their albums know.

Listening to the live album, it is very easy to get lost in the music, which in this case is a very good thing. The band's ability to translate individual songs from various points in its career into one mesmerizing live sound shows that Clutch is a band that likes what it does and is very good at it as well.

Full Fathom Five will definitely be a must buy for fans of the band, and it is good enough as a live album that it just may drag a few new fans into the fold. For those whose experience with this live CD/DVD set does make you a fan, welcome aboard. A lot of us have known since the early 1990s what you are now just finding out – Clutch simply rocks.



Download Here

Artist: Clutch
Album: Full Fathom Five
Genre: Heavy Metal/Hard Rock
Website: www.pro-rock.com
Rating: 4 out of 5 stars

By Bez