Formed in 1990, Clutch quickly caught the attention of the major record labels but it wasn’t until the turn of the millennium and their switch from hardcore to stoner rock that things started happening. Clutch runs the gamut from blues, incendiary rock ‘n’ roll and stoner rock to post-hardcore, metal and grunge and they do so with consummate ease. Be sure to check out their live album ‘Full Fathom Five’ (2008) if you want to know what these guys can do in a live setting. The lyrics on ‘Book of Bad Decisions’ (2018) tell the story of the band’s 27-year history with a tongue-in-cheek quality that is typical of the Germantown, Maryland natives. The album was recorded with microphones placed in front of the band as the tracks were played live and this resulted in their heaviest offering yet. In 2022 they released their 13th album with ‘Sunrise On Slaughter Beach’, an album that was originally intended as a counterweight against the rampant negativity and divisiveness caused by the Covid pandemic but eventually the lyrical content took a broader scope. They still self-release all of their work so you might say they are the ultimate proof that labels don’t always matter. #GMM23
