Review Summary: Blast Tyrant will prove to be a timeless album for those who give it a chance.
Other than a loyal local following, and a small portion of the hard rock community, Clutch have been but a blip on the radar; this, my friends, is a crime. Fronted by the dynamic Neil Fallon, Clutch seamlessly blend upbeat southern rock, blues, and groove rock that will leave your head nodding for Blast Tyrant’s 55 minute duration. It’s a perfect blend of fantastic, albeit subtle, instrumentation and one of the better vocalists/lyricists on his showcase album.
Have you heard Southern Rock and Blues before? Sure. Have you listened to some hard rock that provides some southern groove? Absolutely. Have you have heard undeserved praise for a frontman that didn’t meet expectations before? Almost definitely. Do Clutch reinvent anything on this album? Quite simply, no. What they DO do is take the best of every influence, add their own creative twists and provide an album full of riffs, leads, and lyrics that will leave you interpreting for days.
I hate to put so much focus on one aspect of the band, because as a whole they are incredibly tight, and all deserve praise. However, the talents of Neil Fallon cannot go overlooked. The man is a multi-instrumentalist, a fantastic vocalist, and one hell of a lyricist. Pulling influence from everything from politics, to movies, to deep meaningful passages, his lyrics will leave you confused and amazed at the wordsmith-ing he can pull off.
As for the rest of the band, they are all incredibly talented. They refrain from playing simple chords, and at the same time they always fit within the context of the song. Jean-Paul Gaster (Drums) and Dan Maines (Bass) provide some incredible groove, and drive each song perfectly. Tim Sult (Guitar) provides lick after lick of blues-rock goodness. He walks down the fretboard with so much feeling, you can simply tell how much fun these guys have playing together.
Blast Tyrant is the perfect soundtrack to almost any setting. Cruising on a summer’s night, hanging back and drinking with some friends, sitting in and relaxing, you can always find at least one song on this album that will fit what you are doing. I’m not saying that every person will adore this album. I am saying that after a listen or two, you will find yourself humming along to at least one of their songs a few days later, or at least have an urge to give it another listen.
From the get-go, Fallon and crew provide an incredibly catchy and incredibly fun listen that can hardly be classified as a “Guilty” pleasure. Blast Tyrant should be looked at as a diamond in the rough, an uncovered gem. After hundreds of listens, I still enjoy this album as much as I did the first time, and I’m still discovering something new every listen. It’s not over the top, it’s not laid back and boring. It’s fun, it’s clever, and it’s a damn good album.
