Since its formation in 1991, the band line-up has included Neil Fallon (vocals, rhythm guitar, keyboards), Tim Sult (lead guitar, backing vocals), Dan Maines (bass, backing vocals) and Jean-Paul Gaster (drums and percussion). To date, Clutch has released thirteen studio albums, and several rarities and live albums. Since 2008 the band have been signed to their own record label, Weathermaker.
Clutch (originally called “Glut Trip” and stemmed from “Moral Minority”) was formed in 1991 by Dan Maines (bass), Jean-Paul Gaster (drums), Tim Sult (guitar), and Roger Smalls (vocals) in Germantown, Maryland. Smalls soon departed and was replaced by Neil Fallon, a longtime schoolmate of the other members at Seneca Valley High School. The band quickly gained notice through constant touring. The 12" single “Passive Restraints” on the Earache label was Clutch’s first commercial release, garnering attention from other labels. Their debut LP, Transnational Speedway League, was released in 1993. It was followed by a self-titled album two years later that gained Clutch mainstream exposure. The band moved to the larger Columbia label for the 1998 album The Elephant Riders. They followed it in 1999 with a self-released groove-based album Jam Room.
On April 28, 2009 Clutch released Slow Hole to China, a collection of unreleased tracks.
On June 10, 2012, the band released a new single, “Pigtown Blues”, on iTunes, backed with an acoustic version of “Motherless Child” from Strange Cousins from the West.
On March 16, 2013 Clutch released their tenth album Earth Rocker which entered the Billboard Top 200 chart at #15 giving Clutch their highest chart position to date. It would remain on the chart for a total of 5 weeks. The album also reached #4 on iTunes’ overall Top 100 album charts and was #1 in their rock chart. Earthrocker won “Album of the Year” 2013 from British publication Metalhammer, and was rated highly on many rock/metal magazines’ and websites’ end-of-the-year “Top Tens”.
In an interview on January 7, 2015 with music and entertainment company 88 Miles West, Fallon stated that the band was heading to Dripping Springs, Texas, to record their upcoming eleventh album. Fallon states the venture to Texas was due to the relocation of record producer Machine, with whom they worked on Blast Tyrant and Earth Rocker, and who recently opened a new studio there. He stated in the interview that “Septemberish, give or take a couple of months” is when they hope to release the new album.
Their eleventh studio album is titled Psychic Warfare, and was released October 2, 2015. Fallon said the concept is influenced by science fiction author Philip K. Dick. “His general philosophy and questions have always crept into my lyrics, because I share an interest in it,” he adds. “On Earth Rocker, ‘Crucial Velocity’ was definitely a Philip Dick song for me. On this record, ‘X-Ray Visions’ certainly is.”. Gaster described the new material as more diverse than ever.
In April 2018, Neil Fallon announced through the radio station The Eagle Rocks that the band's twelfth studio album would be titled Book of Bad Decisions. The album will be released on September 7, 2018. The album was recorded at Sputnik Sound Studio in Nashville, Tennessee with producer and engineer Vance Powell.
On November 13, 2020 Released The Weathermaker Studios Vol. 1. A collection of re-recorded hits and 4 unreleased covers and songs.
On September 16,2022 Clutch released their 13th Studio album: Sunrise on Slaughter Beach.
Between 2004-2018 Clutch created seven straight top 10 releases on Billboard’s Independent Album Chart.
Neil Fallon – vocals, rhythm guitar, harmonica, keyboards, percussion
Tim Sult – lead guitar
Dan Maines – bass guitar
Jean-Paul Gaster – drums, percussion
Sink
Clutch Lyrics
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That while in the Yakima
Digging up them thunderegg stones
Well, we cracked them wide open
The mountain started smoking
And the sky turned the color of a crow
Fires in the northlands
Put the pedal to the metal
And let it all hang out
Fires in the northlands
Floods to the south
Put the pedal to the metal
And let it all hang out
[Chorus]
The ash turned to confetti, hallelujah!
Outside them great Tri Cities, hallelujah!
Oh, God showed his great mercy, hallelujah!
Turned ash into confetti, hallelujah!
Handkerchiefs on coughing mouths
Running to the full hotels
Left us with no other place but home
And in the distance
Tail lights came and went
Sometimes as eyes of Vulcan sorcery
Fires in the northlands
Floods to the south
Put the pedal to the metal
And let it all hang out
Fires in the northlands
Floods to the south
Put the pedal to the metal
And let it all hang out
[Chorus]
Maybe, maybe, maybe, maybe, maybe
We'll make it to that rise
Maybe, maybe, maybe, maybe, maybe
We'll see another sunrise, oh yeah
[Chorus: x2]
Hallelujah! [Repeat: x2]
The song "Sinkemlow" by Clutch is taken from their fourth studio album "The Elephant Riders" released in 1998. The lyrics of the song describe an incident during a mining expedition in Yakima (which could refer to Yakima County, Washington or Yakima River), where the singer and his friends find a bunch of thunderegg stones (geologic formations that were believed to have been formed from the gas bubbles in the lava). As they crack the stones, the mountain where they are standing starts smoking, and the sky turns dark, appearing like a crow. The imagery suggests a volcanic eruption, which is likely to have caused fires and floods in the north and south lands respectively. The chorus of the song expresses a sense of relief and appreciation for the miraculous survival of the singers amidst the chaos, which they perceive as some sort of divine intervention.
The second verse of the song talks about the aftermath of the disaster, where people scramble for safety in full hotels while others make their way back home. The distance is punctuated by the tail lights that appear like the eyes of a Vulcan, which evoke an image of both power and danger. The last two lines of the verse suggest that the incident has left a lasting impact on the singer and the people around him. The chorus repeats, affirming the sense of gratitude and joy for having survived the catastrophic event.
Line by Line Meaning
Oh I ain't joking when I'm telling ya
I'm not kidding about what I'm going to share next
That while in the Yakima
During my time in Yakima
Digging up them thunderegg stones
Searching for thunderegg stones (a type of geological formation)
Well, we cracked them wide open
We successfully opened them up
The mountain started smoking
Smoke began rising from the mountain
And the sky turned the color of a crow
The sky turned dark and ominous
Fires in the northlands
Wildfires in the north
Floods to the south
Flooding in the south
Put the pedal to the metal
Drive as fast as possible
And let it all hang out
Let loose and don't hold back
The ash turned to confetti, hallelujah!
Relief that the dangerous situation dissipated and became less harmful
Outside them great Tri Cities, hallelujah!
Celebrating being outside of the Tri Cities, where the danger was present
Oh, God showed his great mercy, hallelujah!
Thankful for divine intervention
Handkerchiefs on coughing mouths
People covering their mouths to protect from harmful smoke and ash
Running to the full hotels
Seeking refuge in the nearest hotels
Left us with no other place but home
Having to go back home since there were no other options
And in the distance
Off in the far distance
Tail lights came and went
Cars passing by
Sometimes as eyes of Vulcan sorcery
Appearing like the headlights of demonic magic
Maybe, maybe, maybe, maybe, maybe
Expressing uncertainty
We'll make it to that rise
We'll be able to see a certain rise
We'll see another sunrise, oh yeah
We'll be alive to witness another sunrise
Hallelujah!
Expressing joy and relief
[Repeat: x2]
Repeating the expression of joy and relief
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management
Written by: DAN MAINES, JEAN-PAUL GASTER, NEIL FALLON, RICHARD TIMOTHY SULT
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
iohannesfactotum
That opening riff captured my mind the first time I heard it.
Ravinoff
That riff at 1:17 is amazing.
Phantom Frost
My fearless soul of fire and brimstone is fuelled by their entire discography
Ra
Phantom Frost I will follow you into battle in my swarm of locust helicopters, friend.
anura
No heavy groove touches this. All time classic shit.
Fiachra Ó Braoin
I love the tremolo picking riffs that are all over this album
Jax
How are all his lyric SOO FUCKING COOL
37papasmurf
The soundtrack to 2020.
Epifon311
IMO the best version :)
ghigo0673
..Alleluia!!!!!Great band