Fear, Emptiness, Decibel: Get Down with Clutch
Before there were blogs there were these things called magazines, and the only metal magazine we still get excited about reading every month is Decibel. Here’s managing editor Andrew Bonazelli…
“Yes, it brings the boogie. I dare you to listen to this song and not get up and start shimmying around.” —Axl Rosenberg, on the title track of Clutch’s Earth Rocker
“I think it’s easier to want to make people dance. There’s nothing wrong with saying that, even though we’re in a hard rock band. People want to bob their heads or dance or text their friends the set list, but for the most part, people are there to get down.” —Neil Fallon, Clutch, from April’s Decibel cover story
Extreme music and dancing (defined conventionally) are very strange bedfellows. Then again, nobody in their right mind would call Clutch “extreme music” (defined conventionally). Good thing we don’t define that term conventionally! Over the last 20-odd years, Clutch have manufactured enough singular heaviness to not merely ensconce themselves in Decibel’s purview, but earn a transnational toast in the form of their first cover story. So, even though nobody—not even your significant other—wants to watch you dance, let’s celebrate Clutch for being one of the few dB cover artists to inspire the desire to get your freak on. (It worked for Morbid Angel, right?)
Anyway, if you’re one of those Clutch cultists who’s been demanding this honor for a while, the April issue won’t disappoint. Not only does Chris Dick interview the boys about their uncanny longevity and special connection to Michigan, but they also appear in this month’s (soon-to-be-anthologized!) Brewtal Truth column to discuss their craft beer obsession. In between operating their Weathermaker label and participating in countless boundary-pushing side projects, Neil Fallon, Jean-Paul Gaster, Tim Sult and Dan Maines remain modest hard workers. We’re happy to celebrate their special niche in heavy music—even if the only song you’ll ever catch us dancing to is “Living in America,” prior to getting beaten to death in an exhibition boxing match.
The April 2013 issue of Decibel also features Metallica, Exodus, Suffocation, and an awesome Lock Up flexi disc. You can purchase it here. But why not just get a full subscription to ensure that you never miss an issue?
