'Psychic Warfare' doesn't change the trajectory, nor the formula, according to which things develop for this band. In orthodox CLUTCH fashion, it overflows with instantly catchy bluesy riffs, grooves that ought to make your ass move, vocals that invoke the fiery passion of a Southern preacher, and enough lyrical gems to fill a whole separate review.

 

With less harmonica and less organ, but with more badass guitars by Tim Sult, this is an album that takes the rock-history-soaked energy of 2013's 'Earth Rocker' and loudly places the word 'hard' in front of that. “We are monsters, we are older than men/ Yes, we are Gorgons and we will have our revenge!,” is the battle cry Neil Fallon shouts over a marching rhythm in 'Behold the Colossus.'

 

Before they get there, CLUTCH start off with the absurdly catchy 'X-Ray Visions' – a song that could make you dance even if you're made of stone. The lyric plays around with a bunch of conspiracy theories, only to underline the impression that the only thing CLUTCH are serious about is having fun – and making sure you do so too. Fallon continues with his confessions of borderline lunatic rock stories in songs like 'Sucker for a Witch,' 'Noble Savage' and the somewhat slower 'A Quick Death in Texas' which is a musical, and literal, wink to the abovementioned US state's blues heroes (“Please forgive me, Mr. Gibbons,” the singer pleads before the second verse kicks in).

 

And yes, CLUTCH can be awesome when they let their wild side go. But as we know from 'Regulator,' when they leave the noise aside and let the guitars strum in the open they are fuckin' great. The dreamy Southern ballad 'Our Lady of Electric Light' reminds you of that midway through the album. And then the closer 'Son of Virginia' absolutely proves it, as it builds from a dark and eerie blues into a Led-Zeppelin-esque epic guitar melody.

 

At this stage, CLUTCH are something like the Motorhead of their niche – the band that aged well without going bad, and is still one you can count on to deliver. Since quite a while it hasn't been about reinventing the wheel of rock for them, but rather about reminding you how good it is for wheels to be round. Well, 'Psychic Warfare' is yet another perfectly round wheel from CLUTCH.