Clutch, Blade Runner and Boss Metal Zones? Three of our favourite things combined?! A new Clutch song is always reason for celebration, and this time there's a heavy reference to Boss's iconic / Marmite distortion pedal attached. It's even called Red Alert (Boss Metal Zone), in case there was any confusion.
This would be a wonderful dose of Clutch regardless but anyone who's been following the crazy world of 5G conspiracy theories may twig there's a deeper reference going on here to frontman Neil Fallon's lyrics.
"Early in 2021, I learned the Boss Metal Zone pedal schematic was being presented as 'proof' that the Covid-19 vaccine had an electronic component to communicate with 5G cellular networks," recalls Fallon. "It was, of course, nonsense. It sounded like a Philip K. Dick premise. I didn’t want to write a song specific to Covid-19 vaccines, so I went with the Philip K. Dick angle (again). 'Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep?' came to mind (replicants, in particular, representing what is real and not real, or is there a difference at all?). The video makes no secret that this is an homage to Philip K. Dick and a future where we have distortion coursing through our veins."
Although no details on the album it will be part of are yet forthcoming, Clutch drummer Jean-Paul Gasper did add the song will be one of the more up-tempo songs.
"'Red Alert (Boss Metal Zone)' is one of the faster cuts on our forthcoming album," says Gasper. "It kicks in and hits like a freight train. The intensity of the recording reminds me of our live shows. This song cooks and I can’t wait to play it on tour!"