Album opener 'Five Curses' kicks straight into 11 minutes of earth shaking low end riffs,with the band taking their foot off the gas to slow it down even further about halfway through to let the gravity they have created do its work.
The title track 'Gather your Beasts' is a punishing journey, with the ominous sound of thunderous drums, onwards to crushingly low and melodic realms with tortured cathartic vocals exacting their toll...
'The Great Mortality' is another example of the bands ability to build into a mid pace riff that makes the head nod a bit faster, then back right off to let the weight of the riff come crashing in. Obey the Riff! This track destroys live - looking around the crowd during the last few minutes of this track at the bands recent gig at the Doomsday Festival in support of Church of Misery, the majority of the crowd were leaning back, doom faces on, and legs buckling under the weight of it all.
'The Dream is Dead' lightens the mood, swinging in with a rock riff, but that party does not last long - after a killer solo the mood turns grim, and after a menacing buildup the band unleash a crushing finish to this 10 minute killer track.
And it is all wrapped up with a track which has become a mainstay of Clagg's blistering live shows, with the surging, rhythmic hammering that is 'Pathways to Oblivion' - this track was originally released on Claggs debut album in 2005 'Let The Galaxy Burn', but here it is 8 years later, re-envisioned and near on a minute longer than the original version, and with the monstrous production that this entire album has been soaked in. Decapitation by audio. Amazing. Along with the title track, perhaps the best on the album and finishes everything off with pure destruction.
Nothing short of a massive production throughout this album, courtesy of Jason PC(Goatsound Studio & in The Ruiner, Blood Duster, Dern Rutlidge, Youngbreeder) and Adam Calaitzis (Toyland Studio), with mastering by Dav Byrne of Clagg and Agonhymn, and killer cover art from Boyd Synnott.
To my mind this is the bands finest moment to date, and given that their 2009 album 'Lord of the Deep' is so damn good, its a testament to the work thats been put into 'Gather Your Beasts'. A long time coming, and definitely worth the wait.
CLAGG have just this weekend gone launched this album in the best way possible, supporting none other than the legendary Church of Misery across the amazing Doomsday Festival (review & photos of this ridiculously awesome event to come later in the week) put together by Nathan Millet of Summonus and Los Hombres Del Diablo.
Currently available in digital format via Bandcamp, or CD (contact the band at teamclagg@hotmail.com). There is a whisper of a vinyl release in the works, stay tuned.....
Oppressive riffs await within!
