CLUTCH Releases New Version Of 'Smoke Banshee' As Part Of 'Weathermaker Vault Series'

Maryland rockers CLUTCH have released a new studio recording of the track "Smoke Banshee". The single is the latest in a series of new studio recordings that comprise the "Weathermaker Vault Series".

The original version of "Smoke Banshee" appeared on CLUTCH's 2001 album "Pure Rock Fury".

"As 2019 drew to a close, we started digging into songs we hadn’t played in quite some time," says frontman Neil Fallon. "We had forgotten how much we enjoyed playing 'Smoke Banshee'. The version on 'Pure Rock Fury' is a hybrid of a live and studio performance. So when we made our list of candidates for the 'Vault Series', it was an easy choice to give 'Smoke Banshee' a full studio recording."

The single was recently re-recorded and remixed by J. Robbins (JAWBOX, JAWBREAKER, THE SWORD, AGAINST ME!).

Other CLUTCH songs which were previously made available as part of the "Weathermaker Vault Series" include reworked versions of "Spacegrass" and "Willie Nelson", as well as renditions of the Willie Dixon 1950s classic "Evil" (later recorded by CACTUS),ZZ TOP's "Precious And Grace" and CREEDENCE CLEARWATER REVIVAL's "Fortunate Son", plus a new version of "Electric Worry".

CLUTCH drummer Jean-Paul Gaster told Cory Blose of TotalRock Radio's "The Valley" about "Weathermaker Vault Series": "We got into the studio [in early 2019]. After we finished another U.S. tour, we jumped in the studio and we recorded a selection of songs. I wouldn't go so far as to call it a full album. But the idea is just to release a few things. And these will be completely just digital releases as well. We're sort of experimenting with that format — just releasing stuff for streaming purposes. And we'll see how that goes."

He continued: "It was fun to get in the studio, and we picked some songs that sort of all meant something to us in different ways. We also re-recorded a few CLUTCH classic songs, so those will be coming out as well. I suppose maybe in some ways it's sort of just a way to tide us over until we really get the juices flowing to record another album."

Fallon recently confirmed to Sonic Perspectives that CLUTCH has commenced the songwriting process for the follow-up to 2018's "Book Of Bad Decisions" album.

Last month, CLUTCH released "Monsters, Machines, And Mythological Beasts", a themed digital-only compilation of songs from the band's vast catalog. The various tracks were taken from "Robot Hive/Exodus", "Book Of Bad Decisions", "Pitchfork & Lost Needles", "Earth Rocker", "Strange Cousins From The West", "Live At The 9:30", "Psychic Warfare" and "Jam Room". CLUTCH also issued several songs as part of the "Weathermaker Vault Series", including a reworked version of "Spacegrass", renditions of the Willie Dixon 1950s classic "Evil" (later recorded by CACTUS),ZZ TOP's "Precious And Grace" and CREEDENCE CLEARWATER REVIVAL's "Fortunate Son", as well as a new version of "Electric Worry".

"Book Of Bad Decisions" came out in September 2018. The record sold 26,000 copies in America during its first week of availability, giving the group its third consecutive Top 20 album on the Billboard 200.

"Book Of Bad Decisions" was recorded at Sputnik Sound studio in Nashville, Tennessee with producer Vance Powell.