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Rating: As a fan of the Canadian trio for more than thirty years, I struggle to understand all this acclaim for "Clockwork Angels." It is said that, although on the verge of 60 years old, they still play as if time hasn't passed... true... there is no doubt about the energy that still assists them, they are a true miracle of nature. However, many more doubts arise when evaluating the artistic validity of their current offering... here, in my (minority) opinion, are the sore points. To clarify: when did Rush become a group of global significance? When they abandoned traditional hard rock to embrace their personalized and peculiar vision of hard rock, intertwining it with elements of progressive and adding that touch of genius creativity that made them UNIQUE and above all RECOGNIZABLE AMONG THOUSANDS OF OTHERS. Thus, from "A Farewell to Kings," through "Moving Pictures," to "Power Windows," this band astonished the music universe with a recipe without replicas, earning a steel reputation among fellow musicians as well as among fans. Since 1993, Rush has adopted an increasingly impersonal and conformist style, certainly gaining younger fans among the grunge/metal followers, but betraying all those who considered them a band without equals. Lifeson was struck by a rapture that led him to metallize and super-amplify the riffs, the keyboards were abandoned (sacrilege!!!!!), and thus they have increasingly slipped into a musically golden anonymity.
And this "Clockwork Angels"? It continues more or less in the same vein as the "new" course of Rush... predominance of the ultra-metallic guitar over everything else, although occasionally recalling moments of past glory, glimpsed in "Bu2B," "The Anarchist," "The Wreckers," and especially in "Clockwork Angels," which is by far the standout track of the work, and those who have made comparisons with "2112" haven't been far off. There is melody... yes... indeed, "Halo Effect" and the concluding "The Garden" (where we finally find the piano since "Available Light") have strong melodic components, and especially the latter is of more than good quality... but those who exalt over these pieces, I don't know what they would do listening (or relistening) to stellar melodies of the past like "Tears," "Different Strings," or "Losing It."
In essence, "Clockwork Angels" shines greatly for the executive freshness that my three former idols continue to surprisingly have, but the glories for this band belong to a distinguished past. Since "Counterparts," Rush has decided to definitively put their feet on the ground, after having flown above everyone for years, unattainable and inimitable.
Review from a nostalgic? Yes, but from an aware nostalgic.
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Other reviews
By Glauco
No difficulties nor the passage of time can undermine true talent.
The album sounds fresh and modern yet clearly inspired by Rush's classic periods.
By Bloody Francy
"A spaceship that almost always has to reckon with reality and is called back to planet Earth."
"Geddy Lee mixed with Lifeson’s guitar and Peart’s drums take on in this album an almost mystical character for a decidedly magical result."
By FPK91
"Such a hard sound hadn’t been heard for quite some time in the discography of the trio."
‘‘Clockwork Angels’’ is an ambitious album, unique, which requires many listens to be thoroughly savored.
By splinter
Rush astonish once again, not wanting to make a new Snakes And Arrows, and thus they deliver an album of sincere and sharp hard rock.
This is indeed an album worthy of their name and with its own identity, certainly taking inspiration from things the band has already done but is not a clone of any other album.
