Recenzije
CLONE AGE - Fuse - English
Tough 2016 is still young, 'Fuse' is the sure contender for this year's title of the best Croatian (rock) album.
Clone Age is a Croatian rock band from small town of Čakovec that exists for some time now but only today they have been able to issue a proper album -  titled "Fuse". After some self-searching, member-changes and chemistry emerging, a quartet will become strongest new rock band in these parts. 
"Fuse" is actually band's debut on a major label as its first one, "Break your wall" from 2007 was published only as a digital download. Last year they performed at local INmusic festival having time slot that not many visitors attended, including me - for which I am sorry.
  
"Break your wall" was already a memorable product though band from that phase is not the same as it is now. More than 10 years into creating music paid off immensely - "Fuse" is, tough 2016 is still young, one of the sure contender for this year's title of the best Croatian (rock) album. I have absolutely no doubt about it. 

Band's variation of rock is the one of alternative, hard, progressive - very much of that what Foo Fighters do but many other bands as well. Maybe FF is the first band that comes to your mind when one's listening to Clone Age but as long as it concerns "Fuse" it is mainly impression from first few songs, particularly because of similar vocal arrangements and harmonies. 

Singer and bassist, Robert Kriković is not trying to be new Dave Grohl and even if he is - it wouldn't be anything wrong with it (Grohl is a class on his own). But it is commendable that Robert is restraining himself from falling into the obvious trap, though his voice is in fact similar to Grohls. Furthermore, he is trying to make his own thing, and he is mostly succeeding. 
I have to point put his bass playing as well - I just love the bass riff on my favourite track on the album,  "Never enough". Him and Marko Lajtman, the drummer, make impeccable and precise rhythm section, giving the guitarists Nenad Rešetar and Adrijano Valpatić (who is also backing vocal, plays lap steel guitar and keyboards) wide open space for exploring great guitar lines and riffs.

Vocoder is often misused in rock songs, or artists sometimes just do not know when to stop. Clone Age used it on "Give yourself to me" and the song is regular but strong hard rock song, the other is already mentioned "Never enough". That is why I like Clone Age - everything they do on "Fuse" being that a style that is close to another artist or some standard rock tricks - they know exactly how to make it and where to  and/or how much to use it. Not many artists, even the great ones (and those have dozens of other people to advise them) have that sense of a good balance. 

Actually, the balance is one of the keywords for "Fuse". 10 songs is not too many, but not one is mediocre. 
Other keyword is infectious energy. Album may start off in FF style, but the other part of the album ("Never enough", "Save" and "What's my name") you can relate to a great many number of hard rock influences, but also quite different music styles although Clone Age probably did not do it intentionally (Pearl Jam, Audioslave, Muse...). I am fairly solid FF fan, but thanks only to Clone Age's author abilities, I find the band not being a sort FF clone at all.

One thing will probably shock all, but listening to Robert's singing and vocals on slower tracks there are some relations with alternative new wave singer Theo Hutchcraft from Hurts, which is considerable plus because Robert is not only excellent rock singer but he also brings emotion and sensibility of Hutchcraft that is one of the best new alternative pop/new wave/soft rock singers nowadays.

At the end, I am no native English speaker myself, but I would dare to say Clone Age lyrics are very well written and perfectly sung. 

To me, it is more than enough to say "Fuse" is rock album that I don't believe anyone would match in Croatia 
this year. Accordingly, I would encourage everyone outside Croatia to take really attentive closer look on this band career.

Text by:
Anastazija Vržina
Prati autora
Executive Editor