Clockwork Angels

At the end of the band's Snakes & Arrows Tour in July 2008, the group took a year-and-a-half long break; during this break, Rush released the live albums Snakes & Arrows Live (2008) and the compilation Working Men (2009). The band reconvened in Los Angeles in December 2009 to discuss what projects they wanted to undertake in the coming year. Among their options were to start a new studio album and to undergo a major tour; as Neil Peart later wrote: "Fools that we are, we ended up doing both."{{cite web|url=http://www.2112.net/powerwindows/clockworkangels.html#tourbook|title=The Future as Seen From the Past (Or: "Yesterday's Tomorrowland")|first=Neil|last=Peart|date=2012|access-date=December 29, 2018|archive-date=December 30, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181230080809/http://www.2112.net/powerwindows/clockworkangels.html#tourbook|url-status=live}} The idea of an album with a back story as opposed to a collection of different songs became an attractive one to the group, for which Peart detailed one set in a fictional world with a suite of songs telling a story. Rush had worked on new material as early as February 2009, but Alex Lifeson denied a speculation that they were set to make a concept album at that time.{{cite web|last=Bosso|first=Joe|title=Alex Lifeson says Rush won't make 'concept' album|url=http://www.musicradar.com/news/guitars/alex-lifeson-says-rush-wont-make-concept-album-196688|publisher=musicradar.com|date=February 16, 2009|access-date=May 6, 2012|archive-date=March 25, 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120325124526/http://www.musicradar.com/news/guitars/alex-lifeson-says-rush-wont-make-concept-album-196688|url-status=live}}

Rush adopted the band's usual songwriting methods which involved Geddy Lee and Lifeson working on music at their home studios in Toronto while Peart worked alone from his California home on the lyrics. The group had encouraged one another to become more spontaneous with their solos in live performance which became a primary element while writing new music for Clockwork Angels. Lifeson had to consciously hold himself back from layering guitar tracks as he wanted to emphasize the "basic rockiness of the songs" and resorted to greater use of double tracking. The sessions were productive; in March 2010, Lee said: "Just about a month and a half ago we had no songs. And now we've been writing and now we've got about six songs that we just love" and Lifeson predicted a spring 2011 release.{{cite news|last=Bradshaw|first=James|title=Rush's Alex Lifeson on doing what he loves|url=https://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/arts/music/rushs-alex-lifeson-on-doing-what-he-loves/article1513358/|newspaper=The Globe and Mail|access-date=June 15, 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100329061110/http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/arts/music/rushs-alex-lifeson-on-doing-what-he-loves/article1513358/|archive-date=March 29, 2010|date=March 27, 2010}} [http://www.fenderpick.com/archive/index.php/t-9825.html Alt URL] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181230030340/http://www.fenderpick.com/archive/index.php/t-9825.html |date=December 30, 2018 }}{{cite web|last=Stevenson|first=Jane|title=Rush-ing into Songwriters Hall|url=http://jam.canoe.ca/Music/Artists/R/Rush/2010/03/26/13370106.html?cid=rssentertainment|publisher=Jam!|access-date=June 15, 2012|date=March 26, 2010|archive-date=July 9, 2012|archive-url=https://archive.today/20120709151244/http://jam.canoe.ca/Music/Artists/R/Rush/2010/03/26/13370106.html?cid=rssentertainment|url-status=usurped}}{{cite web|url=http://www.cbc.ca/video/#/Shows/More_Shows/Radio/A_Conversation_with_Rush/ID=1445449710|title=The CBC interview with Geddy Lee and Alex Lifeson|access-date=March 25, 2010|publisher=CBC News|archive-date=January 20, 2011|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110120105840/http://www.cbc.ca/video/#/Shows/More_Shows/Radio/A_Conversation_with_Rush/ID=1445449710|url-status=live}}

After some weeks into the writing Peart had developed his story further, leading to the band's agreement to adapt it into a concept album while having each track make its own statement. Rush had previously recorded conceptual songs throughout their career, but had yet to commit to a full album concept. Lee was apprehensive towards the idea at first as he wanted the group to move forward in direction and not adopt something typical of fellow progressive rock bands of the 1970s.{{cite magazine|url=http://www.2112.net/powerwindows/transcripts/20120600prog.htm|title=Angelic Upstarts|first=Jerry|last=Ewing|magazine=Prog|issue=26|date=June 2012|access-date=December 29, 2018|archive-date=December 30, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181230030318/http://www.2112.net/powerwindows/transcripts/20120600prog.htm|url-status=live}} Music Radar wrote that despite the story-based theme, the album fails to get weighed down by the plot. In a change of pace, Peart wrote the lyrics to Clockwork Angels on a blank canvas without using any preconceived ideas that he had written down. Early in January 2010, Peart had written some ideas and sent them to Lee and Lifeson, who then paired the words to the pieces of music that they had come up with. Peart was influenced to devise a story and lyrics set in a dystopian steampunk-inspired world "lit only by fire", named after the same-titled book on the history of the Middle Ages by William Manchester and "driven by steam, intricate clockworks, and alchemy".{{cite web|url=https://www.musicradar.com/news/guitars/interview-alex-lifeson-talks-rushs-clockwork-angels-track-by-track-545614|title=Interview: Alex Lifeson talks Rush's Clockwork Angels track-by-track|publisher=Music Radar|first=Joe|last=Bosso|date=May 25, 2012|access-date=December 29, 2018|archive-date=December 30, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181230080853/https://www.musicradar.com/news/guitars/interview-alex-lifeson-talks-rushs-clockwork-angels-track-by-track-545614|url-status=live}} He had incorporated elements of ancient tradition with Tarot cards on Vapor Trails (2002) and the ancient Hindi game {{lang|hi-Latn|leela}} on Snakes & Arrows and wanted to bring in alchemy for Clockwork Angels. Peart wrote a lyrical "chapter" for each of the album's twelve tracks, representing the mood or atmosphere of each track with its own symbol as depicted in the artwork. The plot is based on various sources such as Candide by Voltaire "with nods to" the novel The Sot-Weed Factor (1960) by John Barth and writers Michael Ondaatje, Joseph Conrad, Robertson Davies, Herbert Gold, Daphne du Maurier, and Cormac McCarthy, and early Spanish explorers in the American Southwest for the Seven Cities of Gold myth.

Development paused in April 2010 when Rush announced the band's Time Machine Tour; this tour was initially set to run from June to October of that year. The tour saw Rush perform two new songs that they had written for Clockwork Angels entitled "Caravan" and "BU2B".{{cite web|title=Rush Time Machine North American Tour 2010 Featuring for the First Time Ever Moving Pictures in its Entirety|url=http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/rush-time-machine-north-american-tour-2010-featuring-for-the-first-time-ever-moving-pictures-in-its-entirety-90202157.html|publisher=PR Newswire|access-date=April 8, 2010|date=April 8, 2010|archive-date=April 11, 2010|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100411212330/http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/rush-time-machine-north-american-tour-2010-featuring-for-the-first-time-ever-moving-pictures-in-its-entirety-90202157.html|url-status=live}} They had also written "The Garden" and "The Anarchist" at that point. With the first half of the Time Machine Tour finished, Lee and Lifeson resumed to write the rest of the album in early 2011, but the sessions had not produced strong enough results barring some "furious jams" that became the basis of "Carnies" and "Headlong Flight". There was also difficulty in matching Peart's lyrics to the new music which resulted in many rewrites, some on the day of recording via e-mail. Lifeson later complimented Peart: "Neil came through – he never complained."

In August 2010, Lifeson remarked that the album was turning out to be very musically diverse. In particular, Lifeson referred to the nearly finished title track "Clockwork Angels" as an "epic song" and a "multi-parted piece", described as "very dynamic".{{cite news|title=Rush Guitarist Talks Upcoming Album, Current Tour|url=http://www.blabbermouth.net/news.aspx?mode=Article&newsitemID=145102|work=Blabbermouth.net|access-date=August 26, 2010|date=August 25, 2010}} Peart said of the still in-work album in May 2011, "I intend it to be my highest achievement lyrically and drumming-wise."{{cite web|title=Interview excerpts: Neil Peart (Rush) Classic Rock's Prog Magazine|url=http://www.rushisaband.com/blog/2011/05/05/2608/Excerpts-from-Classic-Rocks-Prog-magazine-Rush-feature|publisher=Rushisaband.com|access-date=May 5, 2011|date=May 5, 2011|archive-date=September 11, 2012|archive-url=https://archive.today/20120911045151/http://www.rushisaband.com/blog/2011/05/05/2608/Excerpts-from-Classic-Rocks-Prog-magazine-Rush-feature|url-status=live}} When the final writing sessions began in late 2011, Lee and Lifeson decided to swap instruments at one particular meeting. The result was what became "The Wreckers".

Clockwork Angels contains string arrangements composed of six violins and two cellos. During the album tour, concert sound mixer Brad Madix faced gain-before-feedback challenges when amplifying the strings for a large audience: "I'd worked with strings in the past, but it was always either in a very quiet setting with minimal sound reinforcement or the violins were strictly electric. On Rush's Clockwork Angels Tour, the band definitely meant for the strings to be featured and acoustic."[http://mixonline.com/mixline_live/radial_rush_foh_engineer_brad_madix_2404/ FOH Engineer Brad Madix Uses Radial PZ-DI On Tour with Rush] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130507121234/http://www.mixonline.com/mixline_live/radial_rush_foh_engineer_brad_madix_2404/ |date=May 7, 2013 }}. Mix Online. April 24, 2013. Accessed from May 4, 2013.

Though the band's 1976 and 1978 albums 2112 and Hemispheres are often referred to as concept albums, Clockwork Angels is the band's only true concept album as the album features a continuous theme with the lyrics telling a story that runs from beginning to end. Caress of Steel, 2112 and Hemispheres all feature a sidelong suite that tells a story. However, the lyrics of the other songs on those three albums have very little if anything to do with those stories.{{cn|date=August 2022}}

Rush recorded Clockwork Angels in two phases. The first took place in April 2010 at Blackbird Studios in Nashville, Tennessee with Nick Raskulinecz returning as co-producer following his work on Snakes & Arrows (2007). The tracks "Caravan" and "BU2B" were recorded during this time and mixing was completed by Richard Chycki at the Sound Kitchen in Franklin, Tennessee. The band's initial plan was to return to the studio at the conclusion of the Time Machine Tour in October 2010 and have the album finished for a 2011 release.{{cite web|title=RUSH – New Album Title Revealed; Clockwork Angels Due In 2011|url=http://www.bravewords.com/news/139608|work=News|publisher=Brave Words & Bloody Knuckles|access-date=May 25, 2010|date=May 25, 2010|archive-date=May 29, 2010|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100529181956/http://www.bravewords.com/news/139608|url-status=dead}} However, they decided to extend the tour with dates from March to July 2011, thus pushing back the release of Clockwork Angels.{{cite web|title=Interview: Alex Lifeson (Rush) Guitarist Magazine|url=http://www.musicradar.com/guitarist/interview-alex-lifeson-rush-357484|first=Rob|last=Laing|publisher=MusicRadar|access-date=January 16, 2010|date=January 10, 2011|archive-date=February 8, 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120208134045/http://www.musicradar.com/guitarist/interview-alex-lifeson-rush-357484|url-status=live}} That August, the band announced their deal with Roadrunner Records in partnership with their domestic label Anthem Records to handle their international distribution, marking the end of their time with Atlantic Records which began with Presto (1989).{{cite web|url=http://www.2112.net/powerwindows/transcripts/20110831roadrunner.htm|title=Rush Signs to Roadrunner Records!|date=August 31, 2011|publisher=Roadrunner Records|access-date=December 29, 2018|archive-date=December 30, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181230030240/http://www.2112.net/powerwindows/transcripts/20110831roadrunner.htm|url-status=live}}

The second phase of recording took place at Revolution Recording in Toronto between October and December 2011.{{cite web|last=Wardlaw|first=Matt|title=Rush Complete Recording Of 'Clockwork Angels'|url=http://ultimateclassicrock.com/rush-complete-recording-of-clockwork-angels/|publisher=Ultimate Classic Rock.com|access-date=December 28, 2011|date=December 27, 2011|archive-date=January 7, 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120107190053/http://ultimateclassicrock.com/rush-complete-recording-of-clockwork-angels/|url-status=live}} The strings were recorded at Ocean Way Recording in Los Angeles in January 2012.

On his personal website, Peart revealed that he took a new approach in writing and recording his drum tracks for the album:{{cite web|last=Peart|first=Neil|title=At the Gate of the Year|url=http://www.neilpeart.net/news/january_2012.html|work=NeilPeart.net|access-date=June 15, 2012|date=January 2012|archive-date=June 6, 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120606203148/http://www.neilpeart.net/news/january_2012.html|url-status=live}}

{{blockquote|I played through each song just a few times on my own, checking out patterns and fills that might work, then called in Booujzhe. He stood in the room with me, facing my drums, with a music stand and a single drumstick—he was my conductor, and I was his orchestra ... I would attack the drums, responding to his enthusiasm, and his suggestions between takes, and together we would hammer out the basic architecture of the part. His baton would conduct me into choruses, half-time bridges, and double-time outros and so on—so I didn't have to worry about their durations. No counting, and no endless repetition.}}

On February 9, 2012, science fiction novelist Kevin J. Anderson, a longtime friend of Neil Peart, announced that he would be writing a novelization of Clockwork Angels. He also revealed information about the album's concept:{{cite web|title=Author Kevin J. Anderson to write novelization of Rush's upcoming Clockwork Angels album|url=http://www.rushisaband.com/blog/2012/02/09/2990/Author-Kevin-J.-Anderson-to-write-novelization-of-Rushs-upcoming-Clockwork-Angels-album|publisher=Rushisaband.com|access-date=May 6, 2012|archive-date=January 4, 2013|archive-url=https://archive.today/20130104191420/http://www.rushisaband.com/blog/2012/02/09/2990/Author-Kevin-J.-Anderson-to-write-novelization-of-Rushs-upcoming-Clockwork-Angels-album|url-status=live}}

{{quote|In a young man's quest to follow his dreams, he is caught between the grandiose forces of order and chaos. He travels across a lavish and colorful world of steampunk and alchemy, with lost cities, pirates, anarchists, exotic carnivals, and a rigid Watchmaker who imposes precision on every aspect of daily life.}}

Released on September 4, 2012, the novel was followed by a loose sequel titled Clockwork Lives, which was published on September 15, 2015, followed by a graphic novel in 2018. During the final years of his life, Peart began working with Anderson on a third and final novel in the series; after Peart's death, his widow gave Anderson permission to continue the project. This book, Clockwork Destiny, was published in June 2022.

The album's front cover, designed by Rush's longtime collaborator Hugh Syme, depicts a clock marked with alchemical symbols instead of numbers. It displays the time as 9:12, which in 24-hour time is 21:12, a reference to the band's fourth studio album, 2112 (1976). 9:12 is also unintentionally a reference to Peart’s birthday, September 12 or 9/12. {{cite web|url=http://www.2112.net/powerwindows/transcripts/20120621classicrockrevisited.htm|title=Life Lessons – An Interview With Alex Lifeson of Rush|first=Paul|last=Elliot|publisher=Classic Rock Revisited|date=June 21, 2012|access-date=January 12, 2019|archive-date=January 13, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190113062743/http://www.2112.net/powerwindows/transcripts/20120621classicrockrevisited.htm|url-status=live}}{{cite web|title=Clockwork Angels Album And Tourbook Covers Leaked|url=http://news.2112.net/2012/04/clockwork-angels-album-and-tourbook.html|work=2112.net|publisher=Power Windows|access-date=June 11, 2012|archive-date=June 15, 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120615102904/http://news.2112.net/2012/04/clockwork-angels-album-and-tourbook.html|url-status=live}}

{{Album reviews

|MC = 74/100{{cite web|title=Clockwork Angels Reviews, Ratings, Credits, and More|url=http://www.metacritic.com/music/clockwork-angels/rush|website=Metacritic|access-date=August 2, 2012|archive-date=July 20, 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120720024626/http://www.metacritic.com/music/clockwork-angels/rush|url-status=live}}

|rev1 = AllMusic

|rev1score = {{Rating|4|5}}{{AllMusic|class=album|id=mw0002332023|label=Clockwork Angels – Rush|first=Thom|last=Jurek|access-date=12 June 2012}}

|rev2 = The Austin Chronicle

|rev2score = {{Rating|2|5}}{{cite news|last=Hernandez|first=Raoul|title=Rush: Clockwork Angels (Roadrunner)|url=http://www.austinchronicle.com/music/2012-08-10/rush-clockwork-angels/|newspaper=The Austin Chronicle|access-date=February 24, 2013|date=August 10, 2012|archive-date=September 26, 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130926093733/http://www.austinchronicle.com/music/2012-08-10/rush-clockwork-angels/|url-status=live}}

|rev3 = The A.V. Club

|rev3score = A−{{cite news|last=Heller|first=Jason|title=Rush: Clockwork Angels|url=https://www.avclub.com/rush-clockwork-angels-1798173199|newspaper=The A.V. Club|access-date=June 19, 2012|date=June 19, 2012|archive-date=June 20, 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120620234608/http://www.avclub.com/articles/rush-clockwork-angels,81403/|url-status=live}}

|rev4 = Blabbermouth.net

|rev4score = 8/10{{cite news|last=Van Horn Jr.|first=Ray|title=Rush: Clockwork Angels|url=http://www.blabbermouth.net/showreview.aspx?reviewID=2430|work=Blabbermouth.net|access-date=July 25, 2012|archive-date=July 27, 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120727014324/http://www.blabbermouth.net/showreview.aspx?reviewID=2430|url-status=live}}

|rev5 = Consequence of Sound

|rev5score = {{Rating|4|5}}{{cite magazine|last=von Bader|first=David|title=Album Review: Rush – Clockwork Angels|url=http://consequenceofsound.net/2012/06/album-review-rush-clockwork-angels/|magazine=Consequence of Sound|access-date=February 24, 2013|date=June 22, 2012|archive-date=October 31, 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121031062024/http://consequenceofsound.net/2012/06/album-review-rush-clockwork-angels/|url-status=live}}

|rev6 = The Guardian

|rev6score = {{Rating|4|5}}{{cite news|last=Thomson|first=Jamie|url=https://www.theguardian.com/music/2012/jul/05/rush-clockwork-angels-review|title=Rush: Clockwork Angels – review|newspaper=The Guardian|access-date=August 2, 2012|date=July 5, 2012|archive-date=April 25, 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150425072730/http://www.theguardian.com/music/2012/jul/05/rush-clockwork-angels-review|url-status=live}}

|rev7 = Metal Hammer

|rev7score = {{Rating|7|7}}{{cite magazine|url=http://www.metal-hammer.de/reviews/alben/article309223/rush-clockwork-angels.html|title=Rush – Clockwork Angels|magazine=Metal Hammer|access-date=July 17, 2012|archive-date=July 19, 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120719091515/http://www.metal-hammer.de/reviews/alben/article309223/rush-clockwork-angels.html|url-status=live}}

|rev8 = Now

|rev8score = {{Rating|4|5}}{{cite news|last=Boles|first=Benjamin|title=Rush – Clockwork Angels|url=http://www.nowtoronto.com/music/story.cfm?content=187223|newspaper=Now|access-date=February 24, 2013|date=June 14–21, 2012|archive-date=January 12, 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140112162214/http://www.nowtoronto.com/music/story.cfm?content=187223|url-status=dead}}

|rev9 = PopMatters

|rev9score = {{Rating|7|10}}{{cite magazine|last=Ezell|first=Brice|title=Rush: Clockwork Angels|url=http://www.popmatters.com/pm/review/159842-rush-clockwork-angels/|magazine=PopMatters|access-date=February 24, 2013|date=June 21, 2012|archive-date=February 5, 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130205223136/http://www.popmatters.com/pm/review/159842-rush-clockwork-angels/|url-status=live}}

|rev10 = Rolling Stone

|rev10score = {{Rating|3.5|5}}{{cite magazine|last=Dolan|first=Jon|title=Clockwork Angels|url=https://www.rollingstone.com/music/albumreviews/clockwork-angels-20120618|magazine=Rolling Stone|access-date=June 19, 2012|date=June 18, 2012|archive-date=June 21, 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120621012229/http://www.rollingstone.com/music/albumreviews/clockwork-angels-20120618|url-status=live}}

}}

Clockwork Angels was released on June 8, 2012, in Australia, followed by the United States and Canada on June 12 and in Europe on June 13. British magazine Classic Rock released a limited edition fan pack containing the album and 132-page magazine on June 11.{{cite web |url=http://www.classicrockmagazine.com/news/rush-fanpack-on-sale-today/ |title=Clockwork Angels fanpack |publisher=Classic Rock Magazine |access-date=June 17, 2012 |archive-date=June 17, 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120617174405/http://www.classicrockmagazine.com/news/rush-fanpack-on-sale-today/ |url-status=live }}

The single "Caravan" was released June 1, 2010, to radio stations and made available for digital download at this time along with "BU2B". The second single, "Headlong Flight", was released to radio stations and for online streaming on April 19, 2012.

The album debuted at No. 2 on the Billboard 200 with sales of 103,000 units the first week.{{cite magazine|last=Caulfield|first=Keith|title=Rush, Josh Turner, Waka Flocka Flame Among Top 10 Debuts|url=http://www.billboard.com/articles/news/482882/usher-finds-fourth-no-1-album-on-billboard-200|magazine=Billboard|access-date=June 20, 2012|archive-date=November 18, 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151118234611/http://www.billboard.com/articles/news/482882/usher-finds-fourth-no-1-album-on-billboard-200|url-status=live}}{{cite web|title=Clockwork Angels Debuts at #2 on Billboard Charts|url=http://news.2112.net/2012/06/clockwork-angels-debuts-at-2-on.html|work=Power Windows|publisher=2112.net|access-date=June 20, 2012|archive-date=June 22, 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120622212446/http://news.2112.net/2012/06/clockwork-angels-debuts-at-2-on.html|url-status=live}} In Canada, the album debuted at No. 1 with sales of 20,000 units.{{cite news|last=Dowling|first=Marianne|title=Rush's 'Angels' flies up the charts|url=http://www.torontosun.com/2012/06/20/rushs-angels-fly-up-the-charts|access-date=June 20, 2012|newspaper=Toronto Sun|date=June 20, 2012|archive-date=March 9, 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140309231329/http://www.torontosun.com/2012/06/20/rushs-angels-fly-up-the-charts|url-status=live}} By June 20, over 40,000 copies of the Classic Rock fan pack had been sold. Had this release been eligible for the UK Albums Chart, the album would have debuted at No. 1.{{cite web|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120627042345/http://canon.broadcastnewsroom.com/article/Rush-Match-Highest-Charting-of-Their-Career-With-CLOCKWORK-ANGELS--2082335|url=http://canon.broadcastnewsroom.com/article/Rush-Match-Highest-Charting-of-Their-Career-With-CLOCKWORK-ANGELS--2082335|title=Rush Match Highest Charting of Their Career With Clockwork Angels |date=June 20, 2012|publisher=Broadcast Newsroom|access-date=June 29, 2018|url-status=usurped|archive-date=June 27, 2012}} As more people bought the fan pack than the album alone, the latter debuted at No. 76 in the UK before it reached its peak at No. 21.{{cite web|url=https://www.officialcharts.com/search/albums/clockwork-angels/|title=Clockwork Angels – Rush|publisher=Official Charts|access-date=December 29, 2018|archive-date=December 30, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181230030015/https://www.officialcharts.com/search/albums/clockwork-angels/|url-status=live}}

Clockwork Angels holds a score of 74 out of 100 on Metacritic based on 14 reviews, which indicates "generally favourable reviews". Classic Rock scored the album a 9/10 and called it Rush's best release in 30 years.{{cite magazine |title=Rush – Clockwork Angels |journal=Classic Rock |date=July 2012 |last=Everley |first=Dave |issue=172 |page=95 |url=http://www.rushisaband.com/blog/2012/05/18/3107/Rush-cover-feature-in-July-2012-issue-of-Classic-Rock-magazine |access-date=June 12, 2012 |archive-date=January 4, 2013 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20130104205425/http://www.rushisaband.com/blog/2012/05/18/3107/Rush-cover-feature-in-July-2012-issue-of-Classic-Rock-magazine |url-status=live }} Jamie Thompson of The Guardian wrote in his review that "those who worship at the temple of Rush will be in raptures; for those who remain agnostic, there may well be enough here to justify a leap of faith". Brave Words & Bloody Knuckles editor-in-chief Martin Popoff gave the album a perfect 10/10 and said of it, "one can't deny that there's more purpose and focus here than on any Rush album ever".{{cite magazine|last=Popoff|first=Martin|title=Rush – Martin Popoff Reviews Clockwork Angels|url=http://www.bravewords.com/news/184118|magazine=Brave Words & Bloody Knuckles|access-date=June 15, 2012|date=May 24, 2012|archive-date=September 17, 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120917031207/http://www.bravewords.com/news/184118|url-status=dead}}

In 2019, Classic Rock named Clockwork Angels the number one album of the 2010s.

{{Track listing

| all_lyrics = Neil Peart{{cite web|title=Clockwork Angels Press Release – Album Coming June 12, Single April 19th|url=http://news.2112.net/2012/03/clockwork-angels-listening-party.html|work=Power Windows|publisher=2112.net|access-date=April 12, 2012|archive-date=June 6, 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120606033332/http://news.2112.net/2012/03/clockwork-angels-listening-party.html|url-status=live}}

| all_music = Geddy Lee and Alex Lifeson

| title1 = Caravan

| length1 = 5:39

| title2 = BU2B

| length2 = 5:10

| title3 = Clockwork Angels

| length3 = 7:31

| title4 = The Anarchist

| length4 = 6:52

| title5 = Carnies

| length5 = 4:53

| title6 = Halo Effect

| length6 = 3:14

| title7 = Seven Cities of Gold

| length7 = 6:32

| title8 = The Wreckers

| length8 = 5:01

| title9 = Headlong Flight

| length9 = 7:19

| title10 = BU2B2

| length10 = 1:28

| title11 = Wish Them Well

| length11 = 5:25

| title12 = The Garden

| length12 = 6:59

| total_length = 1:06:03

}}

Credits adapted from the album's liner notes.

Rush

• Geddy Lee – bass guitar, keyboards, bass pedals, vocals
• Alex Lifeson – guitars, keyboards
• Neil Peart – drums, cymbals, tambourine

Additional musicians

• David Campbell – String arrangement and conducting
• Jason Sniderman – piano on "The Garden"

Production

• Arranged and produced by Rush and Nick Raskulinecz
• Recording engineers: Richard Chycki, Martin Cooke, Jason DuFour, Paul Fig and Stephen Koszler
• Mixed by Nick Raskulinecz
• Mastered by Brian Gardner

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{{album chart|Norway|4|artist=Rush|album=Clockwork Angels|rowheader=true|access-date=July 28, 2023}}

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{{album chart|Scotland|16|date=20120715|rowheader=true|access-date=July 28, 2023}}

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{{album chart|Spain|58|artist=Rush|album=Clockwork Angels|rowheader=true|access-date=July 28, 2023}}

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{{album chart|Sweden|8|artist=Rush|album=Clockwork Angels|rowheader=true|access-date=July 28, 2023}}

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{{album chart|Switzerland|21|artist=Rush|album=Clockwork Angels|rowheader=true|access-date=July 28, 2023}}

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{{album chart|UK2|21|date=20120715|rowheader=true|access-date=July 28, 2023}}

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{{album chart|UKRock|19|date=20130526|rowheader=true|access-date=July 28, 2023}}

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{{album chart|Billboard200|2|artist=Rush|rowheader=true|access-date=July 28, 2023}}

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{{album chart|BillboardHardRock|1|artist=Rush|rowheader=true|access-date=July 28, 2023}}

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{{album chart|BillboardRock|1|artist=Rush|rowheader=true|access-date=July 28, 2023}}

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{{Certification Table Top|caption=Certifications for Clockwork Angels}}

{{Certification Table Entry|region=Canada|type=album|artist=Rush|title=Clockwork Anglels |award=Gold|relyear=2012|certyear=2013}}

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{{notelist}}

{{Reflist}}

• {{Discogs master|type=album|443890|name=Clockwork Angels}}

{{Rush}}

{{Authority control}}

Category:Rush (band) albums

Category:2012 albums

Category:Anthem Records albums

Category:Roadrunner Records albums

Category:Albums produced by Nick Raskulinecz

Category:Science fiction concept albums

Category:Juno Award for Rock Album of the Year albums