Alt-rockers Clutch [ tickets ] will hit the road late this year for a brief farewell to 2009 as the group continues to tour behind this summer's "Strange Cousins From the West."

The Maryland outfit kicks off the post-Christmas outing Dec. 27 in Charlotte, NC, and will hit five cities in all, including a New Years' Eve performance in Sayreville, NJ. Details are below.

The December shows follow a European trek the band has lined up for next month. Those dates can be found at the official Clutch website.

Clutch released its ninth full-length album this year, "Strange Cousins From the West," which surfaced in July. The set debuted at No. 38 on The Billboard 200, marking the group's highest album debut to date.

The band dished out three live albums last year, the latest one being the CD/DVD set "Full Fathom Five," which was recorded during the group's 2007/2008 world tour.

Last April, the rockers released "Live at the Corner Hotel," capturing their March 2006 performance in Australia, where they have a rabid fanbase. That set followed February's "Heard It All Before - Live at HiFi Bar," which was also recorded in Australia.