Throughout his discography, Frank Carter has had no shortage of incredibly big tunes, whether it be from his other projects, Gallows or Pure Love, the Frank Carter hype train seems to have no limit. Now, back with The Rattlesnakes, we have seen an entirely new side to Frank and his brilliant mind in the form of Modern Ruin, a 12-piece post-apocalyptic record, full of twists, turns and brutally hardcore riffs.
From the moment it begins, it’s pretty clear that Modern Ruin is no ordinary album. Just when you think you’re getting comfortable, each track flips itself on its head, blasting bigger and heavier guitars that’ll simply make you want to scream along. This being said, opening track ‘Bluebelle’ is perhaps the only bit of sanity on the entire record. ‘Bluebelle’ is one minute of sweet and dismal serenity, in which Frank’s whispered vocals produce an intimate reassurance and almost act as a sort of warning, stating: “You best be ready for what’s coming…” and you best take this warning seriously. As the next track, the humorously named ‘Lullaby’ begins, the serene, fragile tones are shattered into thousands of pieces as distorted riffs begin to thrash and Frank’s vocals become filled with a harsh and powerful tone. A perfect demonstration in showing just what this band are all about. The track’s structure is incredibly unique, the hardcore riffs are beautifully transitioned into an almost trance like breakdown which really sends the song into an entirely new vibe, only before punching you back in the face with the hard hitting riff again, making for a listen that borders on the cusp of madness and genius.
As we continue, each following track only seems to grow bigger and bigger from its predecessors and a variety of different metaphorical pictures are painted. Some stress tones of heartache and vampires, whilst others are clear jabs at the establishment, acting as a true reminder of punk in its purest form. Within every single number, you can tell that Frank truley believes every word he preaches, the level of emotion and sincerity throughout the album is delivered with such a degree of raw intensity that would simply be impossible to fake. Each scream and vocal tremor comes from the gut and really makes each track jump just that little bit more. The lyrics too act as constant reminders of the modern world issues humanity faces, tracks such as ‘Thunder’ demonstrate the violence of riots, war, racism and many more horrendous issues, yet are delivered with a distinctive level of intricacy and delicacy. One line in particular brings back the image from last year of the young Syrian boy found dead on the beach, whilst others reflect the governmental position of considering the entire refugee crisis as “Just a number” as opposed to real people, in short, this one really hits home hard.
As mentioned, there is a distinctive sense of unpredictability in every song which is what makes this album so fantastic, each twist completely jars the listen and sends it into a completely different direction. The unique yet unmistakable style of songwriting is both incredibly refreshing and leaves you wishing the album would never come to a close! However, the album’s final track ’Neon Rust’ is possibly one of the most identifiable numbers on the entire record. Not only is it one of the few to follow a far slower tempo and almost upbeat sound, but the depressingly contradictory imagery painted by the track is truly remarkable. Frank describes a beat up, post-apocalyptic scene in which we are reminded of our own responsibility for issues such as climate change etc. As the breakdown and repetition of the line “We don’t belong in a wasteland” grows stronger and stronger, Frank’s delivery quickly becomes overwhelmingly screamed and strained, making for arguably the best demonstration of the brutality and emotion behind the entire release. A hollowing empty guitar solo closes the song and you are left feeling both uncomfortable and reflecting on what you can do to change the painted ‘wasteland’ you have just been presented with. Overall, a great track with a great message and a perfect closer to an incredibly fulfilling album.
From start to finish, Modern Ruin is an intrinsically beautiful album. The instrumentation is incredibly tight and is not afraid to hit hard when it intends to, the messages behind the album are vividly clear and contain some of the most brutally honest lyrics I have heard in a while, but perhaps most admirable, is the way each sensitive issue covered in this album is delivered with a remarkable amount of care and respect. Frank Carter & The Rattlesnakes have done a sublime job with this release and with a frontman who holds such a known reputation for going crazy at shows, I can only imagine seeing these tracks live will bring them into an entirely new realm of tenacious hardcore punk that’ll leave you craving more and more. However, even for those not fortunate enough to see Frank live, this album will certainly make you feel like a total badass as you walk along to it and, really, what more can we ask for?
Ben Walker
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