Barriers to Right

  Forest Live 2025

  The Commoners Live

  Montreux British Dedication

  Joanna Shaw Taylor UK Tour

  Within Temptation Ukraine Film

  Gaza - Too Little, Too Late

  Robert Jon & The Wreck Live

  Mike Peters Remembered

  Elliot Minor Live Manchester

  The Swell Season LP & Tour

  Robert Jon & The Wreck ‘24 Tour

  EARTH DAY 2025

  Montreux Lineup 2025

  The Omen (Has Arrived)

  Divine Comedy Back in ‘25!

  DOWNLOAD 2025

  The Damn Truth UK Tour

  David Gray’s New LP & Tour

  On Freelance Photography

  Trump’s Winning Ways…?

  Martha Wainwright’s Debut LP

  Roger Waters on Amused To Death

  Trump, Drunk On Power

  Apartheid and Beyond…

  David Ford Live in ‘25

  My Favourite Records

  In Dreams…

  Coheed & Cambria New LP & Tour

  Young Knives New LP & UK Tour

  Elliot Minor Back In 2025

  Emily Barker LP & 2025 UK Tour

  Political Inhumanity

  Record Reviews

  Ani DiFranco 2025 Tour

  “Let Right Be Done”

  Farah Nabulsi Filmmaker

  G3 Reunion Live LP in ‘25

  IS THIS IT?

  Larkin Poe Live in ‘25 + New LP

  Laura Marling New Record Out Now

  Rise Against 2025 Tour

  Rag ‘N’ Bone Man New LP & Tour

  The Middle East Crisis

  Ezra Collective New LP & Tour

  Leif Vollebekk New, Great LP

  Stick In The Wheel Returns

  SO, WHAT’S CHANGED?

  “They’re American Planes…”

  Olive Tree By Olive Tree…

  Ani Di Franco In Conversation

  Gemma Hayes Returns

  Remembering Thomas Hoepker

  Joe Bonamassa Live in 25

  On Misinformation

  Joan As Police Woman LP

  Politics - Who To Trust?

  The 76 Year Catastrophe

  Black Country Communion Back!

  Within Temptation Live Recordings

  Beth Gibbons New Solo LP

  Politics Is Failing

  Ani DiFranco New LP

  Pink Floyd’s Animals Remix

  SHIT FLOATS

  Seasick Steve Alive & Kickin’

  “My country, right or wrong…”

  Heart Announce Live Tours

  Anais Mitchell HADESTOWN Returns

  The Photographer’s Selection

  Gaza Nightmare Continues

  Princess Goes COME OF AGE

  Philip ‘Seth’ Campbell Live

  This Troubled World

  Dark Side Of The Moon 50th

  The More I Hear The Less I Know

  Great Albums: Fresh New Life

  Hozier’s New Album

  Nicole Atkins Jim Sclavunos Live

  SBT (Sarabeth Tucek) Live

  I’m As Angry As Hell!

  Magnum - A Year in Ukraine

  Alessandra Sanguinetti Interview

  The Damn Truth Live

  Newton Faulkner Live

  The Handsome Family Live

  The State We’re In Pt II

  Eric Gales Live

  The Cavalry Never Arrived

  Chvrches Live

  Andrés Peña Flamenco Star Live

  Paul Draper Live

  A Fly-Free Zone

  Liverpool Jazz Festival

  The Charlatans Live

  UK Democracy Threatened

  Rag’n'Bone Man Live

  Sea Girls Live

  Martha Wainwright Live

  Politics is Failing

  Lucy Kruger TRANSIT TAPES

  Joe Bonamassa Live!

  Rodrigo Y Gabriela Interview

  Music & Brexit

  Happy New Year?

  On Barbra Streisand

  The State We’re In…

  Welcome Back! But To What?

  What Have We Done?

  A RISK TOO FAR

  Photojournalism Hero

  Samantha Fish Live

  Gill Landry Live in Chester

  Noah Gundersen Live

  David Gilmour’s Interview

  Snow Patrol Live in Manchester

  New Model Army Live

  Shakespears Sister Live

  Lamb Live in Manchester

  The Struts Live

  Sting & Shaggy Live

  David Gray Live in Liverpool

  John Lennon Interview


Frank Carter & the Rattlesnakes

c-110

Frank Carter & The Rattlesnakes MODERN RUIN. International Death Cult/Kobalt Label Services

Frank Carter – vocals
Dean Richardson – guitars
Tom ‘Tank’ Barclay – bass guitar
Gareth Grover – drums

Frank Carter & The Rattlesnakes are an English hardcore punk band formed in 2015 by former Gallows and Pure Love frontman Frank Carter. The band sees Carter return to the hardcore stylings of Gallows, as opposed to the alternative rock sound of Pure Love. They released one EP in May 2015 called ROTTEN, and launched their debut album BLOSSOM via Kobalt Label Services in August 2015. They revealed their second studio album, entitled MODERN RUIN, on 28 September 2016, which was released in January 2017 via International Death Cult.

The return of Frank Carter in 2015, was the return of a bitter and angry Rattlesnake, spitting venom on all cylinders with the album BLOSSOM. It was the return of a frontman who fans of his old band Gallows, had missed for the 4 long years since he had left the band.

To a lot of those fans, his follow-up band ‘Pure Love’ strayed too much into a more - for want of a better phrase - “Radio-Friendly” area of music. He won them back with BLOSSOM which was lyrically and musically akin to the Frank Carter of old.

With MODERN RUIN it’s clear Carter has found his niche. Gallows and Pure Love were two entirely separate paths that led to dead ends, but with the Rattlesnakes, he has found a path directly in between that takes him to places that no other bands can get to.

Review

It’s been a while since I heard a heavy rock record that’s both inspiring and truly entertaining. Frank Carter to the rescue! With MODERN RUIN, Carter and his band pull no punches musically, lyrically  or emotionally. In fact if there was a template that I could recommned to budding rockers then this wwould be it.

The album opens with a fairytale, gentle one minute ‘Bluebelle’ before launching into ‘Lullaby’ which sonically is anything but, however, listen to the lyrics and it is indeed that personal. There’s strong melody, Bolt-like pace and instrumentals made in rock heaven. Carter’s voice triumphs over it all with production that makes every word as clear as a bell.

‘Snake Eyes’ is a rhythm-led, (fabulous drum work here from Gareth Grover) explosive rock song that rattles along at the speed of light with another strong melody to underpin it. Then suddenly it stops and ends with deep-set keyboard notes. ‘Vampires’ boasts some telling guitar riffs in a song that I could imagine playing out on radio. Checkout the military snare drum passage around the middle eight which adds a distinctive touch.

‘Wild Flowers’ is dominated by  a guitar riff that strikes up in the choruses while Carter is at his most vocally flamboyant. The differing pace of the song adds to its drama and inventiveness. ‘Acid Veins’ travels slowly in verses while upping the pace in the choruses. The melody is arguably the strongest here while the vibe goes from contemplative emo to something harder as Carter pleads “Give me love.”

Title track ‘Modern Ruin’ upps the guitar stakes and jagged punk rock vibe. It’s a vicious little bugger with drums once again beating the attack. Brilliant! The epic ‘Neon Rust’ closes the album on a highly emotive note and for me is the highlight of a wonderful rock record. There are twelve great tracks here and I can’t wait to see Carter and co rock in Manchester next month. This could so easily be the heavy rock album of the year…

4.5/5

Tour Schedule

6.03.17 – Norwich, Norwich Waterfront

17.03.17 – Manchester, Academy 2

18.03.17 – Newcastle, Riverside

19.03.17 – Glasgow, St Lukes

21.03.17 – Belfast, Oh Yeah Music Centre

22.03.17 – Dublin, Academy 2

24.03.17 – Leeds, Stylus

25.03.17 – Birmingham, Asylum

26.03.17 – Cardiff, Globe

27.03.17 – Exeter, Phoenix

29.03.17 – Portsmouth, Wedgewood Rooms

30.03.17 – London, Koko

https://www.andtherattlesnakes.com/


Back


Lowry 2010 - Gallery: The Swell Season
The Swell Season
LATEST GALLERY IMAGES

While talks continue... - Gallery: The Peace Dividend?
The Peace Dividend? Gaza & The West Bank 2025 - Gallery: Crime Scenes
Crime Scenes
Shakenstir - Homepage Links Reviews Live Interviews Features News Contact Gallery Shakenstir - Homepage