On Friday, Frank Carter made a triumphant return to hardcore punk music with his new band, Frank Carter and the Rattlesnakes. Blossom is an explosive debut record full of raw emotion.
The album opens with lead single Juggernaut, which when it was released was a great indicator of things to come. Anyone expecting the Rattlesnakes to sound anything like Carter’s previous band, Pure Love, would have had those illusions shattered by this powerful track.
Frank Carter is probably best known for his stint as the front man of Gallows, who were well known for their loud and volatile sound. While it’s obvious that the sentiments explored in Blossom come from a similar place, exploring anger, hatred and loss, The Rattlesnakes manage to make these feelings feel even more raw and visceral.
I wouldn’t want this entire review to focus on Frank Carter, though. Even though he’s the frontman of this incredible new band, without its fantastic musicians there wouldn’t be much to listen to. The guitars throughout, especially in single Juggernaut, are fantastically powerful, and the drumming is as cymbal-heavy and up tempo as you’d expect from an album of this genre.
Blossom is fast paced for the first half of the album, but towards the end the tracks slow down a little and become more moody and reflective. The change of pace forces the listener to pay attention, as it’s pretty difficult to predict where the record will go next. Most of the tracks clock in at under four minutes long, which helps them to pack a more significant punch – it’s surprising how much anger The Rattlesnakes managed to force into each track.
If you were a fan of Gallows when Frank Carter was frontman, then The Rattlesnakes will definitely be right up your street. If you’re looking for a brand new and explosive record to sink your fangs into (see what I did there? There’s a track on the album called Fangs and – oh never mind), chock full of human emotion with raw punk roots, make sure you get to a music store or online and pick up a copy of Blossom as soon as you can. I, for one, cannot wait to get my mitts on a physical copy of it.
Highlights: Devil Inside Me, Loss, Beautiful Death
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