Album/EP

Frank Carter & The Rattlesnakes - End Of Suffering (Album Review)

Walladmin

Heavy Metal Wordsmith

May 2, 2019

7 min read

Frank Carter & The Rattlesnakes - End Of Suffering
Released: May 3rd, 2019

Lineup

Frank Carter // Vocals
Dean Richardson // Guitars
Tom Barclay // Bass
Gareth Grover // Drums
Thomas Mitchener // Guitars & Synth

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Admission time. Prior to this year (and more importantly this album), I hadn't listened to much Frank Carter & The Rattlesnakes. You know those bands people tell you about and you chuck them on your "list" to listen to, but forget or just don't get around to it? That's my relationship with the band and I am FUCKING kicking myself for not jumping on the bandwagon sooner. Special shout out to our resident punk photographer Kim Anderson who has been swooning over the band for years and finally got me over the mark with her persistent requests to cover them. All the singles from this album so far have been great so I had to jump in and see what else the lads had to offer...

'Why A Butterfly Can't Love A Spider' kicks off the album and instantly we're met by Frank's alluring (and iconic) vocals with a raw guitar tone and drum beat behind him. It's a slow jam (kinda ballad-esque) which eventually erupts into a solid rock and roll belter. If you enjoy songs that make you sway and sing, you'll dig this one! Next up we've got 'Tyrant Lizard King' is up next and kicks off with a sexy as fuck guitar riff that Tom Morello fans will pick up straight away as one of his own which will no doubt send shivers up your spine. They played this on their recent trip to Australia supporting Bring Me The Horizon (our coverage here) but due to my shit hearing, I thought he was singing "Tunnel Vision", however, I did make a note that this song went off with the crowd and now hearing a studio quality version, I can see why. There's a guitar solo that'll melt faces as well so there's something for everyone. The tempo is increased for 'Heartbreaker' which begins with Frank singing, backing vocals going "woo hooooo" and shredmaster Dean Richardson proving why he's one of the best new guitarists that you should check out stat! The third act almost turns into a completely different song, faster, more upbeat and catchy as fuck lyrics for you to sing along to. A surprise hit and one of the best tracks on the album (so far).

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dF16_JRFC08&w=640&h=360]

When 'Crowbar' was first released it divided fans. Some didn't like the phat electronic synth that was throughout, while others welcomed the progression with open arms. After hearing it a few dozen times, I fucking love it. It sounds so much better when you have proper speakers with a decent bass setting that you can feel in your chest when you're rocking out to it at your desk or in your loungeroom. 'LoveGames' slows the mood down yet again and sounds like something Queens Of The Stone Age would come up if they collaborated in the studio with a band like Royal Blood. This anti-love song features the simple, yet effective lyrics of "If love is a losing game then why do we play it again and again and again and again and again and again" and to be honest, I'm all for it. It also sets the tone and mood for the next banger of a single 'Anxiety' which I thrashed on repeat for a day when I first heard it. This song delves into the mental struggles frontman FrankCarter experiences on a daily basis and was written after Dean literally saved him from a suicide attempt. In it, he mentions things like how fans expect him to be happy all the time because he's a successful musician and has everything he needs in life, but when he belts out lyrics like "AND HEY GUESS WHAT/IT’S MY LIFE/AND I TRY MY BEST BUT IT’S NEVER RIGHT/AND I DON’T KNOW WHAT’S WRONG WITH ME" or "AND I’LL TELL YOU THAT IT’S OK/BECAUSE IT DOESN’T HAVE TO STAY THIS WAY/AND THERE’S A BETTER PLACE FOR YOU AND ME/WHERE WE CAN BE HAPPY" you know deep down this is a man who is doing his best to keep his head above water when he's not in a good place. I commend him for being so honest with this raw, important and emotive song. Arguably one of the best tracks of the year and I dare you to not sing along at the top of your lungs during the chorus!

If you or anyone you know needs help with their own mental well-being call Lifeline on 13 11 14 or Beyond Blue on 1300 22 4636 or find your closest Suicide Prevention/Crisis Support Organisation on Google…

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DovgXeCWDa0&w=640&h=360]

'AngelWings' is a doom and gloom kinda song about failure, that sorta sounds like it's building up to an epic climax during it's entirety. It doesn't, but that doesn't stop it from being a great relatable listen. 'SuperVillain' is a groovy rock song with plenty of synth, raw punky riffs and Frank's soothing vocals. 'LatexDreams' is a sexy AF love song. 'KittySucker' the third single is fast-paced, riff-heavy and dance-inducing enough to get you moving. Honourable mention to drummer GarethGrover who nails this beat with precision and perfection. Would love to see him belting out this one in a live setting as he chops and changes speed and style with ease. 'LittleDevil' continues the vibes put forth by the closing tracks (all of which have rolled off one another seamlessly) but it's the album's closing/title track 'End Of Suffering' that has saved some of the best for last. Musically, it's ballad material. Stripped back with a focal point on Carter's vocals and lyrical content. There's a slow strumming acoustic guitar and piano playing throughout with a background drumbeat that keeps the momentum flowing. It's beautiful. Heartwarming and a fantastic way to wrap up this collection of new songs to a tee.

In closing, End of Suffering is a journey of self-awareness and struggle for Frank Carter & The Rattlesnakes, yet it's completely relatable to the average listener and their own personal battles, which proves just how similar we all are at the end of the day. We all suffer, we all go through pain and at times it can get hard but as long as we all look out for each other when we can we'll all get through it and important music/albums like this need to be heard so those who are handed tougher cards than others, can know they're not alone. This is one of the most sincere and important albums of Frank Carter's career and you should do everything in your power to give it a spin when you can...