ELITE : REVIEW
ELITE : REVIEW
Frank Carter and the Rattlesnakes - Modern Ruin International Death Cult / KLS | Release Date : 20th January 2017
Modern Ruin is beautifully hypnotic .
From its chilling opener Bluebelle , to its stunning closer Neon Rust , Frank Carter and his band of Rattlesnakes tick every box on the ‘ How to make a belter of a follow up ’ list . Lead tracks Lullaby , Snake Eyes and most recently , Wild Flowers , still pack the same ferocious punch they did the first time you heard them and title track Modern Ruin is so grizzly it ’ s threatening . It ’ s in the belly of the beast , however , that you find the real reason Modern Ruin will be considered one of best albums 2017 has to offer . Its fleshy middle made of God Is My Friend and Jackals showcase the chaos that Frank Carter creates so naturally , whilst the blood in its veins are the lyrics embedded in the likes of Thunder and Real Life . It is evidently clear that the carnage cannot exist without the lyrical counterpart which so elegantly envelopes raw passion .
Where 2015 saw debut album , Blossom , spitting relentless venom to an angry soundtrack , Modern Ruin refines that anger into something more accessible to all without losing that trademark Rattlesnakes sound . Even after a twentieth listen , Modern Ruin still sounds as honest and breathtaking as the first time around . It ’ s a masterpiece , and to behold it in any of its many formats will be a special experience for any fan .
Less Than Jake - Sound The Alarm EP Pure Noise Records | Release Date : 3rd February 2017
Gainesville ska punk legends , Less Than Jake , are back with new seven track EP , Sound The Alarm ; their debut release for Pasadena based Pure Noise Records . The likes of opening track Call To Arms and Good Sign showcase the band ’ s more upbeat and catchy punk rock side . Bomb Drop is particularly impressive , with a brass section melody more reminiscent of Mighty Mighty Bosstones and a memorable , bouncy chorus . Songs like Welcome To My Life and Years Of Living Dangerously provide the relaxed , sunny ska vibes , with the latter ’ s leading guitar melody sounding like it could belong to a song by reggae-rock band 311 .
Due to how the tracks are ordered , whether coincidentally or purposely , Sound The Alarm has a clever balance of light and heavy which keeps you listening . With ska punk generally not being as popular today as it was in the 90s and the early 2000s , this may not gain them a new crowd but will definitely keep the fans more devoted . They might not be taking it back to the faster , old school sound some have been hoping for but Sound The Alarm is a perfect representation of the more eclectic Less Than Jake of the last 15 years . It is actually quite a shame that it ’ s only an EP .
Words by Jonathan Miller
Words by Alice Hoddinott
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