In recent years, there has been an increasing romanticisation of both grief and depression, which is a habit that Fiddlehead lead singer Patrick Flynn personally disagrees with. The beauty of Fiddlehead’s previous efforts is that they have managed to delve headfirst into these subjects and their inner-workings, without fantasising too much about these topics, and their latest album ‘Death Is Nothing To Us‘ provides a perfect conclusion to this makeshift album trilogy.
Fiddlehead’s music has always been about grappling with some of the more difficult topics in life, but in Death Is Nothing To Us, these topics are now met with a stunning maturity compared than they were before, all accompanied with a musical rawness that helps to give the album such a personal feeling.
Whether it’s the poignant ‘Sullenboy’, where Flynn wrestles with the crush of depression for the benefit of his family “Their day is young is and their future’s wide. And I’ll die before I don’t help then rise”, or ‘Loserman’, which provides a glimpse into the perspective of someone who is simply looking to make it through to the end as quickly as possible as a result of depression, but ends with a rather defiant display of solidarity at the end, with “But you’re not alone” ringing out as the track comes to its conclusion.
The album might seem somewhat gloomy in nature, but ‘True Hardcore (II)’ stands out as a love letter to the scene and community that has provided such a haven for Flynn and Co over the years, and one that clearly has been instrumental to the way that Fiddlehead has gone about crafting their own work, with plenty of snarl and bite found in the both the guitar work and the lyrical delivery, all while maintaining some of the more melodic sensibilities that fans of the band will know and love.
Elsewhere, the track ‘The Woes’ is a direct reach from Flynn to the listener, attempting to understand their pain and suffering better. It’s because of songs like that this that has helped to make Fiddlehead such a special band, especially for their long-time fans, even despite the fact that the band was formed with fairly limited expectations.
‘Fiddleheads’ , the name that affectionately adorns the fans of the band, helps to provide another moment of connection between artist and fan, as well as an admirable defiance in the face of the melancholic attitude that depression can induce, with Flynn attesting “I don’t wanna just get by“, clearly hoping for better days to come.
The albums conclusion comes in the form of the gorgeous ‘Going To Die‘, a tribute from Flynn to those who are no longer alive, but while he’s eager to see them again soon, he has come to the understand that there is a life to be lived here first before he goes.
Fiddlehead’s third album proves itself to be as bursting with emotion and relatability as their previous two album, but with a clear sense of personal development and progression shining through the dark clouds that once made up the forecast of their work.
Rating: 7/10
