Frank Carter: "You Are Not Alone"

Frank Carter has confirmed that The Rattlesnakes will be pulling out of their upcoming European tour with Papa Roach while he focuses on improving his mental health.

Announcing the news, the frontman penned a beautifully-written – and brutally honest – note about his depression, stating: "the insidious nature of internal pain means that talking about it can be not only a difficult situation but also one that is incredibly embarrassing and wrapped in guilt and shame."

He also added for those in a similar position to himself: "If you are struggling with the weight of the world around you, please talk to someone. Embarrassment breeds shame, shame breeds loneliness and loneliness will kill you if you let it."

Read the full statement below. Take care of yourself, Frank. Looking forward to having you back fighting fit again.

The past two years have been a whirlwind of intensity and high emotion for myself and my family. It has been both a wonderfully fulfilling and exciting place to be and at times a brutally bleak landscape that I have found myself walking in, alone and terrified

While visible wounds are easily sympathised, the insidious nature of internal pain means that talking about it can be not only a difficult situation but also one that is incredibly embarrassing and wrapped in guilt and shame.

When life gets dark inside there is no outside light that is bright enough to show you a safe passage. When you cannot find the light in yourself, that is when the real fight begins. Recently I have found myself fighting harder and much more frequently than I think is either healthy or acceptable.

No person should ever have to constantly fight through demons.

So instead, I am taking some time away from touring to focus on finding the light within myself to be able to always find a safe passage through any situation that the dark labyrinthine confines of my mind can throw at me. I will therefore not be able to perform on our upcoming European tour with Papa Roach.

I am incredibly lucky to have the life that I have, I want to be able to enjoy it for a long time and the only way I can do that is to be brutally honest with myself and stand up and say "I am not ok..."

But I will be.

Thank you for your patience and understanding while I work this out. I have a lot more to offer the world, and I look forward to sharing it with you all when I am a stronger, happier and healthier person.

If you are struggling with the weight of the world around you, please talk to someone. Embarrassment breeds Shame, shame breeds loneliness and loneliness will kill you if you let it.

You are not alone.

Frank Carter & The Rattlesnakes will be performing their biggest UK headline shows ever at the end of the year, and you'd be a fool to miss 'em. 

Catch them at the following…

While you're here, don't forget to listen to the band's latest album, Modern Ruin, because it's bloody awesome. Obviously.