Friday, October 13th brought good luck this year with the release of Beartooth’s fifth studio album “The Surface.”
Since the album’s announcement in July, fans have been anxiously waiting to see what the Ohio-based metalcore band had in store. With singles like “Riptide,” “Sunshine!,” and “Might Love Myself” slowly being released for the world to hear before the big drop, it was evident that vocalist Caleb Shomo was taking a different direction lyrically.
In past albums like 2016’s “Aggressive” and 2018’s “Disease,” the lyrics delve into a darker and angrier place. Shomo has stated on multiple occasions that music was his way of releasing his anger and emotions that are better left unbottled. He has been open about his struggle with mental health and how music has helped him in all aspects of his life. Nothing makes that clearer than “The Surface.” While still heavy-hitting and head-bang inducing, this new music comes from a happier and more confident place. The band has turned their pain into power, and rather than scream about their anger, they are screaming about their success, musically and personally.
The 11-song album opens with the title track “The Surface” and a filthy guitar riff. The message in this fast-paced song is clear: most worries aren’t worth it. This track feels like Beartooth opening the door to a new, positively vulnerable era of rock. What I love about this song is how effortlessly Shomo goes from cleans to screams.
Track five “Doubt Me” has notes of past Beartooth music due to its blunt, but the incredibly meaningful chorus. There is no doubt that the five-piece band continuously rips. While Shomo is the lyricist behind these masterpieces, they wouldn’t be possible without the work of other band members Oshie Bichar, Connor Denis, Zach Huston, and Will Deely.
“The Better Me” came as a surprise to fans because it was Beartooth’s first-ever collaboration. It features country musician HARDY, who seems to be heading into a world with more electric guitars rather than acoustic guitars. This song came with a music video of the pair tearing it up in a studio and on a golf course. An impressive collaboration if you ask me.
My personal favorite song off the album, “What’s Killing You,” is one that needs to be listened to at max volume always. The combination of lyrical screams and adlib screams are exceptional, and sandwiched around the clean chorus, they show off Shomo’s vast range. It’s a roller coaster from start to finish as it describes the headspace of a self-aware individual who wants to live in the moment.
Overall, I think Beartooth absolutely killed it with their new record. Each album after the next leaves me wondering how they could top the last, yet I’m left speechless every time. The positive spin was a pleasant surprise and is a prime example of turning exceedingly rough situations into melodic masterpieces that quite literally scream positivity. The only way I can imagine these songs being better is live and in real-time with the high energy performance and high-temperature pyrotechnics just waiting to melt face.
