Music
Thoughts on: Why Beartooth are becoming totally unstoppable
I was going through a particularly uninspired time when I first heard Beartooth’s debut EP, Sick, and although the Ohio outfit remain a relatively new offering, there’s been excitement bubbling from their camp ever since.
For me, it was the confidence to charter unsteady waters with a strength reminiscent of some of my favourite bands (Glassjaw, letlive. and Every Time I Die, I’m looking at you). Frontman Caleb Shomo, although only 21 when the EP came out, had an assertiveness I felt the genre was lacking in many singers.
Since making their live UK debut with a truly chaotic night at Camden’s Barfly in April 2014, I’ve seen them play support slots at main London venues like The Forum and KOKO, and tackle both Download and Reading Festival with ease.
Now, 2014’s Disgusting is the soundtrack of a band that want to be heard above the ruckus of big riffs and breakdowns, as brilliantly hellish as they are. Beaten In Lips sees Beartooth speak out against domestic violence. For such a young band, it’s crucial that they’ve found a way to approach these kind of subjects for their equally young fanbase to take in and educate themselves on. After all, they could’ve easily copped out and written solely about the girls that broke their hearts in high school.
“Know that when you’re listening to the record, I was just coming from a place sitting alone, writing songs to get my head on straight. I’m not trying to write songs to change the world,” Caleb said in previous statements.
“This band is just me being honest with myself. I put in a whole lot of effort and time and more honesty and emotion than I’ve ever put into a record. I’m super-excited for people to hear that and for people to understand where I’ve been in the last year,” he added before the record’s release.
Elsewhere on the album, Relapsing, I Have A Problem and Body Bag provide an outlet for the frontman to exorcise his inner demons and in turn, provide an escape for listeners. In a gig environment, it sees fans rocket from the ground, levitate above stage level and beat at the air with their fists.
As far as dumping all your emotions into one album go, Beartooth nailed it. And live, it’s much the same as the Red Bull Records five-piece pound at their respective instruments with little care for much else.
It was inspiring at most when they stormed The Pit at Reading Festival last month. Backed my new pals in While She Sleeps, who join the beaming supporters behind-the-scenes, Beartooth seemed to finally have a grasp on their madness.
In their interview with our blogger Sophie Eggleton, Caleb and Karmron Bradbury are the most content I’ve seen them as they approach a headline UK tour.
“No better way to end the year then with some loud rock shows,” their tour statement reads simply, but as someone who’s watched their progression from that tiny Barfly show, headlining venues like Electric Ballroom has the potential to be so much more.
If nothing else, it was an excuse to release this marvel of a tour poster. Lols.
So whether you’ve seen Beartooth several times over, or November is your first opportunity, this short string of UK dates are a chance to see them at their very best.
Book now at Ticketmaster.co.uk.
